Details for SSC521 Foundations of Professional Practice

This subject helps to prepare you to work effectively with clients by learning advanced counselling micro-skills and techniques in. With an emphasis on applying micro-skills and evidence-based methods in counselling contexts, you’ll learn how to respond to complex needs such as anxiety and stress. This unit aligns with professional practice standards, offering practical, experiential training, that includes role-plays, to continue the development of your interpersonal communication skills.

Quick Stats

• Currently offered by Alphacrucis: Yes
• Course code: SSC521
• Credit points: 10

Subject Coordinator

Prerequisite

The following subjects are pre-requisites:

• SSC413 Interpersonal Communication Skills

Unit Content

Outcomes

1. Synthesise the principles of reflective practice and supervision as components of ongoing professional development and wellbeing;
2. Develop the skills for integrating core competencies and micro-skills with a range of evidence-based counselling techniques and contexts;
3. Critique counselling skills within a counselling framework to assess, formulate and assist clients in addressing identified issues;
4. Develop an understanding of and commitment to professional and ethical counselling practice;
5. Address specific client presentations within individual and group contexts;

Subject Content

Introduction, Foundational Practice & Skills Nature of counselling

Counselling Framework A (Process & Skills) Foundation skills, including micro-skills

Counselling Framework B (Process & Skills) Identifying the client’s problem

• Treatment Sessions: Intake & Assessment Sessions Helping clients tell their stories
• Treatment Sessions: Case Formulation & Treatment Planning Using the basic listening sequence
• Treatment Sessions: Progress, Review, End of Treatment  Reflecting meaning, utilising influencing skills and other strategies for change
• Working with the Client: Referrals, Client Folders, Note Taking Using these skills to address common concerns/problems such as loneliness, low self-esteem, stress and anger
• 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 (e-Learning)
• Intensives

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

Assessment Methods

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