Diploma in Counselling Psychology

Course details

The Diploma in Counselling Psychology at City Colleges aims to introduce students to the main theories, strategies, and skills of counselling psychology. Theories covered are derived from the three main basic therapeutic frameworks; humanistic, psychodynamic, and cognitive-behavioural. Students will graduate with a sound basic understanding of these three main schools and specific examples of each from a theoretical perspective. Attention will also be paid to broad differences between counselling psychology and related professions such as counselling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, etc. Basic skills training will also be covered. Finally, students will gain experience of research through a project to be completed within one month of completion of lectures.

Structure

• The aim of this diploma course is to introduce learners to the basic concepts involved in the clinical practice of Counselling Psychology. The intention is to provide each participant with an enjoyable and engaging entry-point to a complex and multi-faceted subject area.
• The programme will consist of lectures, classroom discussion and practical exercises.
• The course runs for ten weeks and is composed of the following elements:
• Lectures: This is the traditional mainstay of academic programmes. The lectures will provide information, explain concepts and guide the reading of the learner;
• Discussion: Participants will be encouraged to discuss important concepts and themes in a relaxed atmosphere. The emphasis here is less on defending view-points than on the exploration of ideas and the sharing of personal understanding.
• Practical Exercises: Towards the latter part of the programme we will conduct some practical exercises relevant to the clinical application of counselling. The precise form of this element will depend on the dynamic specific to each group of learners and is, as such, a somewhat organic element. It is envisaged, though, that this component will involve some form of group process and some one-to-one clinical encounters involving learners in the role of clinician and client; and,
• Essay / Project: Each participant will be tasked with writing an essay of approximately 2500 words. The topic for each essay will be discussed and agreed with the lecturer. A submission date will be given, typically about one month after the date of the final lecture. Learners will be encouraged to comply with this deadline as extensions can only be given in exceptional circumstances.
• Successful completion of the programme will require a pass grade on the essay and a pass grade for class participation. The lecturer will make every effort to assist each learner in maximising his or her performance on the programme.

Outline

Notions of Normalcy & Conceptions of Disorder;

Classifications of Psychopathology:

• DSM IV-TR & DSM V ICD-10
• Psychoanalysis & Structure
• Criminal Classification: The psychopath & The Sociopath

Clinical Presentation: The elaboration of common experience;

Psychopharmacology: An overview of psychotropic medication and its uses;

Sigmund Freud: The Psychoanalytic Method

Psychoanalysis After Freud:

• Jung, Lacan & The British School
• Masson & “Against Therapy”;

Existentialism:

• From Jaspers to Sartre, via Heidegger et al
• Rollo May
• Viktor Frankl & Logo Therapy;

Learning Theory:

• Pavlov, Classical Conditioning & Higher-Order Learning
• Skinner & Operant Conditioning
• Watson & Thorndike
• Reinforcement, Habituation & Extinction;

CBT:

• The Mind as Computer;
• Behaviourism & Cognitive Psychology Meet!
• Beck & Ellis
• Criticisms of CBT

Humanistic Approaches:

• Carl Rogers
• The Human Potential Movement;

Speech, Language & Meaning:

• The linguistic sign
• De Saussure & the signifier
• Meaning & Metaphor
• The discourse of the clinic;

The Therapeutic Encounter:

• Roles & Rules
• Speaking & Interpretation
• Listening
• Understanding
• Silence
• Working with Children
• Group Therapy
• Working with the abused & abusers

Clinical Fragments:

• The Discourse of the Anorexic
• The Abused & Guilt
• Self-Harm & “cutting”
• Fantasy & Phantasy
• The Therapist as object;

Essay Writing:

• Structure
• Content
• Grading Guidelines;

Practical Exercises:

• One-to-one therapy
• Speaking & Listening
• Group Therapy; and,

Essay: 2500 Words (Topic to be agreed with lecturer)