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Introduction to Counselling (15 credits)

Overview

  • Credit value: 15 credits at Level 4
  • Convenor: Dr Esther Ramsay-Jones
  • Assessment: a 1000-word comparison chart (100%)

Module description

What is counselling? How does it help? How does it differ from a good conversation with a friend?

In this introductory module we will introduce you to the basic ideas, aims and methods of the main types of counselling, and provide you with an understanding of what counselling is and how it is different from other supportive roles. Throughout, you will have the opportunity to learn about yourself and to develop greater self-awareness.

We will broadly outline some of the main assumptions of counselling work, and demonstrate where it is different from other roles such as friendship and other helping professions. With a good understanding of counselling in general, you will be introduced to the history of talking treatment from Freud to the contemporary context. You will learn about three major counselling modalities:

  • psychodynamic
  • person-centred
  • cognitive behavioural counselling.

The module will include exercises throughout to encourage you to develop basic self-reflective skills.

Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you will:

  • be familiar with the techniques used in counselling and the underpinning theory of practice
  • be able to use active listening
  • be able to use your own developing reflexivity in other contexts
  • recognise the values, techniques and history of three major counselling modalities.