Module: Philosophy & Psychotherapy

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Philosophy & Psychotherapy
Module Code	PST1030 (ITS: NS618)
Faculty	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	15

Description

This module is designed to engage the candidate in critical inquiry about the philosophical underpinnings of popular models of psychotherapy. Candidates will be encouraged to critically discuss the influence, interconnections and disconnections between philosophy and psychotherapy. It will explore the influences of philosophical paradigms on key aspects of psychotherapy such as conceptualisations of being & humanity, pathology & problematisation, growth and change, responsibility, therapeutic relationship and therapists’ roles. Furthermore, the module aims to assist candidates to articulate and critically examine their own professional and personal philosophies regarding psychotherapy practice and to widen their horizon of understanding about the implicit and explicit influence of philosophy in the world of psychotherapy. Through independent study, candidates will engage in a depth of reading, reflection and critical appraisal of philosophical positions with respect to dominant approaches to psychotherapy.

Learning Outcomes

1. Articulate the influence, interconnections and disconnections between philosophy and psychotherapy.
2. Critically discuss philosophical positions, for example, phenomenology, post-modernism, post-structuralism, constructivism, social constructivism and moral philosophy.
3. Explore different approaches in psychotherapy and debate how each is informed from a philosophical perspective.
4. Investigate and critically discuss what conceptualisations of being & humanity, pathology & problematisation, growth & change, responsibility, therapeutic relationship and therapists’ roles are held by major schools of psychotherapy.
5. Critically appraise the psychotherapy model(s) that influence their practice and describe the philosophical underpinnings of these model(s).
6. Explore the ethical implications of embracing specific psychotherapeutic positions and various ways of viewing and enacting the therapeutic relationship.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	15	No Description
Tutorial	10	No Description
Seminars	10	No Description
Independent Study	90	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	11456	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	PASS/FAIL	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Stephanie swales	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Essay	Following group discussion and feedback to the candidate on their presentation, the candidate will produce a Doctoral level essay which critically discusses the influence, interconnections and disconnections between their chosen philosophy and contemporary psychotherapy practice. Candidates are encouraged to write the essay with a view to gaining a publication in a peer reviewed philosophical or psychotherapy	60%	Sem 2 End
Presentation	Candidates will make a 20 minute presentation and lead a discussion with the learning group which demonstrates an in-depth appreciation of the central postulations of their chosen philosophy. The presentation will critically examine the influence of the chosen philosophy on contemporary psychotherapy practice.	40%	Sem 2 End

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

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

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Philosophy, Psychotherapy, ethics, phenomenology, post-modernism, post-structuralism, constructivism
Philosophical positions, e.g. phenomenology, post-modernism, post-structuralism, constructivism, social constructivism and moral philosophy. Philosophical underpinnings of major schools of psychotherapy, for example, Person-centred, Psychoanalytic psychotherapy, Systemic psychotherapy and CBT. Conceptualisations of being & humanity, pathology & problematisation, growth & change, responsibility, therapeutic relationship and therapists’ roles. Ethics, philosophy and psychotherapy

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Miller Mair: 1989, Between Psychology and Psychotherapyâ€:, Routledge,
Bermudez, J.L.: 2005, Philosophy of Psychology, Routledge, New York and London,
Zizek, S: 2009, In Defense of Lost Causes, Verso, London,
Foucault, M.: 2006, The History of Madness, Routledge, London,
Pope, K.S., & Vasques, J.T.,: 2007, Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide., Jossey-Bass, CA,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None