Psychodynamic Thinking and Practice

Overview

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 6
• Convenor: to be confirmed
• Assessment: a 1500-word essay to test understanding applied to practice (30%) and 3500-word self-reflective essay (70%)

Module description

In this module we introduce you to psychodynamic theory and practice. Together with the module, Psychodynamics of Groups and Organisations, this module offers the equivalent of a graduate certificate in counselling.

Indicative syllabus

• Psychoanalytic theory and concepts, e.g. the unconscious, defence mechanisms, resistance
• Technical elements in psychodynamic practice, e.g. interpretation, therapeutic alliance, containment, transference, countertransference
• Psychodynamic skills of listening in the face of client difficulties, e.g. silence, lateness
• Managing the basic elements of counselling setting within a psychodynamic frame, e.g. breaks and ending

Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• describe the key concepts of psychodynamic theory and practice and start to link them together
• begin to establish a conceptual psychodynamic framework to guide how the counsellor listens to the client
• refine counselling skills introduced in the module Core Concepts in Counselling, to establish, conduct and conclude a supportive, helping conversation, focusing on the creation and maintenance of a therapeutic alliance which would allow basic exploration of the client’s difficulties with (resistance to) the counselling process
• apply counselling skills learnt in the module Core Concepts in Counselling, to make simple interventions (e.g. reflecting back, summarising, making observations, challenging) to the client in order to convey understanding.