Module Specifications.
Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025
All Module information is indicative, and this portal is an interim interface pending the full upgrade of Coursebuilder and subsequent integration to the new DCU Student Information System (DCU Key).
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Date posted: September 2024 No Banner module data is available
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None No resit opportunity |
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Description The purpose of this module is to facilitate students in developing the competencies that underpin the effective and professional practice of counselling and psychotherapy within the Irish context. Participants will develop skills in assessing their own, and potential client’s suitability for psychotherapy within a broader context of the client’s overall healthcare. Through a combination of reading, in class discussion, and extensive experiential practice of being psychotherapist to one of their peers, participants start to hone and fine-tune their ability to establish a productive therapeutic relationship and to integrate theories and practice from the systemic, and cognitive behavioural traditions, exploring how to integrate these approaches with the Programme’s Integrative (Humanistic and Psychosynthesis) tradition. Ethical, social, and legal issues pertaining to the practice of psychotherapy will also be taught, and students will be prepared for entering into a professional Supervisory relationship. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Learning Outcomes 1. Assess their own and potential client’s suitability for psychotherapy, drawing on a holistic understanding of the client (including factors such as background and culture) within the overall context of healthcare services in Ireland. 2. Create a therapeutic alliance with clients, based on a basic level of mutual trust, through the clarification of mutual expectations, and the agreement on ground rules for the relationship 3. Strengthen the therapeutic alliance through the practical application of appropriate levels of specific competencies within a professional, ethical, and legal framework 4. Integrate a number of theoretical orientations and associated approaches, mainly those of Integrative (Humanistic and Psychosynthesis), and also incorporating elements of Cognitive-Behavioural and Systemic. 5. Demonstrate their personal integration of theory and skills into practice with the personal development necessary for the personal readiness to practice. 6. Demonstrate specific skills associated with systemic and cognitive-behavioural models of counselling and psychotherapy, use these skills appropriately within the context of therapy, and explain the rationale for a particular therapeutic method with sensitivity and due regard to the individual needs and characteristics of a client 7. Establish and participate meaningfully in a clinical Supervisory relationship that is of benefit both to themselves and to their clients. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Assessing Own and Client’s Suitability for PsychotherapyIn this section, students will learn to consider their own and a client’s overall suitability for psychotherapy, taking into account presenting problems, factors such as the client’s social and cultural context, supports and overall desire for personal growth. Participants will learn to consider psychotherapy within the context of other healthcare services available in Ireland. This section also prepares students for establishing and maintaining a beneficial Supervisory relationship where they can discuss such issues.Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches to PsychotherapyCognitive-behavioural approaches to psychotherapy are explored in this section. The basic cognitive-behavioural perspective is compared with other main theoretical approaches. Participants learn about some of the main techniques used in cognitive-behavioural therapy.The Systemic PerspectiveIn this section students learn how to take a systems perspective when working with clients in a therapeutic setting. The importance of context, including culture, family of origin, work/organizational and other such systems that intersect with individual lives is stressed. Participants will familiarize themselves with some of the tools employed by Systemic practitioners, including the family Genogram and family sculpting.Skills PracticePractising in small groups, where students practise as psychotherapist for one of their peers, and with guidance, observation and feedback from professional tutors (one per group of 8/9 students), and feedback from peers, participants develop a host of ‘level 2’ skills for conducting an effective psychotherapy session for a range of client issues. Particular attention is paid to integrating several theoretical orientations listed above, with a primary emphasis on Integrative (Humanistic and Psychosynthesis), and also including elements of Cognitive-Behavioural, and Systems theory, and being able to utilize and justify the rationale for approaches associated with each perspectiveSelf-Awareness and Development as a PsychotherapistThis subject is integrated throughout the module, as participants learn to appreciate how crucial their own personal process of deep self-understanding and growth is to the therapeutic process. Participants learn how to self-reflect, recognize their own strengths and blocks contributing to the therapeutic process, and begin their own personal journey of integration, transformation, and growth. Personal Readiness of the psychotherapist is emphasized | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indicative Reading List
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Other Resources 23269, website/booklet, IACP, 0, Code of Ethics and Practice for Counsellors, http://www.irish-counselling.ie, 23270, website/booklet, IAHIP, ICP, EAIPP, EAP, 0, Code of Ethics and Practice for Psychotherapists, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||