Counselling Psychology

The DPsych aims to develop ethical, reflective and professional practitioners of counselling psychology who work collaboratively with their clients to provide high-quality psychological services, drawing on evidence-based psychological practice in the context of a therapeutic relationship characterised by trust, respect, and appreciation for the subjective experience of the person and individuality of the client and their unique world view.

Our programme seeks to sit at the interface of science and practice. We value reflective professional practice and development of practice through the rigor of top class research.

You are equipped to work with a wide range of complex presenting issues; with individual adults and children, couples, families, groups and organisations; short and long term; in single and multi-professional contexts; and through transferring psychological skills to others in multidisciplinary teams.

You are actively supported during your studies by the course team to develop your own personal theory of the evolution, maintenance and resolution of psychological problems, based on your reading, lectures, practical skills workshops, personal development, collaborative learning and clinical and research experience.

We want you to have a stimulating, challenging, inspiring and personally supportive professional training environment in which to develop your knowledge and skills and further develop as a person and professional. We view you as active contributors to your learning and to the overall success of the course, treating each of you with respect and working with you in a genuinely collegial atmosphere as a developing professional.

N.B. Modules, and their content, are subject to change.

Trainees will have the opportunity to integrate psychological theory and existing research into their professional practice and are encouraged to develop a level of self-understanding and awareness. Three main models of Counselling Psychology practice are taught (Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Person-Centred Approaches and Psychodynamic Approaches), together with an exploration of professional practice standards across the diverse range of client groups and contexts. Teaching in research methods is central to this year of the Programme.

The programme contains both academic and professional components. These provide the opportunity for trainees to develop knowledge and understanding of a range of theoretical models relevant to counselling psychology; acquire and demonstrate competency in research skills, become proficient in supervised clinical practice while fostering self-reflective skills. Trainees learn about psychological counselling practice across a range of client populations and contexts. Knowledge and skill acquisition is built upon in subsequent years of the programme.

In addition to the academic requirements of the programme, trainees undertake their own personal psychological counselling; complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised client practice and ideally make a start on the 45 hours of indirect work in placement to be completed across the three years of the programme.

Year one modules:

• Person-centred approaches to counselling psychology
• Cognitive behavioural approaches to counselling psychology
• Psychodynamic approaches to counselling psychology
• Context, diversity and standards in professional practice
• Research design and analysis 1
• Research design and analysis 2
• Professional components of counselling psychology
• Professional development and supervision
• Personal and professional development.

In order to develop advanced knowledge and practice skills, Year 2 of the Programme includes Level A Psychometrics , Groups and Couples: Counselling and Mediation, Specialist Group Supervision, Psychopathology: Clinical Skills and Critical Approaches, Elective Theory Advances and Developing Research Skills.

In addition to the academic requirements of the programme, trainees undertake their own personal psychological counselling and complete a minimum of 150 hours of supervised client practice and continue building up the 45 hours of indirect work in placement to be completed across the three years of the programme.

Year two of the Programme will provide an opportunity for trainees to:

• Increase their theoretical knowledge in areas relevant to counselling psychology.
• Extend their therapeutic skills.
• Increase their understanding of the relationship between theory and practice.
• Broaden the range of settings in which they are competent to practice.
• Broaden the range of challenges they are competent to work with.
• Develop skills in teaching other psychologists, psychological therapists and counsellors, including those from other professional groups such as nurses, occupational therapists, dieticians, etc.
• Continue to develop skills in addressing psychological counselling issues in the light of psychological theory and research.
• Further develop their research skills, especially in relation to clinical practice.

Year two modules:

• Professional components of counselling psychology
• Groups and Couples: Counselling and Mediation
• Elective Theory Advances
• Psychopathology: Clinical Skills and Critical Approaches
• Specialist group supervision
• Research proposal for counselling psychology
• Developing research skills in counselling psychology
• Level A psychometrics.

The focus of the third year of training is to equip graduates to fulfil the role of a Counselling Psychologist.

Year three of the Programme includes modules to develop both Professional and Research Skills, Level B Psychometrics, certified by the BPS, as well as Specialist Group Supervision relevant to advanced practice.

In addition to the academic requirements of the programme, trainees undertake their own personal psychological counselling and complete a minimum of 200 hours of supervised client practice and 45 hours of indirect work in placement to be completed across the three years of the programme.

Year three of the Programme will provide an opportunity for trainees to:

• Increase their theoretical knowledge in areas relevant to counselling psychology.
• Extend their therapeutic skills.
• Increase their understanding of the relationship between theory and practice.
• Broaden the range of settings in which they are competent to practice.
• Broaden the range of problems they are competent to work with.
• Develop skills in teaching other psychologists and counsellors, including those from other professional groups such as nurses, occupational therapists, dieticians, etc.
• Continue to develop skills in addressing psychological counselling issues in the light of psychological theory and research.
• Further develop their research skills, especially in relation to clinical practice.

Year three modules:

• Professional components of counselling psychology
• Introduction to Clinical Supervision Practice
• Integrative and Pluralistic approaches
• Developing research skills in counselling psychology
• Negotiating relationships: advanced skills
• DPsych counselling psychology thesis
• Specialist group supervision
• Consultancy and Professional Development Issues
• Level B psychometrics.