PYH402 Counselling Psychology Perspectives and Practice

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit provides you with the opportunity to build on your practical counselling skills and understanding of the field of counselling psychology, from the foundational counselling units in the undergraduate program. The thematic focus of this unit is on the critical analysis, comparison, and evaluation of selected counselling intervention orientations, including first-nations perspectives. The comparison of approaches involves a consideration of major contemporary issues relating to the integration of theory, research, social and cultural diversity and ethical practice.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Evaluate the theory and practice of counselling psychology, in relation to its history, major contemporary issues and developments in ethical practice, and research; including Indigenous perspectives.
2. Critically examine the philosophical and socio-cultural basis, major concepts and practices, relating to selected counselling interventions.
3. Apply communication and interview skills, including the demonstration of common factors within a specific counselling orientation, and reflect on your achievement of these skills.
4. Synthesise the theory and practice of a selected counselling orientation to formulate appropriate intervention strategies.

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit content is delivered in workshops which are both didactic and experiential. The workshops will include didactic input, demonstrations via video and role plays, structured experiential counselling exercises and in-depth class discussion. You will also have the opportunity to engage in role plays in preparation for your demonstration at the end of semester and receive formative feedback from your peers and teaching team. These methods will be used to encourage critical reflection on counselling processes and issues.
The PYH402 Canvas site is used to support student learning through the provision of resource material, further reading, links to videos and demonstrations and to broadcast timely messages and alerts to engage you at key milestones.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

This unit provides a number of avenues for students to gain formative feedback. Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:

• A range of formative skill development exercises are conducted in class and supported through class discussion.
• For work that you prepare for summative assessment, you will also receive written feedback on your work, and will have the opportunity to consult with the unit coordinator.
• Generic comments and feedback to the cohort will be provided via class discussion and the PHY402 Canvas site.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit comprises of an online mid-semester exam, the application of your learning using a case study, and a demonstration and self-reflection of your practical counselling skills from a selected counselling orientation. All written assessment will be required to be submitted through the online assignment upload feature on the CANVAS Unit Learning Site which incorporates a plagiarism checking tool. Final grades will be based on achievement across these three assessment pieces, weighted as indicated.
To best prepare for the completion of the assessment items, you will need to attend all the scheduled classes, and participate in the experiential classwork. Formative assessment will take the form of role plays, consultation with the teaching team via class discussions, individual appointments, and email. These processes will be used to assist you to prepare for assessments, gain feedback on your performance, and plan your approach to the case study. 

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Mid Semester Exam (Online)

This assessment presented in an online format, will consist of a mix of questions (both short answer and longer essay-type responses) designed to test your critical understanding and application of lecture material and specified readings regarding microskills, common factors, and what brings about change in therapy, including Indigenous Australian perspectives. You will be asked to view video vignettes of clients and write your responses to the client and why you would respond this way. You will be asked to identify points in a video of a counselling session where the counsellor could have responded to the client differently using the foundational counselling skills and cultural safety discussed in the unit and write alternate responses.

Assessment: Case Study

The Case Study will require you to apply the theoretical knowledge gained throughout the unit to a specific clinical case. You will be required to choose a specific intervention framework to evaluate a detailed client case study based on a real case presentation.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Demonstration and Reflection

During the semester you will have multiple opportunities to engage in practising your counselling skills and receive feedback. This assessment conducted in week 13 will require you to demonstrate your skills based on your choice of counselling intervention orientation. You will take the role of a practitioner and work with a specific client using your chosen intervention orientation.  After the session you will be asked to reflect on your skills and submit a written reflection on your skills, including cultural safety. You will receive a mark out of 20 for the demonstration and a mark out of 10 for your written submission.

The reflection part of this assessment is an assignment eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) Required Pre-Professional Competencies for a Level 2 Honours Degree

2.2:

Relates to: Mid Semester Exam (Online), Demonstration and Reflection

2.4:

Relates to: Case Study, Demonstration and Reflection

Course Learning Outcomes

PY09 Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours Psychology)

1. Critically evaluate empirical findings, major concepts, and theoretical bases of core areas in psychology, including first-nations perspectives.
   Relates to: Mid Semester Exam (Online), Case Study
2. Employ evidence based decision making and digital capabilities to formulate solutions to address complex problems including psychological assessment and intervention strategies across a range of settings and diverse populations.
   Relates to: Case Study
3. Employ effective professional collaboration, and communication skills in diverse formats, digital platforms and settings appropriate to socially and culturally responsive psychological practice and research.
   Relates to: Mid Semester Exam (Online), Case Study, Demonstration and Reflection
4. Reflect on your continual professional development, building upon your understanding of the values, legal and ethical frameworks relevant to psychology, your professional profile and competencies, to contribute to society in inclusive, ethical, entrepreneurial and sustainable ways.
   Relates to: Demonstration and Reflection