COUN671-25W (C) Whole Year 2025

Counselling and Psychology: Theories and Skills

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 16 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 24 August 2025

Description

Studies of counselling and psychological theories and their implications for practice. Practice in the skills of an intentional interviewing model of helping.

This course provides the opportunity to study counselling and psychological theories and their implications for practice, along with practice in the skills of an intentional interviewing model of therapy.

In this course, you will be introduced to a range of theories and knowledge associated with counselling and psychology, and encouraged to consider the personal and professional role of a therapist. This will include an introduction to some of the legal and ethical contexts of therapy work and you will be provided with an opportunity to examine your own personal values, your own culture and your beliefs. You will be encouraged to reflect on how these beliefs and values shape your relationship to the theory and practice of psychology and counselling with diverse clients. You will also be introduced to multi-cultural perspectives and kaupapa Māori models of wellbeing as an introduction to therapeutic work within a bicultural context. This will set the context for learning a range of foundational therapeutic skills. Each of you will be expected to engage in course exercises and be able to demonstrate an understanding and effective use of specific skills, and describe both the rationale for and the impact of, their use in controlled, role-played situations.  

Psychologists, counsellors and therapists need to be able to provide a rationale for what they do. In this course, you will have the opportunity of evaluating, comparing and contrasting several major theories of counselling and psychotherapy. This part of the course is designed to provide you with a theoretical framework to assist you in the process of beginning to build and articulate your own personal position on counselling and therapy.

Learning Outcomes

  • At the end of this course students should be able to:

  • Understand and articulate key issues relevant to the practice of counselling and psychology.
  • Use basic counselling skills to conduct an effective therapeutic interview in the context of their developing understanding of theory.
  • Develop and articulate an integrated understanding of several major theories of counselling and psychological interventions that are informed by their examination of their own values and beliefs.
  • Begin to understand the impact of values, beliefs and culture on the therapeutic process after acquiring a foundational knowledge of working safely and competently with cultural and bicultural awareness.
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

      Biculturally competent and confident

      Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.

      Globally aware

      Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of School

Restrictions

CFPY604, EDUC461, EDEM664, HLTH481

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Intensive Block Course A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 451 (5/3)
Wheki 102 (5/3)
3 Mar - 9 Mar
03 Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 450
3 Mar - 9 Mar
Intensive Block Course B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 451
3 Mar - 9 Mar
02 Thursday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 102
3 Mar - 9 Mar
03 Thursday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 450
3 Mar - 9 Mar
Intensive Block Course C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 451
5 May - 11 May
02 Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 102
5 May - 11 May
03 Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00 Otakaro 201
5 May - 11 May
Intensive Block Course D
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 451
5 May - 11 May
02 Thursday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 102
5 May - 11 May
03 Thursday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 103
5 May - 11 May
Intensive Block Course E
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 102
21 Jul - 27 Jul
02 Monday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 106
21 Jul - 27 Jul
03 Monday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 105
21 Jul - 27 Jul
Intensive Block Course F
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 106
21 Jul - 27 Jul
02 Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 102
21 Jul - 27 Jul
03 Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 105
21 Jul - 27 Jul
Intensive Block Course G
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 105
18 Aug - 24 Aug
02 Monday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 102
18 Aug - 24 Aug
03 Monday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 106
18 Aug - 24 Aug
Intensive Block Course H
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 451
18 Aug - 24 Aug
02 Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wheki 102
18 Aug - 24 Aug
03 Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00 Otakaro 122
18 Aug - 24 Aug

Course Coordinator

Tom Sykes

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Skills Assignment Part A 19 May 2024 15% On-line Skills test. Available Mon 13 May - Sun 19 May
Integrative Theory Assignment (a) 16 Jul 2024 5% In class participation/presentation
Integrative Theory Assignment (b) 12 Aug 2024 40% Written assignment
Skills Assignment Part B 09 Sep 2024 40% Skills Video & analysis.


As this course is compulsory for those preparing to apply for Masters programmes in Counselling or Child and Family Psychology a high degree of professionalism is expected of all students.  Students are expected to attend all scheduled class sessions and are required to complete all assessment tasks.  

There are three pieces of work that make up the final grade.  All three must be completed. Each will be assessed using a letter grade.

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

Jones-Smith, E; Theories of counselling and psychotherapy: An integrative approach ; Sage (You can use either 2nd ed., 2016, or 3rd ed., 2021).

Recommended Reading

Wampold, Bruce; The basics of psychotherapy: An introduction to theory and practice ; 2nd Edition; 2019.

Notes

Subject to approval of Head of School.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $2,353.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Health Sciences .

All COUN671 Occurrences

  • COUN671-25W (C) Whole Year 2025
  • COUN671-25X3 (O) Special non-calendar-based Three 2025 (UC Online)