Extract From the Course -
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Trainee counsellors or psychologists who develop their communication skills develop their own self-awareness. This is because developing communication skills requires taking a look at your present communication style and being brutally honest with what currently works and what needs improvement. Communication skills are grouped as:
Hearing verbal messages - these messages are the apparent and underlying cognitive and affective content of the person's statements.
Perceiving nonverbal messages - are sent via body language, vocal tone, facial expression, and other cues that accompany verbal messages. The emotion the sender is experiencing can be picked up at this level so that empathy can be conveyed. Perceiving the non-verbal messages can also assist the trainee recognise inconsistencies between verbal and non-verbal messages.
Responding - immediate genuine, empathic reaction is required for verbal and nonverbal messages. The response should consider apparent and underlying content of messages and perceived non-verbal messages.
Verbal and non-verbal communication
Verbal communication involves the use of words: spoken or written. Even a person who thinks they are not communicating can be sending messages. Non-verbal communication involves other signals or messages ‑ pictures, music, body language (the way the body moves or is held, gestures, facial expression, eye contact etc.). Many communication experts assign greater importance to non-verbal communication in ordinary conversation, than what they assign to verbal communication.
Modules Required:
(Each module = 100 hours)
6 x CORE (COMPULSORY) MODULES:
- Introduction to Psychology
- Psychology & Counselling
- Counselling Skills I
- Counselling Skills II
- Counselling Techniques
- Professional Practice in Counselling
3 x WORKPLACE (COMPULSORY) PROJECTS:
- Research Project I
- Research Project II
- Workshops
6 x OPTIONAL (ELECTIVE) MODULES FROM:
- Conflict Management
- Industrial Psychology
- Biopsychology
- Child Psychology
- Sports Psychology
- Human Health & Fitness I
- Human Nutrition I
Additional options that may be accepted through A.C.S:
- Stress Management
- Aromatherapy
- Marketing Psychology
- Research Project III
Core Module Outlines
Introduction to Psychology
There are seven lessons in this course, as follows:
- The nature & scope of Psychology
- Neurological basis of behaviour
- Environmental effects on behaviour
- Consciousness and perception
- Personality
- Psychological development
- Needs, drives and motivation
Psychology & Counselling
There are seven lessons in this module, as follows:
- Stress
- Abnormal Behaviour
- Individual Behaviour
- Group Behaviour
- Methods of Dealing with Abnormalities
- Conflict Resolution
- Interpersonal Communication Skills
Counselling Skills I
The course is divided into eight lessons as follows:
- Learning Specific Skills
- Listening and Bonding
- Reflection: Paraphrasing
- Questioning
- Interview Techniques
- Changing Beliefs and Normalising
- Finding Solutions
- Ending the Counselling
Counselling Skills II
The course is divided into eight lessons as follows:
- The Counselling Session
- Focus on the Present
- Telephone Counselling
- Dealing with Crises
- Problem-Solving Techniques I: Anger
- Problem-Solving Techniques II: Depression
- Problem-Solving Techniques III: Grief and Loss
- Problem-Solving Techniques IV: Suicide
Counselling Techniques
The course is divided into eight lessons as follows:
- Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy l: Freud (& Erikson); Jung
- Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy ll: Adler
- Humanistic/Existential Approaches I: Gestalt Therapy; Fritz Perls
- Humanistic/Existential Approaches II: Person-Centred Counselling; Carl Rogers
- Rational Behavioural Therapy: Albert Ellis
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Aaron Beck
- Behavioural Therapy:
- Solution-Focused Counselling
Professional Practice in Counselling
The course is divided into seven lessons as follows:
- Understanding Counselling: The client-counsellor relationship; Effective counselling; Counselling the counsellor; Counsellor’s values; Multicultural counselling
- Ethics & Confidentiality: Needs; A code of ethics; Informed consent; Right to privacy; Legal requirements; Use of psychometric tests; Ethics and multiple relationships; Keeping records.
- Understanding the Self: Self-awareness; Self-monitoring; Self-concept; Social Perception; Attribution theory; Implicit personality theory; Relationships; Social exchange; Love and intimacy.
- Personality: What is a healthy personality?; Trait approach; Psychodynamic approach; Humanistic approach; Social learning and cognitive approaches.
- Emotions & Behaviour: What are emotions?; Emotions and Counselling; Effect on communication, Aspects of emotions, Emotional expression and counselling.
- Supervision: Why supervision?; Working with others; Quantity and effectiveness of supervision; Personal counselling; Dependency; Types of supervision.
- Referral Practice: Counselling v mental health issues; Secondary care counsellors; Abnormal psychology; Anxiety; Depression; Schizophrenia; Personality disorders.
Nominal Duration: 1500 hours
Our Teaching Staff for this Course
Tracey Jones - Academic Officer & Tutor (U.K.)
B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), DipSW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies). Tracey has around 15 years experience within the psychology and social work field, particularly working with people with learning disabilities. She is also qualified as a teacher and now teaches psychology and social work related subjects. She is a book reviewer for the British Journal of Social Work. Tracey has also written a text book on Psychology and has had several short stories published
Lyn Quirk M.Prof.Ed.; Adv.Dip.Compl.Med (Naturopathy); Adv.Dip.Sports Therapy
Lyn has 25 years of experience in the Fitness, Health and Leisure Industries. She has a string of qualifications that are far too long to list here; being qualified and registered to teach, coach or instruct a wide range of different sports and other skills.
Lyn established and managed Health clubs at three major five star resorts on Queensland's Gold Coast, including the Marriot. She was a department head for a large government vocational college (TAFE), and has conducted her own aquafitness business for many years. Lyn has amongst her other commitments worked as a tutor for ACS for almost 10 years, and over that time, participated in the development or upgrading of most courses in her fields of expertise.
Jemima Beaumont B.A.(Psych); Adv.Dip Photog (part)
Jemima has a diverse background, in retailing, administration, counselling and photography; including Optical Dispenser (OPSM), Student Guidance Mentor (ANU) and Office Manager (People with Disabilities)
Tosca Zraikat B.A. (Writing); B.Teaching
Over 35 years of industry experience in writing, education, management and welfare. Tosca is completing the final stages of a Masters Degree in writing she also works as a tutor and writer for ACS, and runs a small editing business.
Dr. Mark L. Berman Ph.D.
Dr.Berman is a psychological consultant who operates out of Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Prior to that he was on the faculty of The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Washington for a number of years.
He has been a member of the American Psychological Association for thirty-two years, and the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology for nearly twenty-six years. Dr. Berman has served as a Contributing Editor to Educational Technology, as a Field Reader for the U.S. Office of Education, and as a Manuscript Reviewer for Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, as well as the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. His professional interests and experiences are widespreead, and include comprehensive psychotherapy, evaluations of persons from ages four through ninety, and personal energy management. His fifth book is due for publication this coming Spring, and he has more than sixty articles, invited chapters, etc.
If you would like to see our range of psychology books, please visit - http://www.acsbookshop.com/books_productcategory.aspx?id=14
For more information on the range of careers available in psychology, have a look at - http://www.thecareersguide.com/articles.aspx?category=14
We have some interesting articles on psychology and counseling at - http://www.acs.edu.au/psychol/
