Overview

PPC4008 Mental Health and Wellbeing aims to provide you with an understanding of the field of mental health from the perspective of counsellors, psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and other practitioners. You will attend a range of guest lectures from experts across the field and use this knowledge to explore hypothetical case studies in weekly mock-supervision sessions. This will provide you with an opportunity to understand the wider context of mental health from a range of perspectives beyond the field of counselling. You will be assessed on this module by creating a psychoeducational resource which provides client support for a specific issue in mental health. This module will conclude with an assessed oral discussion group in which you will demonstrate your new knowledge of mental health and wellbeing.

PPC4008 Mental Health and Wellbeing will provide you with an exciting opportunity to learn from a broad range of mental health experts. This will broaden your understanding of the mental health, psychological wellbeing, and emotional standing of a client. Counsellors are required to support clients who may be experiencing a wide range of different physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms. Therapists do not typically diagnose or prescribe, but an understanding of classification systems (e.g., DSM) and associated interventions (e.g., drug therapy) can benefit practice. More importantly, however, understanding the impact of a diagnosis, the possible consequences of interventions, and the roles of other mental health practitioners can help a therapist to better understand the world of the client and support them on their journey through life. You will develop an insight into the work of other practitioners in the field of mental health, including researchers and clinicians. In applying these different perspectives, you will consider a range of classified disorders (e.g., mood, anxiety) to recognise and support those presenting with specific difficulties. However, you will also be encouraged to look beyond classifications to view such disorders as part of a continuum, and we will explore the limitations of the medical approach to diagnosis and treatment. In addition to this focus on mental distress, you will be introduced to interventions designed to enhance mental wellness through wellbeing, resilience, and positive psychology training. Throughout this module, you will be encouraged to reflect on your own development as a practitioner so that you are able to apply what you have learnt in your work with clients.

Topics covered in this module include: •Beyond the DSM
•Mood •Anxiety •Psychosis •Addiction •Eating Disorders •Sexuality •Grief •Psychology of Abuse •Collaborative Risk Assessments •Wellbeing, Positivity, and Resilience

Please note that these topics are subject to change dependent on staff availability, unexpected circumstances, and the assessed needs of the students

Assessment Strategy

Assessment criteria for this module are:

Excellent (A*, A+, A, A-) •Insightful understanding of the assessment, symptoms, risks, and treatment for different forms of mental distress •Comprehensive knowledge of mental health and wellbeing •Detailed understanding with no factual errors •Critical analysis showing evaluation and synthesis of ideas •Novel and innovative originality in approach, interpretation, and voice •Extensive and comprehensive independent research •Logically defended arguments with evidence for all claims •Highly focused and well structured •Excellent presentation with accurate and appropriate expression •Correct format in appropriate referencing style

Good (B+, B, B-) •Clear understanding of the assessment, symptoms, risks, and treatment for different forms of mental distress •Strong knowledge of mental health and wellbeing •Clear understanding and mostly free of factual errors •Some analysis showing critical evaluation and links between ideas •Novel originality in approach, interpretation, and voice •Considerable independent research from appropriate sources •Coherent arguments with evidence for most claims •Focused and well structured •Clear presentation with accurate and appropriate expression •Mostly correct format in appropriate referencing style

Threshold (C+, C, C-) •Basic understanding of the assessment, symptoms, risks, and treatment for different forms of mental distress •Some knowledge of mental health and wellbeing •Understanding of the main concepts with no major factual errors •Basic analysis showing obvious points of evaluation and links between ideas •Some originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice for part of the work •Some independent research from appropriate sources •Arguments presented with evidence for the most important claims •Readable structure showing focus at times •Acceptable presentation with appropriate expression •Attempt at correct format in appropriate referencing style with no major errors

If you do not meet the threshold, then your work will be graded as a Fail. Fail grades vary from Poor (D+, D, D-, E+, E, E-) to Very Poor (F).

Learning Outcomes

• Engage in the ongoing process of formulation by generating a comprehensive framework for the client's presentation and creating a therapeutic strategy for intervention in line with your therapeutic philosophy

• Explain and evaluate the possible presentations and interventions for psychological difficulties, with critical evaluation of their empirical evidence base and potential risks

• Orally present critical insights into a therapeutic case study in a group supervision setting

• Synthesise psychological, social, and pharmacological theories to analyse the continuum of mental health and wellbeing