Course Catalogue

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Delivered over 4 interlinked units, this course provides an opportunity for students to understand the theoretical approaches and reflective practices required to apply counselling skills across various inter-personal and professional contexts. This course covers four main strands: listening skills (developed through substantial experiential practice with peers), knowledge of theoretical approaches, self-awareness, and understanding of ethics. Successful completion of all 4 units results in students being awarded the COSCA Counselling Skills Certificate.

Blocks 1, 2, 3 & 4

Tuesday 18.00-21.00 or 19.00-21.30 (TBC)

Four units - 30 hours per units (10 x 3 hour classes or equivalent)

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For each of the four units, students will complete an assessment portfolio (25% each).

Each assessment portfolio will consist of the following: skills observation; oral presentation; and a written piece of work (for the latter, an essay in unit 1, unit 2 and unit 4). In unit 3 the written piece of work consists of a transcription and analysis of a peer skills practice session.

The aims of this course are to:

■ Introduce participants to the theoretical concepts of a counselling approach, and the to the use of counselling skills

■ Introduce participants to different theoretical counselling perspectives, including Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Cognitive Behavioural and Transactional Analysis approaches

■ Set counselling skills within the essential ethical framework of a counselling approach, including the importance of boundaries as the ethical framework for safe practice and the nature of power and vulnerability when using counselling skills

■ Explore and clarify the nature and importance of professional responsibilities, such as supervision, for the counselling relationship

■ Provide participants the opportunity to practice counselling skills in a safe and supportive environment

■ Introduce participants to the concept and experience of self-awareness and personal growth in the context of counselling skills training, including taking responsibility for identifying own personal learning aims and examining how own life events can influence the process of working with others

■ Encourage participants to evaluate their practice

■ Provide a suitable foundation for possible further training in the areas of counselling skills and the use of a counselling approach

By the end of this course students will be able to:

Unit 1: Knowledge

■ Explain the difference between formal counselling and using a counselling approach

■ Describe what attending skills and responding skills are, and why they are essential in a counselling approach

■ Explain what self-awareness means and why it is essential in a counselling approach

■ Discuss what constitutes the basic ethical and attitudinal framework that is required for attending and responding skills to become counselling skills or part of a counselling approach

Unit 1: Competencies

■ Establish an appropriate, safe and supporting relationship in peer skills practice

■ Evaluate and monitor self in using a counselling approach

Unit 2: Knowledge

■ Discuss the concepts of beginnings, middles and ending and the differences between them in a counselling approach

■ Identify how feelings are communicated and responded to within a counselling approach

■ Explain the ways in which the ethical framework is necessary for safe practice

■ Identify the boundary issues that arise when using a counselling approach

■ Describe the concept of change in the context of a counselling approach and the factors which facilitate and inhibit this process

■ Demonstrate understanding of the need for consistent reflective practice when using a counselling approach, and be able to reflect issues including how people interact in a group, and how their own motives and values can influence the helping process

Unit 2: Competencies

■ Facilitate the exploration of the Speaker's concerns in peer skills practice

■ Help the Speaker identify personal motivators and inhibitors to change in peer skills practice

Unit 3: Knowledge

■ Describe different theoretical perspectives commonly used in the counselling field, including Humanistic, Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural perspectives

■ Describe the ways in which past and present life events impact on using a counselling approach

■ Describe how own understanding of, and use of skills in, beginnings, middles and endings phases in the counselling approach has increased

■ Explain the nature of power and vulnerability in the professional/client relationship, and describe how own understanding of the need for ethical practice has developed

Unit 3: Competencies

■ Facilitate exploration of the Speaker's concerns and help the Speaker identity and evaluate various possible courses of action in peer skills practice

■ Monitor self in the interaction with Speaker

Unit 4: Knowledge

■ Describe the distinct characteristics of the Humanistic and Existential perspectives

■ Describe and Gestalt principles for counselling skills work

■ Describe the concepts of freedom and responsibility in personal and professional decision making

■ Discuss the concepts of belonging, social inclusion and social exclusion

■ Discuss the positive and negative effects of stress on the individual

■ Explain the use and abuse of power in the Listener/Speaker relationship, and identify contributing factors to, and consequences of, boundary violations from both perspectives

■ Discuss the COSCA definition of supervision

■ Discuss the processes, skills and attitudes characteristics of the beginnings, middles and endings in a counselling approach

■ Identify own experiences in working with the group on this course

Unit 4: Competencies

■ Establish, maintain and bring to an end a supportive interaction

To meet the minimum requirements for the award of credit and receipt of the COSCA Counselling Skills Certificate students must:

■ pass each of the four units (100% Pass requirement)

■ maintain an 85% attendance record in each of the four modules.

Students who do not meet the minimum attendance or pass requirement, and have not had a Good Cause accepted, will not be permitted to progress to the next unit of the course and will not be eligible to receive a refund.