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PSYCHOLOGY & COUNSELLING BPS102

Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification
Statement of Attainment

Why Study Psychology and Counselling?

In this course, you will learn more about individual and group behaviour, problem behaviours, stress and how to resolve conflict.

It will help you to develop your ability to analyse psychological conditions, and apply that knowledge in a range of situations, such as counselling or advisory situations.

This course is useful for anyone working with people in difficult situations, who would like to offer a supportive and informative environment. 

For example, it is suitable for -

  • counsellors
  • helpline workers
  • advice workers
  • teachers
  • negotiators
  • people involved in conflict resolutions
  • foster parents
  • parents
  • care workers
  • support workers
  • social workers
  • law enforcement
  • and anyone working with people in difficult situations.  

What You Will Learn From This Course

In this psychology and counselling course, you will learn more about –

  • The connection between the mind and body and how this can impact upon our physical and mental health, and stress levels.
  • Stress and abnormal behaviour.
  • Individual and group behaviour.
  • Conflict resolution.
  • Ways to resolve problem behaviours and conflicts.

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COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT

There are 7 lessons in the Psychology and Counselling course.   The lessons cover -

Lesson 1. Stress

  • Introduction.
  • The mind to body connection.
  • How to recognise stress.
  • What happens to the body when you experience stress.
  • The physiological response.
  • Chronic and acute stress.
  • Erikson's psychosocial stages.
  • Oral sensory stage.
  • Anal muscular stage.
  • Genital locomotor stage.
  • Latency stage.
  • Adolescence.
  • Young adulthood.
  • Middle adulthood.
  • Late adulthood.
  • Social adjustment.
  • Relationship between stress and heart disease.
  • What are the basic sources of stress.
  • Why some people suffer more.
  • How to deal with stress.
  • Defence mechanisms.

Lesson 2. Abnormal Behaviour

  • Definition of abnormality.
  • Deviation from statistical norms.
  • Deviation from social norm.
  • Maladaptiveness in behaviour.
  • Personal distress.
  • Disability.
  • Wakefield's harmful dysfunction concept.
  • Psychologically healthy individuals.
  • Deviation in character.
  • Classification of mental disorders.
  • Anxiety disorders.
  • Mood disorders.
  • Prevalence of depression.
  • Treatment of depression.
  • Schizophrenia.
  • Substance related disorder.
  • Disorders diagnosed in childhood.
  • Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic and Cognitive disorders.
  • Problems with classification.

Lesson 3. Individual Behaviour

  • Pro social or Altruistic behaviour.
  • When do children first exhibit pro social behaviour.
  • Socialisation.
  • Conformity.
  • Family influence.
  • Disciplinary measures.
  • Sibling influence.
  • Influence of family structure.
  • Influence of school.
  • Praise.
  • Influence of peers.
  • Heider's Balance theory.
  • Dissonance theory.
  • Cognitive dissonance.

Lesson 4. Group Behaviour

  • Social considerations.
  • Temporary group.
  • Organised group.
  • Organisational groups.
  • The influence of groups.
  • Industrial groups.

Lesson 5. Methods of Dealing with Abnormalities

  • Professionals in counselling and psychology.
  • Therapist techniques.
  • Transference.
  • Directiveness and non-directiveness.
  • Systematic Desensitisation.
  • Behaviour therapies.
  • Psychoanalytical approach.
  • Psychoanalytic techniques.
  • Humanistic therapy.
  • Eclectic approach.

Lesson 6. Conflict Resolution

  • Introduction.
  • Conflict handling techniques.
  • Anger.
  • Negotiation.
  • Joint problem solving.
  • Problems with negotiation.
  • Mediation.
  • Procedure.
  • Running a mediation process in a conflict situation.
  • Agreements or contracts.
  • Suggested timetable for a mediation session.

Lesson 7. Interpersonal Communication Skills

  • Introduction.
  • Communication channels.
  • Effective communication.
  • Awareness.
  • Communication skills.
  • Hearing verbal messages.
  • Perceiving non-verbal messages.
  • Responding.
  • Verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Body language.
  • Communication barriers.
  • Self-awareness.
  • Self esteem.
  • Specific skills: listening, paraphrasing, reflective responses, etc.
  • Conversation development.
  • Professional relationship building.

COURSE AIMS

Some of the aims of the course are to -

  • Identify the nature of conflict and stress and why this issue affects so many people today.
  • Identify and examine behaviours that are characterised as abnormal and compare and contrast these with behaviours characterised as healthy.
  • Explain social influence on individual behaviour.
  • Explain social influence on group behaviour.
  • Describe alternative methods of dealing with psychological problems
  • Develop skills for resolving conflict.
  • Develop communication skills for counselling individuals.

Here are some examples of what you may do during the course -

  • Find someone you know who you suspect has a type A personality. Talk to them to try to confirm if your suspicion is correct. Note (write down) the ways in which they appear to be a type A personality.
  • Talk with someone who is suffering, or has suffered stress. This might be a friend, relative, work mate, or anyone else you are able to find. Discuss their stress with them (current or past). Don’t push them, but try to discern from what they are happy to tell you, whether their stress was (or is) chronic or acute.
  • Consider conflict which occurs in either a workplace or recreation situation you are familiar with. This might be a place where you work, or a workplace you visit frequently (e.g. A shop or office);or perhaps a sporting club, gymnasium or social group which you regularly attend. Make up a list of disputes or conflicts which you remember to have occurred in the past.
  • Consider an individual in your life, or else a character in a film or book, who you regard as abnormal. Consider why they are abnormal. Write down a list of reasons you are able to identify. Which method or defining abnormality was influencing your judgement of this character.
  • Find a teenager who you can interview. This might be a person you know (a relative, work colleague, member of an organisation you belong to etc.), or perhaps you might contact and visit a youth club or organisation that deals with teenagers and arrange to interview someone. The person needs to be someone who exhibits some type of deviant behaviour, even if not extreme. Most teenagers will at some stage exhibit behaviour that is a deviance from social norms (even if the behaviour is not a deviance from age or peer group norms).
    Interview this teenager for at least 15 minutes. Make notes of your conversation, their responses (verbal and non-verbal).

IT'S EASY TO ENROL - START AT ANY TIME

You can enrol and get started on the course anytime, by clicking the "Enrol now" button above.

But if you have any questions before you get started, our Psychology and Counselling tutors are happy to help.

Click here to contact a tutor.

Or request a prospectus here.

 
Courses can be started anytime from anywhere in the world!

Meet some of our academics

Tracey Jones (psychology)B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), DipSW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies) Tracey began studying psychology in 1990. She has a wide range of 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 has been a book reviewer for the British Journal of Social Work and has also written many textbooks, blogs, articles and ebooks on psychology, writing, sociology, child development and more. She has had also several short stories published.
Jacinda Cole B.Sc.,M.Psych.Psychologist, Educator, Author, Psychotherapist. B.Sc., Psych.Cert., M. Psych. Cert.Garden Design, MACA. Jacinda has over 25 years of experience in psychology, in both Australia and England. She has co-authored several psychology text books and many courses including diploma and degree level courses in psychology and counselling. Jacinda joined ACS in 2001.
Jade SciasciaBiologist, Business Coordinator, Government Environmental Dept, Secondary School teacher (Biology); Recruitment Consultant, Senior Supervisor in Youth Welfare, Horse Riding Instructor (part-completed) and Boarding Kennel Manager. Jade has a B.Sc.Biol, Dip.Professional Education, Cert IV TESOL, Cert Food Hygiene.
Kate Gibson B.Soc.Sc.15+ years experience in HR, marketing, education & project management. Kate has traveled and worked in a variety of locations including London, New Zealand and Australia.


Check out our eBooks

Psychology DictionaryThis book provides explanations for common terms used in Psychology.
Counselling HandbookA book for both students, as well as volunteers who may be involved in helping people with problems. This is a starting point for understanding counselling, and a reference for developing counselling skills. The book contains seven chapters: 1. Where can counselling be used 2. How to see behind the mask 3. Emotions and attitudes 4. How to communicate better when all you have is words 5. Theory versus practice 6. Diffusing difficult situations 7. Golden rules or tips
How Children ThinkAnyone who has ever tried to make a child do anything (clean up their mess, desist from throwing mud, stop drawing on the walls) knows that children think differently to adults. This book attempts to provide the skills and knowledge to develop a greater understanding of children.
How to be a Life CoachLife coaching is a relatively new profession - although coaches have been around for a long time in the guise of trainers, instructors, managers and tutors for various professions and disciplines. Life coaching is not easily defined, but it is a type of mentoring which focuses on helping individuals to achieve what they would like to achieve and thereby to lead more fulfilling lives. Unlike other forms of coaching, it takes place outside of the workplace and is concerned with all aspects of a person’s life.