University of the West of England

MODULE SPECIFICATION

(Revised July 2001)

Code: USPJF9-20-3 Title: Personal and Professional Development in Counselling

Version: 2

Level: 3 UWE credit rating: 20 ECTS credit rating:

Module type: Professional Practice

Owning Faculty: Health and Life Sciences Field: Psychology

Valid from: October 2008 Discontinued from:

Pre-requisites: USPJD9-10-2 Personal Awareness and Self Development 1

Co-requisites: USPJEF-40-3 Counselling Practice and Supervision

Excluded combinations: None

Learning outcomes:

At the end of the module students will be able to:

• Make effective use of opportunities for self development within a personal development group;

• Describe experiences of increasing self awareness;

• Reflect on their behaviour, and the behaviour of others, within a large group;

• Understand the impact of the counsellor in the therapeutic relationship;

• Make appropriate judgements on a range of professional issues in counselling.

Syllabus outline:

The content of the module is:

1. Provided by the “here and now” behaviour and experience of group members in the large group. Tutors provide opportunities for members to reflect and act on behaviour of the group as it occurs, through comments on and interpretations of the group process, and by managing boundaries.

2. Provided by the discussion and practice of advanced counselling skills. Tutors observe the practice and give feedback.

3. Weekly personal development group meetings.

4. Weekly one to one counselling.

5. Personal Journal.

Teaching and learning methods:

1. Participation in group experience with an opportunity to reflect on group process, providing an opportunity to learn about one’s own behaviour and group process.

2. Practice of counselling skills in triads – one student taking the role of counsellor, one the client and one the observer. Discussion of skills and the impact of the counsellor in the therapeutic relationship. Giving and receiving feedback.

Reading Strategy

All students will be encouraged to make full use of the print and electronic resources available to them through membership of the University. These include a range of electronic journals and a wide variety of resources available through web sites and information gateways. The University Library’s web pages provide access to subject relevant resources and services, and to the library catalogue. Many resources can be accessed remotely. Students will be presented with opportunities within the curriculum to develop their information retrieval and evaluation skills in order to identify such resources effectively.

This guidance will be available either in the module handbook, via the module information on Blackboard or through any other vehicle deemed appropriate by the module/programme leaders.

Joyce P. & Sills C. (2001) Skills in Gestalt Counselling and Psychotherapy Sage

Gray A. (1994) An Introduction to the Therapeutic Frame Routledge

Leigh A. (1998) Referral and Termination Issues for Counsellors Sage

Johns H. (1996) Personal Development in Counsellor Training Cassell

Assessment

Weighting between components A and B (standard modules at levels 0-3 only) A: B:

ATTEMPT 1

First Assessment Opportunity

Component A

Description of each element Element weighting

WR1 Personal and Professional Development Appraisal (1000 words) Pass/Fail

Component B

Description of each element Element weighting

PORT Log of personal counselling on a weekly one to one basis Pass/Fail

WR2 Written personal reflection on large group experience Pass/Fail

(1000 words)

NB: Both elements must be passed to pass the component

Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)

Component A

Description of each element Element weighting

WR1 Personal and Professional Development Appraisal (1000 words) Pass/Fail

Component B

Description of each element Element weighting

PORT Log of personal counselling on a weekly one to one basis Pass/Fail

WR2 Written personal reflection on large group experience Pass/Fail

(1000 words)

NB: Both elements must be passed to pass the component

SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT Attendance at taught classes is not required.

Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………

(Associate Dean/Programme Director)

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