PYB356 Counselling Theory and Practice 2

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

Counselling students need to be cognizant of theory, skills, and process in order to work effectively and ethically in the modern world. At the core of the meaning of process is an assumption that counselling is about change: change that is facilitated by the therapeutic relationship between client and counsellor. This unit builds on the theoretical and skills focus of Counselling Theory & Practice 1. It seeks to develop students' capacity to monitor and reflect on how, in the role of counsellor, will manage therapeutic process when working with clients. Students will be invited to adopt a decolonising stance by actively engaging in critical thinking to consider how knowledge is created and to ensure that their counselling practice remains relevant in an increasingly diverse world. 

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Apply an experiential learning approach to the development of self as a counsellor to ensure intentional, sustainable and ethical practice.
2. Demonstrate the skills required to manage the therapeutic process and build a therapeutic relationship in a culturally safe way.
3. Critically analyse internal and external factors that impact on clients and the counselling process and examine understandings of decoloniality through the consideration of counselling practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other marginalised communities.
4. Identify a range of emerging professional issues related to Affiliation, Registration and Accountability.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit uses an experiential learning framework to develop your understanding of the varying dimensions of the counselling process and the role of the counsellor in this context. This is accomplished in lectures and tutorials.

In tutorials, you will participate in exercises and activities designed to clarify and deepen your understanding of important concepts covered in the lectures. Attendance at tutorials will be required for successful completion of the subject and all assessment tasks.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Formative feedback will be provided through Tutor and peer evaluation of the use of micro skills in building a therapeutic relationship and the monitoring of group dynamics in the tutorial.

Summative feedback will take the form of a quiz, demonstration and critique, and reflective written tasks.

Assessment

Overview

This unit will assess your understanding of process as an integral component of the therapeutic context. This will be achieved through active participation in tutorials, demonstration of reflective and analytic skills and development of the self as practitioner.

Your assessment consists of a 50% portfolio of practice that captures and organises your learning and experiences from tutorials, and a 50% demonstration and critique.  Both assessments require you to actively participate in tutorials across the semester. 
You will be required to electronically submit all written assignments for content matching checks.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Demonstration and Critique

Following intensive practice of the purposive use of micro skills in tutorials, you will conduct an initial counselling session demonstrating the key characteristics in building a therapeutic relationship. This demonstration is a hurdle requirement to be conducted either in person or over your chosen digital platform.  Your critique is a self-assessment of your performance in the counselling session. The emphasis is not on competency in the use of skills but the ability to reflect on performance with a 'critical eye', with reference to relevant literature. You will be required to submit any feedback offered by the tutor and your peers as evidence of the stimulus material for the critique. 

Only the submission of documentation (critique) is an assignment for the purposes of an extension. 

Assessment: Practice Portfolio

Your active participation in tutorials and workshops is essential to developing your framework for counselling. You will be required to maintain a portfolio which will include two written reflections in addition to documentation verifying the completion of various experiential activities provided throughout the semester.

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

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

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.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

You should be aware that some content in this unit may be confronting to certain audiences. Please exercise your own discretion when participating in classroom activities or discussions and, if appropriate, advise teaching staff if you do not wish to participate. The QUT Student Counselling service is also available and free of charge to all QUT students.

Course Learning Outcomes

PY45 Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)

1. Critically examine the scientific discipline of psychological research and theories using oral, written and digital communication to address psychological issues in a respectful, ethical and professional manner.
   Relates to: Demonstration and Critique, Practice Portfolio
2. Employ strategies for self-reflection, with regards to your conduct, values and impact on others and the profession in a culturally sensitive, inclusive, ethical and sustainable way.
   Relates to: Demonstration and Critique, Practice Portfolio
3. Develop interpersonal process skills that contribute to effective outcomes in collaboration with others, including developing innovative opportunities.
   Relates to: Demonstration and Critique, Practice Portfolio
4. Implement a range of digital capabilities to access, examine and utilise evidence-based information in the context of effectively responding to, and communicating, real world problems.
   Relates to: Demonstration and Critique