Courses accredited by |
Post Graduate Programme in Counselling
and Psychotherapy 2011-2013 Accredited by
the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy |
HISTORY
The course is designed to suit people who have commitments during the
week which would make weekly attendance difficult and for that reason most of
the course takes place at weekends or week-long blocks over three years. The
programme benefits from being largely residential allowing regular periods of
intense and focused work as well as allowing students to spend some time
relaxing with others on the course; both are important.
Person-Centred
Therapy
The Person-Centred approach is based on the work of Carl Rogers and
continues to build on subsequent developments which have emerged from his
original writings. The approach provides
a well integrated theory of human growth and development which stresses the
inner resources of each individual and the conditions and conditionality which
affect the development of each of us.
The work of Carl Rogers is applied in a wide variety of settings
including schools, universities and health-care settings. As a therapeutic approach it sets out to
provide the client with a therapeutic relationship which a} minimises
conditionality and b} maximises those conditions which support a development
process for which the client is more able to take responsibility.
Creative Facilitation and
Self-Directed Learning
Our approach to
development and learning sets us apart from many other organisations and can be
summed up as creative facilitation.
We see ourselves not so much as trainers or lecturers but rather as facilitators
of learning: we encourage the learner to explore and understand themselves as
“seekers of truth” rather than “receivers of knowledge”. Our aim is to create a
learning environment in which students are affirmed
as learners, and find their own learning path.
It is
essentially an experiential approach which means that we create and use a wide
variety of activities with the specific aim of prompting self-directed
learning, personal reflection and
insight. Whether the focus is on theoretical concepts, improving skill or
deepening self-awareness it is the same philosophy.
This may seem a
slightly unusual focus as it differs from many traditional approaches which
typically only appear to value learning outcomes. However, on this programme
the learning process itself is valued and we aim to explicitly value what each
learner brings to the learning activity. Theory, skills and insight do not have
an absolute value in themselves but only a value relative to the learner and our
style is to support individuals as they discover that valuing process within
themselves. By helping students to know
themselves as learners, and as people who give learning its value we seek to
affirm students as learners and we have no interest in judging them as “good”
or “bad” learners.
Sessions are
interactive and the facilitation process may include a variety of activities:
introducing new activities and trying new ideas form part of the exciting
learning dynamic within which everyone, participators and facilitators alike
engage in a creative learning process. Not every session appeals in the same
way and some people are more comfortable engaging in one activity rather than
another. This is perfectly fine and it contributes to the agenda of each person
owning their own learning process.
In all of this
it is also important not to lose sight of learning outcomes; theories are still
there to be understood, skills are
required for proficiency and deepening self-awareness is essential to the process of developing as a practitioner. So like
any other programme we have milestones to mark the journey. Furthermore as a
professionally accredited programme it is very important that these milestones
are openly defined and progress honestly measured against them. Written
assignments, audio-tapes and video-tapes as well as counselling statistics are
all used by the student to evidence his/her achievement.
Ultimately personal and professional development remains the fundamental
responsibility of each student and the course is designed to promote this.
Taking responsibility for one’s own learning, making use of the programme in
ways which best suit one’s own way of learning, reflecting on one’s attitudes,
values, ways of being and their impact on others, these are some of the basic
expectations which this programme has of those who decide to take it up. The ability to take responsibility for one’s
own development is a key factor in deciding to undertake this course.
Most students find this learning environment a new experience, different
from many previous experiences in learning; from our point of view we aim to
make the learning environment one that parallels the empowering aspects of
Person Centred therapy by simply creating the conditions for growth.
Aims
of the Programme
1 To provide the opportunity, environment,
resources and support for students to undertake accredited training in
professional counselling.
2 To offer a programme which
supports and respects the learning process of students by incorporating a
variety of training methods relevant to counselling.
3 To provide a learning and assessment process which is Person Centred and encourages students to take major
responsibility for their learning.
4 The programme will provide a primary focus on the
central concepts and theories of the Person-Centred approach in counselling and
will extend to include other theories of human growth and development and their
related therapeutic approaches.
5 The course will provide a structure within which
students will be invited to consider their own internal processes, reactions,
thoughts and feelings in support of their development as reflective
practitioners.
6 The course will support the development of
student's competence in counselling practice by focusing on the integration of
a} their counselling skills
b} the underpinning knowledge of counselling processes
c} personal reflectiveness.