Module PPC-4009:
Research and Counselling Practice
Module Facts
Run by School of Human and Behavioural Sciences
60.000 Credits or 30.000 ECTS Credits
Semester 1 & 2
Organiser: Prof Fay Short
Overall aims and purpose
This module focuses on the two halves of being a counsellor: • Supporting clients in a counselling practice (practitioner) • Understanding and conducting counselling research (evidence-based) Your training on this module will provide you with an opportunity to become an evidence-based practitioner who is able to engage in counselling, mentoring, supervision, reflective practice, and research across a wide range of different organizational settings.
This module provides a framework for you to evidence your counselling placement of supervised practice and work-based learning, including a reflective journal on counselling practice and an assessed recording of client work. Your portfolio of evidence will help you to appreciate and articulate your skills, and this will enhance your self-confidence and capabilities to work with clients.
This module also provides you with an opportunity to conduct an extensive piece of research in the field of counselling. This research project will be planned during the first stage of the course and then ethics will be obtained prior to the start of this module. The research will then be conducted, and the report written during this module. The research will comprise of an empirical experiment, systematic case study, or systematic review. This training will equip you to apply for further research opportunities in the future (such as a postgraduate research posts or a PhD) and integrate research-evidenced techniques into your practice.
Please note that the counselling placement is an essential part of this course and must be completed in entirety to be eligible for BACP membership. This means that you must complete the counselling placement (including all associated activities) in full and provide all evidence required for the Practice Evidence Assessment to pass the assessment. Failure to pass the Practice Evidence Assessment will result in failure of this module in entirety.
Course content
Curriculum for this module is divided into Research and Counselling Practice.
Counselling Practice: You will complete a supervised placement of 100hrs face-to-face counselling and 50hrs work-based learning. You must also receive the required number of hours of supervision in accordance with your practice. As part of your 50hrs of work-based learning, you will complete training in coaching and mentoring in order to work for 10hrs as a mentor for a first-year counselling student in the second semester. You must also complete 15hrs of personal counselling and assume the role of client for at least two sessions with trainee. To support your counselling practice, you will attend regular PPD groups throughout the semesters and you will need to show active engagement in all of these sessions over the year. In addition, you will attend regular placement review sessions to guide you through your placement and support you in compiling your placement evidence and producing your placement assessments.
Research: You will complete a research project addressing a therapeutic question. This project may be conducted in your research group, but the final dissertation and presentation must be written independently. Your research will consist of an experimental study, systematic review, or systematic case study. To support your research, you will attend regular research workshops and these will provide guidance through the dissertation writing process.
Assessment Criteria
threshold
• Completed placement of 100hrs of supervised face-to-face therapy and 50hrs of work-based learning • Basic empirical research into counselling and psychotherapy practice • Safe reflective practice of counselling and psychotherapy • Some knowledge of Research and Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy • Understanding of the main concepts, but with factual errors in non-core concepts • Limited analysis showing only obvious points of evaluation and links between ideas • Highly limited originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice • Highly limited evidence of independent research • Arguments presented but lack coherence with evidence for only some claims • Focused but with some irrelevant material and weaknesses in structure • Acceptable presentation with appropriate expression • Attempt at correct format in appropriate referencing style
excellent
• Completed placement of 100hrs of supervised face-to-face therapy and 50hrs of work-based learning • Insightful empirical research into counselling and psychotherapy practice • Safe reflective practice of counselling and psychotherapy • Comprehensive knowledge of Research and Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy • Detailed understanding with no factual errors • Critical analysis showing evaluation and synthesis of ideas • Originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice • Extensive 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
• Completed placement of 100hrs of supervised face-to-face therapy and 50hrs of work-based learning • Considered empirical research into counselling and psychotherapy practice • Safe reflective practice of counselling and psychotherapy • Strong knowledge of Research and Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy • Clear understanding and mostly free of factual errors • Some analysis showing critical evaluation and links between ideas • Some originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice • Some independent research • Coherent arguments with evidence for most claims • Focused and well structured • Good presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Mostly correct format in appropriate referencing style
Learning outcomes
-
Adopt the role of an effective therapist, including supervised practice and associated work in a professional context.
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Disseminate the findings of a substantial empirical research project, systematic review, or systematic case study to provide a general audience with applied knowledge.
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Generate an appropriate methodology for dealing with complex problems of an unfamiliar or unpredictable nature.
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Critically self-reflect to develop own therapeutic skills in client work.
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Critically understand and apply a therapeutic philosophy in practice.
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Hold a systematic understanding and critical awareness of current research in counselling/psychotherapy to critically discuss and analyse complex concepts independently and with originality.
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Successfully conduct and report a substantial empirical research project, systematic review, or systematic case study using appropriate methodology and informed by wide current understandings in the discipline.
Assessment Methods
| Type | Name | Description | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISSERTATION | Dissertation | Research report of 6000wds using an experimental study, systematic review, or systematic case study to address a therapeutic research question. |
35.00 |
| INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATION | Presentation | Oral presentation of research findings lasting 20mins (15mins present, 5mins q&a) at the end of year student conference. |
5.00 |
| LOGBOOK OR PORTFOLIO | Placement Evidence | Evidence of placement completion, including • Logs of 100hrs of counselling, appropriate hrs of supervision, 50hrs of work-based learning, and 15hrs of personal counselling • Four approved practice assessments • Placement and supervisor contracts • Two acceptable placement and supervisor reports • Acceptable personal therapy report/s • Acceptable WBL report/s • Mentoring contract and notes for 10hrs of sessions with acceptable mentoring feedback in the outcome evaluation • Reflection on counsellor as client (at least two sessions) • BACP card (scan of cards showing membership to cover entire placement) All evidence must be submitted in full to pass this assessment. Once all evidence is uploaded to the student folder then submit a contents list through the submission portal on Blackboard to indicate that the evidence is ready to be assessed. |
0.00 |
| ESSAY | Reflective Journal | Reflective journal of 2000wds focusing on professional development during the completed placement and explaining your philosophical therapeutic orientation. |
30.00 |
| ESSAY | Placement Competencies | Evidence of competent work as a counsellor or psychotherapist, including • Recording (audio or video) of session with associated consent form • Transcript of 20mins of assessed session • Transcript annotation 1000wds • Summary of professional work with client from the recorded session 1000wds • Reference list |
30.00 |
Teaching and Learning Strategy
| Hours | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fieldwork | Counselling placement composed of Client Work (100hrs), Supervision (20hrs), Work-Based Learning (50hrs), Personal Therapy (15hrs), Mentoring (12hrs), Client (2hrs) |
200 |
| Practical classes and workshops | You will attend workshops in which you will learn how to produce a research report and presentation. You will meet regularly with your small research lab in which you will collaborate to conduct your research and begin analyzing your results. You will also participate in a research conference at the end of the module. |
24 |
| Practical classes and workshops | You will independently liaise with your provider to obtain and complete the required hours. You will also receive training in coaching and mentoring to help you mentor a first-year student beginning their placement as part of your work-based learning. To support these activities through your second year, you will attend regular personal and professional development groups and placement reflection workshops to reflect on your progress. |
26 |
| Private study | Your private independent study should focus on conducting research for your project, writing assignments, and reading more deeply into the core practitioner topics. |
350 |
Transferable skills
- Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
- Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
- Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
- Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
- Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
- Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
- Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
- Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
- Safety-Consciousness - Having an awareness of your immediate environment, and confidence in adhering to health and safety regulations
- Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
- Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
- Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
- Caring - Showing concern for others; caring for children, people with disabilities and/or the elderly
- Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
- Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
- Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
- Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in
Subject specific skills
- Understand the scientific underpinnings of psychology as a discipline.
- Apply multiple perspectives to psychological issues and integrate ideas and findings across the multiple perspectives in psychology.
- Communicate psychological concepts effectively in written form.
- Communicate psychological concepts effectively in oral form.
- Be computer literate for the purpose of processing and disseminating psychological data and information.
- Retrieve and organise information effectively.
- Handle primary source material critically.
- Engage in effective teamwork for the purpose of collaborating on psychological projects.
- Be sensitive and react appropriately to contextual and interpersonal psychological factors.
- Use effectively personal planning and project management skills.
- Work effectively under pressure (time pressure, limited resources, etc) as independent and pragmatic learners.
- Problem-solve by clarifying questions, considering alternative solutions, making critical judgements, and evaluating outcomes.
- Reason scientifically and demonstrate the relationship between theory and evidence.
- Understand and investigate the role of brain function in all human behaviour and experience.
- Carry out empirical studies by operationalizing research questions, generating hypotheses, collecting data using a variety of methods, analysing data using quantitative and/or qualitative methods, and present and evaluate research findings (under appropriate supervision).
- Comprehend and use psychological data effectively, demonstrating a systematic knowledge of the application and limitations of various research paradigms and techniques.
- Use a range of statistical methods with confidence.
- Employ evidence-based reasoning and examine practical, theoretical and ethical issues associated with the use of different methodologies, paradigms and methods of analysis in psychology.
- Use a variety of psychological tools, including specialist software, laboratory equipment and psychometric instruments.
- Be aware of ethical principles and approval procedures.
Resources
Resource implications for students
Students will need to pay for private clinical supervision to complete their placement. Depending on the placement location, they may also need to arrange travel to the placement provider.
Talis Reading list
http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/ppc-4009.htmlReading list
Bager-Charleson, S. (2010). Reflective practice in counselling and psychotherapy. London, UK: Sage. Short, F. E., & Thomas, P. (2014). Core approaches in counselling and psychotherapy. Routledge: UK. McLeod, J. (2015). Doing research in counselling and psychotherapy. Sage: London, UK. Vossler, A., & Moller, N. (2015). The counselling and psychotherapy research handbook. Sage: London, UK. American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.