Course Title: Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2021
Course Code: OHTH5924C
Course Title: Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
School: 375T Vocational Design and Social Context
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5360 - Diploma of Financial Counselling
Course Contact: Jo Wallwork
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 3983
Course Contact Email: mary-josephine.wallwork@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Nominal Hours: 100
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
None.
Course Description
This course describes the skills and knowledge required to develop a structured approach to counselling using advanced and specialised communication skills. The counselling skills developed within this course will be considered in a financial counselling context.
This course is clustered with one other course:
- Apply specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills CHCCSL002
These two courses are delivered and assessed together.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
CHCCSL001 Establish and confirm the counselling relationship |
Element: |
E1. Use a structured approach to counselling |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Analyse existing client information prior to commencement of counselling session 1.2 Use initial session to gather additional client information as a foundation for counselling process 1.3 Select and use communication techniques that support the initial counselling session objectives 1.4 Follow a structured approach to counselling based on client needs and expectations |
Element: |
E2. Establish the nature of the helping relationship |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Provide information that assists clients to understand the nature of the counselling service on offer 2.2 Clarify, confirm or modify client expectations of the counselling service 2.3 Identify client anxieties about the counselling process and explore with clients 2.4 Acknowledge and show respect for client’s immediate concerns 2.5 Clarify both expectations and commitment to the counselling relationship and confirm with clients 2.6 Identify indicators of client issues beyond scope of own role and report or refer according to presenting issue and organisation requirements |
Element: |
E3. Confirm the helping relationship |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Explore options and approaches for the relationship with clients according to individual need 3.2 Agree priorities and develop a plan for counselling in collaboration with the client 3.3 Make documented agreement with the client that addresses disclosure and 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. By applying these skills and this knowledge you will be able to use specialised communication skills within a counselling process. You will be able to use a structured approach to establish the counselling process.
Details of Learning Activities
In-class (campus-based and online classroom) activities:
- teacher directed group activities/projects
- peer teaching
- group discussion
- class activities to review discussions/lectures
- role play activities
Out-of-class activities:
- independent project-based work online and other research
- independent study
Teaching Schedule
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1
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Introduction to unit The counselling process, What clients have a right to expect Principles of person-centred practice Purpose of counselling How counselling has evolved as a helping relationship Place of counselling within the helping services Scope and nature of the counselling relationship, including professional limitations Impact of own values on the counselling relationship
What is a structured approach to counselling? What are the objectives in the initial counselling session? Client needs and expectations in the initial session Consider the types of issues with which clients may present, the extent to which these fall within the counselling scope of practice, and options for referral, including for:
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2
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Setting up the counselling session:
Communication techniques to support the initial counselling session objectives including:
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3
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What information you will provide to the client to assist their understanding of the counselling service on offer Clarify, confirm or modify client expectations of the counselling service (consider this in relation to what perception of the counselling service the client may have) Safety or reporting issues Recording of client’s own identified priorities Identify client anxieties about the counselling process and explore with clients. Acknowledge and show respect for client’s immediate concerns. Identify indicators of client issues beyond scope of own role and report or refer according to presenting issue and organisation requirements
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4
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Explore options and approaches for the relationship with clients according to the client’s need Working collaboratively with the client to agree priorities and develop a plan for counselling Make documented agreement with the client that addresses disclosure and organisation requirements. Legal and ethical considerations for the initial stages of counselling, and how these are applied in individual practice:
Integrate case note taking with minimum distraction
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5
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Work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations of the counsellor role Consider the counsellor’s role in terms of
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6
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Specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills Identifying communication barriers and using strategies to overcome these barriers in the client-counsellor relationship Selecting and using communication micro skills and when to use them in the counselling interview Identify points at which specialised counselling interviewing skills are appropriate for inclusion Use specialised counselling communication techniques based on their impacts and potential to enhance client development and growth Observe and respond to non-verbal communication cues Identify and respond appropriately to strong client emotional reactions Consider and respond to the impacts of different communication techniques on the client-counsellor relationship in the context of individual clients
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7 |
Reflect on and evaluate own communication with clients – why would you do this and how would you do this? Recognise the effect of own values and beliefs on communication with clients Identify and respond to the need for development of own skills and knowledge
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Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
Overview of Assessment
Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through:
- Practical demonstration of skills responding to a work place scenario
- Knowledge questions
Assessment Tasks
This course is assessed in accordance with competency-based assessment. To demonstrate competency in this course you will need to complete the following assessment tasks to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback from the teacher when you have completed the assessment tasks. You should refer to the assessment plan which is available on Canvas for details of each assessment task and for detailed assessment criteria.
Assessment tasks for this cluster:
- Assessment task 1: Role Play
- Assessment task 2: Role Play
- Assessment task 3: Knowledge questions
Assessment Matrix
The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant unit of competency. These matrices are available with the assessment tasks on Canvas.
Other Information
Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: www.rmit.edu.au/students
Course Overview: Access Course Overview