Integrative Counselling Foundation Degree

This module aims to give students an understanding of the theory, philosophy and practice of counselling from Gestalt and Psychodynamic viewpoints. These theoretical frameworks will be examined from the perspective of their application in counselling practice and evidence-based practice. The underpinning rationale that justifies the use of these two models will be explored, and students will be encouraged to evaluate the usefulness of different approaches from a practical perspective.

This module sets out to enable students in the first part of their Professional Counselling Placement(s), to sharpen their reflective approach, demonstrating movement from theory into practice which evidences a sound Integrative Model. It will challenge them to reflect effectively on the professional and ethical dimensions to their practice in their placement. Students will be encouraged to demonstrate how far and in what ways they are engaged in planning their ongoing personal and professional development. This module therefore also includes the Personal and Professional Development Group hour. This module is central and critical to counsellor training, as students move toward the practical and professional aspects of their course. It is therefore intended to be wide-ranging and to be responsive to students’ placement contexts and evolving experience.

This module will enable students, who at this stage will have a foundation in the core skills of counselling, to acquire an increased awareness of the ethical and professional issues involved in counselling practice. Attention will be given to the practical aspects of the profession, such as contracting, referrals, managing boundaries, as well as an appreciation of wider issues such as culture, belief systems, sexual orientation, risk assessment, collaborative working and the on-going role of supervision. This module will also consider the range of settings within which counselling takes place in the UK and the ways in which the context influences practice and consider this in the context of employability characteristics and skills. Students will also consider applying knowledge & awareness to work with others in a manner which is sensitive to and respectful of difference.

This module gives an overview of Person-Centred Counselling theory and an understanding of how its underpinning theory and philosophy inform the practice of counselling. Person Centred Counselling will be examined from the perspective of its application in practice (which relates to modules COF436/COF535/COF536). The underpinning rationale that justifies the use of this model will be explored and students will be encouraged reflect on its relevance to personal development.

This is the initial module on the Foundation Degree Programme, and as such is intended to develop the subject of counselling and consolidate counselling skills. The main emphasis will be on the therapeutic frame and the development of specific skills from the Person Centred Approach alongside common-factors skills associated with other therapeutic modalities.

In this module students bring together learning from the previous two modules to integrate skills and theory. The module provides crucial preparation for students to start on their counselling placement. This module focuses on the steps that represent the stages of the counselling process. It will develop student’s relational awareness (including containment, ruptures and repairs) and draw on appropriate theories (including Rogers’ 7-stage process model, attachment & transference) to support theory into practice.

This module sets out to enable students in their Professional Counselling Practice, to sharpen their reflective approach, demonstrating movement from theory into practice related to counselling contexts. It will challenge them to reflect effectively on the professional and ethical dimensions to the practice in the specific counselling area; to take on board the roles of Evidence base practice EBP and Practice based evidence PBE within a research friendly approach as they aspire to become Professional, Ethical, Reflective, Practitioners. Students will be encouraged to demonstrate how far and in what ways they are engaged in planning their on-going personal and professional development. During the taught case discussion group sessions students will present their anonymised work verbally or via recordings for formative feedback and discussion from tutors and peers. Particular attention will be given to preparation for professional VIVA and being able to present client material in a professional, reflective, non-defensive and ethical way.

This module aims to provide an overview of key perspectives on psychological and emotional distress. It includes a consideration of neurobiological contributions to the understanding of abnormal development and its psychological consequences. The module seeks to encourage students to understand mental illnesses from a clinically informed fashion, in terms of aetiology, classification and treatment. The specific manner in which fields of counselling and psychotherapy assess and manage these issues will be explored, focusing especially on the therapeutic application entailed, and the therapeutic justification for decisions. This module will also contextualise these areas through promoting an appreciation of the multi-cultural and religious issues that can arise in various treatment settings, and the counselling field more broadly.

Degree in Integrative Counselling, namely a clinical placement undertaken by students from Years 2-3. Assessment on this module requires them to provide evidence of their completion of, and learning from, their placements. Whilst on placement, students’ progress is closely monitored through the personal tutorial system (attendance at personal tutorials at six monthly intervals or after 60 hours of counselling practice, whichever is sooner). They are also closely monitored on the programme through attending Case Discussion Groups, where they regularly present and discuss their client work and gain feedback from a tutor with considerable experience as a counselling practitioner. The Placement Panel also oversees clinical work and liaises with the student, placement and supervisor where needed through the Four-Way Agreement which was signed by all parties and is specifically referred to in module COF436. This module will also incorporate continuing practice and reflection on core OPT competencies taught in previous modules across year 1 and 2. This will be seen in the number and medium through which counselling practice and supervision hours are accrued during the placement. and in accompanying counselling records as listed below.

This module sets out to enable students in the first part of their Professional Counselling Placement(s), to sharpen their reflective approach, demonstrating movement from theory into practice which evidences a sound Integrative Model. It will challenge them to reflect effectively on the professional and ethical dimensions to their practice in their placement. Students will be encouraged to demonstrate how far and in what ways they are engaged in planning their ongoing personal and professional development. This module also continues to facilitate knowledge & awareness to work with others in a manner which is sensitive to & respectful of difference in the case discussion group and Personal and Professional Development Group.

This module deepens students understanding of the underlying principles of research methods across qualitative and quantitative approaches with a focus on qualitative research methods. The module takes a practical and experiential approach, to enable students to gain an understanding of the stages of carrying out a small research project. The project work will be undertaken in small groups, thereby also giving students an opportunity to further develop their skills of working in teams. Students will demonstrate their acquisition of knowledge through formative group discussions and a summative individual research report to communicate their findings.

The module will synthesise and build upon the material presented in previous modules by revisiting the main modalities of person-centred theory, psychodynamic theory and gestalt. A stronger emphasis on integration will be introduced in this module, with the person-centred approach as the core of the assimilative integrative model.