Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Individual Psychotherapy Practice 2

• Unit Code

  COU6324

• Year

  2017

• Enrolment Period

  2

• Version

  1

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  

• Unit Coordinator

  Dr Sarron Alvah GOLDMAN

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Description

This is a clinical skills unit concerning the practice of individual psychotherapy/counselling. It aims to develop within the student roles relating to the assessment of the presenting situation, choice of appropriate interventions, and evaluation of the outcome of treatment. This unit has a compulsory attendance requirement. In keeping with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) stipulations, students need to have practiced necessary skills/competencies in the classroom to a satisfactory level before going out into the field. A minimum of 80% class attendance is therefore required.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from COU6305

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Accomplish a foundation level competency in psychodiagnostics.
2. Appraise session outcomes both independently and in consultation with the client.
3. Execute psychotherapeutic interventions and link these to observations about the client and the process of the counselling session.
4. Formulate a psychodynamic case including an assessment of the client's suitability for counselling/psychotherapy.
5. Implement active and psychoanalytic forms of listening.
6. Monitor the limitations of the counselling context and refer in those situations better managed by another professional's expertise.

Unit Content

1. Active listening vs. psychoanalytic forms of listening.
2. Conceptualising: using existing theoretical models to make meaning of clinical observations, sharing these conceptionalisations with the client in a manner befitting the client and context.
3. Empathy and evenly suspended attention.
4. Facilitating the client's understanding of his/her difficulties. Generating productive, well-timed interpretations appropriate to the client.
5. The assessment/formulation process: observation, description and conceptualisation leading to a sound picture of client functioning and resources.
6. Treatment appraisal: outcome evaluation, follow-up strategies.

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit will centre around a reflecting team model of counselling supervision. Students will work in teams to assess, conceptualise, intervene and evaluate outcomes, working with videoed client material, role-play and actors using a one-way screen. The teaching emphasis will be on supervision rather than didactic content.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit plan may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

^ Mandatory to Pass

Core Reading(s)

• Akhtar, S. (2012). Psychoanalytic listening: Methods, limits, and innovations. London: Karnac Books.
• Frederickson, J. (1999). Psychodynamic psychotherapy: Learning to listen from multiple perspectives (Philadelphia, PA). Brunner/Mazel.

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