PYN002 Counselling Studies 2

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit will serve as a review of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings-as well as the distinctive skills and techniques of the major psychotherapeutic and counselling traditions.

The unit situates and contextualises the Narrative, Solution-Focused and Collaborative Conversational approaches to counselling from PYN000 within the broader field of Psychotherapy and Counselling and explores these through a decolonising lens.

The essential element of this unit is an exploration of how a therapist might appropriately respond to client presentations by drawing upon a wide range of interdisciplinary and inter professional learning opportunities. Particular focus will be given to developing the capacity to choose effective and ethical therapeutic approaches and skills that promote positive outcomes for existing and future counselling clients.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Examine and apply the philosophical and theoretical underpinning as well as the distinctive concepts and interventions that belong to each of the major psychotherapeutic and counselling approaches;
2. Critique the use of skills from at least one of the major psychotherapeutic and counselling approaches covered in this unit as part of a collaborative group work process;
3. Compare and critique diverse perspectives on Integrative Therapy from a decolonising lens and diverse perspectives;
4. Examine the way that socio-cultural contexts-as well as the development of scientific theory-have impacted on the emergence of psychotherapeutic and counselling approaches to clients such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations;
5. Synthesise how your own value positions and preferred therapeutic practice alignment fits with each of the major psychotherapeutic and counselling approaches.

Content

Learning Approaches

• Classes will include reflection on theory as well as an experiential exploration of various counselling approaches through demonstration of skills and role-play. You will be required to research and present material to other students and engage in reflection and discussion about the learning activities. You are expected to be active participants in all aspects of the unit.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

There are three assessment items in this unit. The first is a viva/in-class group presentation. The second is an essay, and the third a series of reflective journal entries. For the group presentation you will (in groups of 4-5 ) be required to prepare a seminar to be presented to the class during Weeks 8-12. As such you will receive feedback from multiple sources throughout the unit including Self-reflection, informal feedback from your peers during in class activities and both formative and summative feedback from your Lecturer for all assessment items.

Assessment

Overview

There are three assessment items in this unit. The first is a viva/in-class group presentation (demonstration). The second is an essay, and the third a series of reflective journal entries. For the group presentation you will (in groups of 4-5 ) be required to prepare a seminar to be presented to the class during Weeks 8-12. Feedback will be provided to each group by the lecturer.

You will be required to submit your essay through content-matching software. This assignment will be marked online and your feedback will be supplied via Canvas.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

In small groups you will be required to prepare a 2.5-hour seminar on a nominated psychotherapeutic/counselling approach. Your presentation (demonstration) will situate your nominated approach in terms of the scientific, social and cultural aspects of when the approach was developed. In addition you will explore the relevance of this approach through a decolonizing lens with diverse client groups including Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander populations. Your seminar will also focus on exploring inter and intra-professional approaches and decolonizing experiential learning modalities, reflective of real world counselling approaches.

Your group will devise a role-play that highlights the contrast between your chosen approach with other major psychotherapeutic and counselling approaches in diverse contexts, such as Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders.

This is a group assessment. One mark will be provided for the group/presentation as a whole. 

Assessment: Written Assignment Paper

You will be required to write a 3000-word paper on your understanding of Integrative Therapy. Your paper will include clinical examples to demonstrate your understanding.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Reflective Journal

You will be required to write and upload a total of 6 reflective journal entries based on the course material between weeks 1-8. Each of these entries will be between 500-700 words in length and will focus on a broad range of therapeutic models, approaches to integration, and decolonising practices, with a focus on how these relate to your emerging personal practice framework. Following week 8 you will then select and submit 2 of these reflective journal entries for Marking and feedback.  

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

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

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Jones-Smith, E. (Ed.). 2012. Theories of counselling and psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. London: Sage

Recommended text(s)

Sommers-Flanagan, J. Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2004) Counselling and Psychotherapy Theories in context and Practice: skills, strategies and techniques. Wiley.

Risk Assessment Statement

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

Course Learning Outcomes

PY12 Master of Counselling

1. Critique and employ coherent therapeutic, practical and contextually relevant counselling knowledge, skills and values that embody a collaborative professional discourse that honours multiple perspectives across culturally diverse lifespans.
   Relates to: Presentation, Written Assignment Paper, Reflective Journal
2. Critically evaluate and apply intentional practice processes, engaging advanced critical thinking and decision-making skills, underpinned by ethical and professional values and critical reflexivity to ensure culturally safe collaborative counselling.
   Relates to: Presentation, Written Assignment Paper, Reflective Journal
3. Critically evaluate and apply theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of counselling research and practice, drawing upon digital capabilities and the qualities of ethical conduct, social inclusivity, reflexivity and reflection in sustainable ways.
   Relates to: Presentation, Written Assignment Paper, Reflective Journal
4. Scrutinise counselling research literature, reflected in autoethnographic professional practice experience, to develop new knowledge integral to the standards of professional counselling practice and practice innovation.
   Relates to: Reflective Journal
5. Promote and practice effective written, oral and digital communication processes including advanced listening and dialogue skills, congruent with a collaborative counselling approach, in a range of contexts.
   Relates to: Presentation, Written Assignment Paper, Reflective Journal