Students

PSYX2201 – Counselling Approaches and Principles

2022 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lynlee Howard-Payne
Briony Mamo
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(PSYC104 or PSYU1104 or PSYX104 or PSYX1104 PSYU1101 or PSYX1101) or (PSYC105 or PSYU1105 or PSYX105 or PSYX1105 or PSYU1102 or PSYX1102)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

The aim of this unit is to provide an introduction to contemporary approaches to counselling, and to teach basic interviewing skills for use in the workplace. There will be a balanced focus on theory, research and practice throughout the unit. Theoretical frameworks used in counselling will be reviewed, followed by a step-by-step introduction to conducting a counselling interview. Role-plays, demonstrations and case examples will be used to teach basic therapeutic skills. The unit will also involve self-reflective exercises, and will have a focus on ethical and professional practice.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Describe and evaluate theories of counselling.
  • ULO2: Articulate methods of interviewing in counselling settings.
  • ULO3: Evaluate and apply basic interviewing skills to relevant contexts, including workplace settings.
  • ULO4: Show working knowledge around the principles of ethical and professional practice, including diversity considerations.
  • ULO5: Apply critical thinking and independent learning to solve problems related to counselling in the workplace.

General Assessment Information

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy.

All final grades are determined by a grading committee, in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, and are not the sole responsibility of the Unit Convenor.

Students will be awarded a final grade and a mark which must correspond to the grade descriptors specified in the Assessment Procedure (clause 128).

To pass this unit, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements, and achieve a final mark of 50 or better.

Students are expected to make themselves available for the final exam, at the date and time set by the University, in line with the Assessment Policy and Procedure. Sitting the final exam is compulsory in order to be eligible to pass the unit. Any student who does not attempt the final exam will be granted a Fail Absent grade.  

Further details for each assessment task will be available on iLearn.

Late Submissions

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (OF THE TOTAL POSSIBLE MARK) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.

For example:

Number of days (hours) late

Total Possible Marks

Deduction

Raw mark

Final mark

1 day (1-24 hours)

100

5

75

70

2 days (24-48 hours)

100

10

75

65

3 days (48-72 hours)

100

15

75

60

7 days (144-168 hours)

100

35

75

40

>7 days (>168 hours)

100

-

75

0

Late submission of time sensitive tasks, such as timetabled tests/exams, scheduled performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs, will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.

Word count penalty

5% of the total possible mark will be deducted per 100 words over the word limit for the assessment task. An additional 99 words beyond the limit can be written without penalty.

Special Consideration

If you are unable to complete an assessment task on or by the specified date due circumstances that are unexpected, unavoidable, significantly disruptive and beyond your control, you may apply for special consideration in accordance with the special consideration policy. Applications for special consideration must be supported by appropriate evidence and submitted via ask.mq.edu.au.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Essay 30% No Week 7, Monday 3:00-4:00pm
Viva and written reflection 30% No Week 8, Monday by 11:55pm
Final Examination 40% No During University Exam Period

Essay

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 7, Monday 3:00-4:00pm
Weighting: 30%

 

Mid-session online exam held within class time.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and evaluate theories of counselling.
  • Articulate methods of interviewing in counselling settings.
  • Show working knowledge around the principles of ethical and professional practice, including diversity considerations.
  • Apply critical thinking and independent learning to solve problems related to counselling in the workplace.

Viva and written reflection

Assessment Type 1: Viva/oral examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 8, Monday by 11:55pm
Weighting: 30%

 

Students are required to submit a recorded Viva demonstrating basic interviewing skills and a short written reflection on their performance.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate methods of interviewing in counselling settings.
  • Evaluate and apply basic interviewing skills to relevant contexts, including workplace settings.
  • Show working knowledge around the principles of ethical and professional practice, including diversity considerations.

Final Examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: During University Exam Period
Weighting: 40%

 

Final examination held within the University’s formal exam period in accordance with relevant requirements.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and evaluate theories of counselling.
  • Articulate methods of interviewing in counselling settings.
  • Evaluate and apply basic interviewing skills to relevant contexts, including workplace settings.
  • Show working knowledge around the principles of ethical and professional practice, including diversity considerations.
  • Apply critical thinking and independent learning to solve problems related to counselling in the workplace.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

As a student enrolled in this unit, you will engage in a range of online learning activities, including weekly 1 hr lectures (Week 1-13) that are captured and located in Echo360, weekly tutorial activities (Week 2-7), readings, and online discussion forums. Details can be found on the iLearn site for this unit.

Recommended Readings

Ivey, A., Ivey, M., & Zalaquett, C.P. (2022). Intentional Interviewing and Counseling: Facilitating Client Development in a Multicultural Society, (10th Edition), Cengage.

Earlier editions are suitable too.

Technology Used

Active participation in the learning activities throughout the unit will require students to have access to a tablet, laptop or similar device. Students who do not own their own laptop computer may borrow one from the university library.

Unit Schedule

Each week there will be a 1-hour lecture on Monday 3:00-4:00pm (Week 1-13) . All lectures are captured via Echo360 and will be processed and uploaded to Echo360 for your viewing shortly after the lecture has been completed. Please engage with both the PDF slides and lecture recording prior to your completion of the online tutorial activities.

LECTURE SCHEDULE 

Week 

Date  

Psychology Lecture Topic 

Lecturer 

25 July 

Introduction 

Dr Lynlee Howard-Payne 

1 Aug 

Cognitive Behavioural Approaches I 

Dr Lynlee Howard-Payne 

8 Aug 

Cognitive Behavioural Approaches II 

Dr Lynlee Howard-Payne 

15 Aug 

Diversity and Resilience in Counselling 

 

Dr Lynlee Howard-Payne 

 

22 Aug 

Mindfulness and Acceptance Approaches I 

 

Dr Carolyn Schniering 

 

29 Aug 

Mindfulness and Acceptance Approaches II 

 

Dr Carolyn Schniering 

 

5 Sep 

Mid-semester Exam 

Mid-Session Break (12-25 September) 

26 Sep 

Emotion Focused Approaches (ACT) 

Dr Carolyn Schniering 

 

3 Oct 

No lecture – Labour Day 

10 

10 Oct 

Solution Focused Approaches 

Dr Lynlee Howard-Payne 

11 

17 Oct 

Evidence-based Practice 

Dr Lynlee Howard-Payne 

12 

24 Oct 

Principles of Ethical and Professional Practice 

Dr Carolyn Schniering 

13 

31 Oct 

Revision and Questions 

Dr Lynlee Howard-Payne 

TUTORIAL SCHEDULE

Please note, online tutorials activities are on iLearn for Week 2-7. These activities are essential for your completion of the VIVA/Reflection assessment.

Week Tutorial No. Content Location
2 1 Opening, Attending and Empathy Skills Please see iLearn Week 2 Topic
3 2 Observation and Questioning Skills Please see iLearn Week 3 Topic
4 3 Encouraging, Paraphrasing and Summarising  Please see iLearn Week 4 Topic
5 4 Reflecting Feelings Please see iLearn Week 5 Topic
6 5 The Five-Stage Counselling Session Please see iLearn Week 6 Topic
7 6 Integration and Viva Practice Please see iLearn Week 7 Topic

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Inclusion and Diversity

Social inclusion at Macquarie University is about giving everyone who has the potential to benefit from higher education the opportunity to study at university, participate in campus life and flourish in their chosen field. The University has made significant moves to promote an equitable, diverse and exciting campus community for the benefit of staff and students. It is your responsibility to contribute towards the development of an inclusive culture and practice in the areas of learning and teaching, research, and service orientation and delivery. As a member of the Macquarie University community, you must not discriminate against or harass others based on their sex, gender, race, marital status, carers' responsibilities, disability, sexual orientation, age, political conviction, or religious belief. All staff and students are expected to display appropriate behaviour that is conducive to a healthy learning environment for everyone.

Professionalism

In the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, professionalism is a key capability embedded in all our courses.

As part of developing professionalism, students are expected to attend all small group interactive sessions including clinical, practical, laboratory, work-integrated learning (e.g., PACE placements), and team-based learning activities. Some learning activities are recorded (e.g., face-to-face lectures), however you are encouraged to avoid relying upon such material as they do not recreate the whole learning experience and technical issues can and do occur. As an adult learner, we respect your decision to choose how you engage with your learning, but we would remind you that the learning opportunities we create for you have been done so to enable your success, and that by not engaging you may impact your ability to successfully complete this unit. We equally expect that you show respect for the academic staff who have worked hard to develop meaningful activities and prioritise your learning by communicating with them in advance if you are unable to attend a small group interactive session.

Another dimension of professionalism is having respect for your peers. It is the right of every student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please arrive to all learning activities on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please join activity as quietly as possible to minimise disruption. Phones and other electronic devices that produce noise and other distractions must be turned off prior to entering class. Where your own device (e.g., laptop) is being used for class-related activities, you are asked to close down all other applications to avoid distraction to you and others. Please treat your fellow students with the utmost respect. If you are uncomfortable participating in any specific activity, please let the relevant academic know.


Unit information based on version 2022.03 of the Handbook