What Will You Learn in This Course?

During the course, you will –

• Learn Counselling Techniques
• Increase your knowledge and enhance your counselling skills.
• Improve your counselling skills.
• Develop an understanding of important theoretical approaches to counselling, such as – psychodynamic theory, rational behavioural therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy etc. 
• Learn to apply theories to the counselling process.

CONTENTS OF THE LESSONS

There are 8 lessons in the course, as detailed below.

Lesson 1.  Psychoanalytic psychotherapy Part 1 - Freud, Erikson, Jung

• Value and relevance of psychotherapy.
• Emergence of psychoanalytical theory.
• Principles of psychoanalytical theory.
• Elements of the personality.
• The notion of conscious and unconscious.
• Anxiety and psychoanalysis.
• Inbuilt psychological coping and damage repair mechanisms.
• Defence mechanisms.
• Freud's psycho-sexual theory and Erikson's psychosocial theory.
• Jung's perspective on personality.
• Archetypes.
• Recent developments in psychoanalytical theory.
• Goals of psychoanalytical approach.
• Psychoanalytic techniques.
• Analytic framework.
• Free associations.
• Interpretation.
• Dream analysis.
• Resistance.
• Transference.
• Psychoanalytic approach and counselling.
• Personality disorders.
• Critique for psychoanalytic theory.

Lesson 2. Psychoanalytical psychotherapy Part 2 - Adler

• Alfred Adler.
• Adler's key concepts.
• Inferiority vs superiority.
• What makes people self-interested.
• Social interest and community feeling.
• Individual psychology.
• Psychological types: ruling type, leaning type, avoiding type.
• Sibling relationships.
• Only child.
• First child, second child, youngest child.
• Use of Adlerian theory.
• Applications to counselling.
• Freud and Adler.
• Critique.

Lesson 3. Humanistic/Existential approaches I - Gestalt Therapy; Fritz Perls

• Introduction.
• Human nature.
• Holistic approach.
• Field theory.
• Figure-formation process.
• Organismic self-regulation.
• Focus on the present.
• Resolving dilemmas.
• Personal maturity.
• The effect of contact.
• Effect of energy.
• The experiment.
• Confrontation.
• Gestalt techniques: Internal dialogue, reversal, rehearsal, exaggeration, dream work, etc.
• Critique.

Lesson 4. Humanistic/Existential approaches II - Person-Centred Counselling; Carl Rogers

• Humanistic therapy.
• Principles of person-centred approach.
• Personal attitude of the counsellor.
• Goals of therapy.
• Assessment techniques.
• Areas of application.
• Critique.

Lesson 5. Rational behavioural therapy - Albert Ellis

• Rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT).
• Ellis's view of human nature.
• Personality theory.
• Goals and techniques of therapy.
• Therapeutic techniques.
• Cognitive techniques.
• Emotive techniques.
• Use of REBT.
• Critique.

Lesson 6. Cognitive behavioural therapy - Aaron Beck

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and REBT.
• Premises of CBT.
• Cognitive distortions.
• Use of cognitive therapy.
• Family therapy.
• Modifications to CBT.
• Stress inoculation training program (SIT).
• Stages of SIT.
• Constructivist modification.

Lesson 7.  Behavioural therapy

• Contemporary behavioural therapy.
• Behavioural approach.
• Goals and techniques.
• Goals of therapy.
• Use of behaviour therapy.
• Basic ID.
• Critique.

Lesson 8. Solution-focused counselling

• Introduction.
• Strategies in solution focussed counselling.
• Engaging the client.
• Constructing pathways for change.
• Generating creative solutions.
• Critique.

WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THIS COURSE?

The following are examples of what you may do in this course:

• Explain the concept of dream analysis.
• Differentiate between elements of traditional psychoanalytical theory in terms of its usefulness in modern day counselling.
• Describe the modification to traditional psychoanalytical theory as prescribed by Erikson.
• Explain an object-relations interpretation of the origin of ‘narcissistic’ and ‘borderline’ personality disorders.
• Explain the difference between Freudian and Adlerian theory.
• Define the key concepts of Adlerian theory including personality, goals and lifestyle.
• Explain the concept of superiority v inferiority.
• Describe the 4 stages of the Adlerian counselling process, such as -developing the counselling relationship; -exploring the individual; -encouraging self-awareness; -re-education.
• Discuss the pros and cons of Adlerian therapy as applied to the counselling process.
• Define Gestalt therapy.
• Explain the importance of elements of human nature to the Gestalt approach.
• Discuss ways in which dilemmas can be resolved using the Gestalt approach.
• Explain the ‘effect of contact’ and the ‘effect of energy’.
• Discuss the use of confrontation.
• Describe different techniques of Gestalt therapy.
• Discuss the pros and cons of Gestalt therapy as applied to the counselling process.
• Define person-centred counselling.
• Outline the principles of the person-centred approach.
• Discuss how the impact of the counselling process is assessed.
• Discuss suitable areas of application.
• Discuss the pros and cons of the person-centred approach as applied to the counselling process.
• Define REBT.
• Explain Ellis’ views on ‘human nature’.
• Describe Ellis’ theory of personality.
• Discuss the stages involved in developing a rational philosophy of life.
• Describe different techniques used in REBT.
• Discuss the pros and cons of REBT as applied to the counselling process.
• Discuss the differences between CBT and REBT.
• Outline the main ‘cognitive distortions’ as set out in CBT.
• Discuss the goals of CBT.
• Describe modifications to CBT (known as CBM).
• Outline the 3 phases involved in CBT.
• Discuss the pros and cons of CBT as applied to the counselling process.
• Define the main characteristics of behavioural therapy.
• Describe different techniques of behavioural therapy including: -relaxation training; -systematic desensitisation; -exposure therapies; -assertion training.
• Discuss the pros and cons of behavioural therapy as applied to the counselling process.
• Define solution-focused counselling.
• Describe how to engage the client.
• Describe how questions are used to construct pathways for change.
• Discuss strategies used to generate creative solutions.
• Discuss the pros and cons of solution-focused therapy to the counselling process.

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

"The online courses are very easy to use and follow. Prompt friendly replies from tutor to any queries. Course structure flows freely. Very satisfied with course and results."
Diana, Introduction to Psychology, Psychology and Counselling

What Next?

If you are interested in becoming a counsellor or developing your counselling skills, this course is an ideal starting point for your training and professional development.

Counselling Techniques is an ideal course choice is you are:

• Interested in learning more about the important theories of counselling.
• If you want to understand more about the techniques involved with delivering effective counselling.
• If you are working as a carer or supporting people and want to train to improve your skills and knowledge.

You can enrol today by clicking the “Enrol Now” button above.

Or

Click here to Contact a Psychology Tutor.

Or Request a Prospectus Here.