Units
Counselling Studies 3
Unit code: PYN004
Contact hours: 3 per week
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
This unit focuses on relationship counselling. It explores the historyand development of systemic family therapy and couple work. It examines the potential of a constructive approach and orientation to working with relationships and relationship issues in therapy. Students will choose a specific issue or area of relationship counselling and, working in small groups, present a workshop for fellow class members which demonstrates the use (or adaption) of a constructive therapy approach.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 1 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
Contemporary approaches to counselling have increasingly emphasised the importance of a relational understanding of human problems and change processes. The general area of family therapy has been most notable in contributing important concepts and skills which can be applied to most forms of relationship counselling. Regardless of whether a counsellor's primary work is with individuals, couples, families, or larger systems, it is important to have some understanding of these concepts and skills. It is also important to develop self-awareness about one's own family dynamics. This unit is an important preparation for your supervised practice in the Psychology and Counselling Clinic.
Aims
This unit is designed to provide students with a relational or systemic understanding of counselling problems, and effective skills for working with couples and families in a variety of settings.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to conceptualise problems from the standpoint of selected models of family/relationship counselling (e.g. solution focused and narrative therapies);
- Identify and demonstrate specified therapeutic and reflecting team skills;
- Critically apply relevant theory and skills to a specific client population or problem.
- Analyse potential effects of your own family dynamics on your work with couples/families.
Content
The weekly classes will cover the general areas of:
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
Teaching approaches will include experiential workshops, theoretical input, role-play demonstrations, and exercises where you will be able to act as therapists, clients and reflecting team members. As well as input from lecturers, students will have the opportunity to research specific topics of interest and present these in workshop form to the class.
Assessment
Assessment will be used across the semester to allow you to demonstrate your ability to apply relationship counselling skills and knowledge to specific problem areas. It will include class demonstrations and also self reflection on your own family.Students will receive formative feedback through regular structured exercises and reflective processes. Summative feedback will occur through the formal assessment items.
Assessment name:
Demonstration
Description:
In small groups (e.g. 4-6) you will make a 3 hour presentation, demonstrating the use of a selected model to conceptualise a specific relationship problem, and develop interventions. The presentation will include didactic input, a role-play demonstration (including a reflecting team process), facilitation of class discussion and exercises, and provision of relevant handout and reference material.
Relates to objectives:
1, 2 & 3
Weight:
50%
Internal or external:
External
Group or individual:
Group
Due date:
Weeks 8-12
Assessment name:
Essay (2500 words)
Description:
You will write an individual essay on your group's topic, critically applying theory and skills, and incorporating an analysis of your own family history and dynamics, and their potential effect on your work in this area.
Relates to objectives:
1, 3 & 4
Weight:
50%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
End of semester
Academic Honesty
QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.
A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.
Resource materials
Recommended References:
Lowe, R. (2004). Family therapy: A constructive framework. London: Sage
Nichols, M., and Schwartz, R. (2009). The essentials of family therapy (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson
Risk assessment statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.
Last modified: 13-Sep-2012
