Course Title: Facilitate the counselling relationship and process

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2018

Course Code: OHTH5923C

Course Title: Facilitate the counselling relationship and process

School: 365T Global, Urban and Social Studies

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5346 - Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs

Course Contact: Chris Walters

Course Contact Phone: 9925 8268

Course Contact Email: Chris.Walters@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 120

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Relevant industry experience or completion of relevant qualification.

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge to support clients to identify and work though concerns, and to manage the overall counselling process to its conclusion. The unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues within established policies, procedures and guidelines.

Workers at this level work under supervision within established guidelines but take on a team leadership role in the coordination of services and service providers. 

This unit applies to work in a range of health and community services contexts.

This unit is delivered and assessed as a cluster with:

  • CHCCSL001 – Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
  • CHCCOM006 – Establish and manage client relationships


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCCSL003 Facilitate the counselling relationship and process

Element:

1. Support clients to identify concerns

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Follow the client’s story and stay with their perspective to assist the client to feel comfortable and express their concerns freely

1.2 Explore the client’s presenting issues and establish their nature and depth, giving attention to the possibility of underlying issues

1.3 Identify and promptly deal with situations requiring immediate action

1.4 Support clients to identify their primary concerns in relation to the presenting issues and to prioritise concerns on which to work

1.5 Recognise indicators of client issues requiring referral and report or refer appropriately in line with organisation requirements

Element:

2. Support clients to work through concerns

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify and work with uncertainty and ambivalence of clients

2.2 Support clients to experience and process difficulties

2.3 Draw attention to, and discuss parallels and links in client’s experience as appropriate

2.4 Identify and implement interventions that have meaning for the client’s immediate situation and that are most likely to facilitate client understanding and actions

2.5 Support client to identify and use known and previously unknown strengths

2.6 Explore perceptions of client’s feelings by reflecting back, clarification and review

2.7 Assist clients to become aware of underlying issues where appropriate and begin to identify ways of dealing with them

2.8 Acknowledge and work with changes in client’s life as appropriate

Element:

3. Monitor the counselling process

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Monitor and review the counselling process with clients to ensure it remains of value

3.2 Proactively identify and work on threats and disruptions to the counselling process with clients

3.3 Review and compare own and client’s perceptions of the process and provide suggestions and advice in response

3.4 Address any tension between client’s hopes and expectations and the reality of resource limitations

3.5 Facilitate change at a pace the client can tolerate and assimilate

3.6 Recognise and assess the appropriateness of ending the current counselling

3.7 Acknowledge, value and work with individual uncertainty in the counselling relationship

3.8 Apply ethical codes of conduct in addressing counselling dilemmas

Element:

4. Bring the counselling process to an end

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Enable client to identify when the process is approaching its conclusion

4.2 Enable client to identify, acknowledge and evaluate what is and is not changing, both in the counselling process and in their situation and understanding

4.3 Use the ending process to enable client to understand the nature and impact of earlier issues

4.4 Use boundaries of the counselling relationship to assist the ending process

4.5 Plan, structure and contract endings appropriately with client

4.6 Support client’s sense of autonomy during the ending process

4.7 Inform clients about any opportunities for further support

4.8 Identify unresolved issues and discuss further work if appropriate

4.9 Complete documentation and reporting according to organisation requirements

Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

In class: Lectures, discussion and group work

Out of class: Readings, research activities and site visits


Teaching Schedule

Week

 Topic

Content

14

Developing the therapeutic relationship

Information required before seeing client and legal and ethical considerations

Gathering client information as a foundation for counselling process

Applying communication techniques to support the initial session’s objectives

Establishing client needs and expectations, and the nature of the counselling relationship

15

Therapeutic interventions

Identifying and applying evidence based counselling models

Legal and industry requirements for case note keeping

Applying specialised counselling interview skills

Identifying and responding appropriately to strong client emotional reactions

Reflecting on and evaluating practice

Semester 2

Youth Mental Health First Aid - Specialist Certificate

 

Mental health services and conditions

Responding to clients presenting with mental health issues

Effective communication including appropriate language

Mental health screening and assessment tools

Dual diagnosis

Semester 2

Youth Mental Health First Aid - Specialist Certificate

 

Conducting risk assessments

Dealing with critical incidents

Identifying and responding to self-harm and suicidal ideation

Referring to specialist services

Semester 2

Working effectively with complex clients 

Working young people

Working with the elderly

Working with pregnant women

Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

Working with dual diagnosis clients

Working with client from different cultural background and with other languages


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Learning Resources 

The University Library provides extensive services, facilities and study space as well as comprehensive collections of books, periodicals and other course related materials, such as DVDs, magazines, slides, films etc. Computer laboratories with access to a wide range of desktop publishing software are also available. The library also has an expanding virtual collection of electronic resources and networks, including product data, e-books, electronic journals and newspapers, web based tutorials, online reference and document delivery services etc., all of which are accessible on campus, and off campus 24 hours per day. More information is available from the site library resources and services.

If you need additional support, visit RMIT’s Learning Lab, either in person or online.

Equitable Learning Services (ELS) provides support and equal opportunities for students with a disability, long-term illness and/or mental health condition and primary carers of individuals with a disability. 


Overview of Assessment

  • Practical demonstrations of skills based on case studies
  • Quiz and/or knowledge questions


Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Conduct case study client counselling sessions to establish and confirm relationships 

Assessment Task 2: Conduct case study client counselling sessions to facilitate relationships

Assessment Task 3: Complete quiz relating to key counselling relationship concepts and practices


Assessment Matrix

Students may obtain an assessment matrix from the Program Coordinator.

Other Information

Please refer to the RMIT Students’ site for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: rmit.edu.au/students

Attendance

It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency.

Applying for an Extension

Extension of time for assessment tasks may be granted where circumstances beyond your control prevent submission by the published due date. Speak with your teacher or course coordinator regarding applying for an extension.

Applying for Special Consideration

If you are seeking an extension of more than seven calendar days (from the original due date) you must lodge an Application for Special Consideration form, preferably prior to, but no later than two working days after the official due date. Late applications will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. For information. see Special consideration.

Academic Integrity, Plagiarism and Collusion

Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in scholarship through respecting the work of others whilst having the freedom to build new insights, new knowledge and ideas. RMIT University upholds the values of academic integrity as fundamental to the scholarship undertaken by all members of its community. Whenever you refer to another person’s research or ideas (either by directly quoting or paraphrasing them) you must acknowledge your source.

Plagiarism and collusion constitute extremely serious academic misconduct, and are forms of cheating. You are reminded that cheating, whether by fabrication, falsification of data, or plagiarism, is an offence subject to University disciplinary procedures. Plagiarism is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person as though it is your own. It is a form of cheating and is a very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University. Plagiarised material can be drawn from, and presented in, written, graphic and visual form, including electronic data, and oral presentations. Plagiarism occurs when the origin of the material used is not appropriately cited. Plagiarism is not acceptable.

Examples of plagiarism include:

  • Copying sentences or paragraphs word-for-word from one or more sources, whether published or unpublished, which could include but is not limited to books, journals, reports, theses, websites, conference papers, course notes, etc. without proper citation;
  • Closely paraphrasing sentences, paragraphs, ideas or themes without proper citation;
  • Piecing together text from one or more sources and adding only linking sentences;
  • Copying or submitting whole or parts of computer files without acknowledging their source;
  • Copying designs or works of art and submitting them as your original work;
  • Copying a whole or any part of another student's work; and
  • Submitting work as your own that someone else has done for you.
  • Enabling Plagiarism: the act of assisting or allowing another person to plagiarise or to copy your own work is also an offence.

For further information, please refer to Academic integrity and Student responsibilities.

The RMIT library provides tools to assist with your referencing.

Complaints Procedure

RMIT University is committed to providing a harmonious study and work environment for all students and staff. The University recognises your right to raise concerns about academic, administrative or support services without recrimination and has policies and procedures to assist in the resolution of complaints.

Most issues are resolved at the local level and you are encouraged to take steps to resolve your issue locally. The student complaint procedure details steps to take if your problem is not resolved or you believe the response you received is unreasonable. Visit Student complaints.

Police Checks

Students must obtain their own police check by the due date and pay the associated costs.

RMIT will not store Police Checks on student files.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview