| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Counselling Theory and Practice |
| Unit ID: | PSYCB2105 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (At least two of the following units:) (PSYCB1001 or PSYCB1002 or PSYCB1003 or PSYCB1101 or PSYCB1102 or PSYCB2101) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (BEHAV3004) |
| ASCED: | 090701 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
The aim of this unit is to provide basic skills that can be applied to a range of fields including, but not limited to, psychology, education, community, and health. This unit will provide students with an overview of major theories of counselling, including behavioural, cognitive, and person-centred approaches. This unit encourages a multicultural perspective, and aims to develop communication and interpersonal skills, and basic counselling micro-skills. Basic professional and practice standards will also be addressed including ethical conduct, confidentility, and privacy. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | |  | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Evaluate major counselling theories |
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| K2. | Investigate and critically appraise research regarding the efficacy of a range of approaches to counselling |
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| K3. | Develop an understanding of ethical concerns in counselling |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Develop effective listening and verbal communication skills |
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| S2. | Discover communication and problem-solving skills used in a counselling context |
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| S3. | Appraise and critique different theories of counselling practice and counselling research |
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| S4. | Outline the importance of recognising personal issues, needs, and biases and the effects these may have on the counselling relationship |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Demonstrate basic counselling skills |
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| A2. | Demonstrate effective communication of own and others' ideas in written reports and presentations using APA conventions |
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| A3. | Evaluate and determine effective counselling theories based on individual and multicultural considerations |
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| Unit Content: |
Topics may include:
•Overview of major counselling theories
•Basic counselling communication skills, including - Paraphrasing - Reframing - Reflection - Nonverbal communication - Effective listening - Summarising - Barriers and strategies - Questioning
•Characteristics of the counsellor, including - Biases - Needs - Values
•Professional and practice standards
•Multicultural considerations
•Technology and counselling |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | N/A - Not Applicable | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S2, S3, S4, A2, A3 | Research and appraise a given theoretical approach to counselling and produce a written report in response to a case study | Written Assignment | 40-50% | | 2. | K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A3 | Produce a presentation that demonstrates basic listening, communication, and counselling skills | Presentation | 25-35% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, S2, S3, A1, A3 | Demonstrate and apply knowledge from the prescribed reading, lectures, and tutorials in response to questions | Online quizzes and/or test(s) | 15-30% |
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