Foundations of Professional Practice

Please note: This subject will replace 'SSC214 Counselling Practice II' from Semester 2 (2023) onwards (new code and name only).

This subject builds on the foundations of SSC113 Interpersonal Communication Skills (recoded from SSC112 - Counselling Practice I) by introducing advanced counselling techniques and a counselling framework. You will gain the ability to assess, understand specific client needs, and use counselling micro-skills and techniques in working with people in a counselling context. During the subject you will learn how to counsel clients with problems in the areas of anger, stress and other specific issues. This subject has been designed to comply with PACFA and ACA training requirement for which you must have completed a course where at least 100 hours is experiential. Experiential activities refer to clinical training methods, such as modelling by clinicians, counsellor-client practice, clinical placements, role-plays, and concrete and specific feedback.

Awards offering Foundations of Professional Practice

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Bachelor of Applied Social Science
• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Applied Social Science
• Bachelor of Ministry
• Bachelor of Theology
• Diploma of Arts
• Diploma of Chaplaincy
• Undergraduate Certificate in Arts

Unit Content

Outcomes

1. Integrate and use micro- skills with both cognitive and affective counselling techniques;
2. Intentionally apply counselling micro-skills within the counselling model to assist clients in addressing specific issues;
3. Assist clients to identify the dimensions of specific problems and identify client resources and assets to activate positive change;
4. Develop self–reflective and personal skills in the context of counselling practice.

Subject Content

• Introduction, Foundational Practice & Skills
• Counselling Framework A (Process & Skills)
• Counselling Framework B (Process & Skills)
• Treatment Sessions: Intake & Assessment Sessions
• Treatment Sessions: Case Formulation & Treatment Planning
• Treatment Sessions: Progress, Review, End of Treatment 
• Working with the Client: Referrals, Client Folders, Note Taking
• Specific Issues & Interventions 1
• Specific Issues & Interventions 2
• Specific Issues & Interventions 3
• Professional Issues: Mandatory Reporting, Legal Matters
• Supervision
• Reflective Practice & Application of Learning

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Onsite (face-to-face)
• Online (eLearning)
• Intensives
• Extensives

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

• Interview, Critique, and Client Folder (50%)
• Report and Resource for Practitioners (25%)
• Critical Reflection (25%)

Prescribed Text

• Geldard, D., Geldard K., & Foo, R. (2021). Basic personal counselling (9th ed.). Melbourne, VIC: Cengage Learning Australia

Please consult your instructor prior to purchasing any textbooks.