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Courses accredited by
the British Association
for Counselling and Psychotherapy

THE POST-GRADUATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME IN COUNSELLING
2009 - 2011

provided by

PERSONA DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING

accredited by

THE UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING
&
BACP

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. Persona is as committed to a learning process which supports learners as it is to learning outcomes.

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. Helping students to know themselves as learners, capable of directing their own learning and as the ones who give learning its value affirms people as learners rather than 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 post-graduate diploma 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 to evidence achievement.

The Persona learning philosophy integrates this important method of measuring achievement with the careful and detailed use of feedback for assignments and submissions. The primary purpose of feedback is to support the individual in on-going learning. Feedback from assignments, from skills practice or in relation to any aspects of the course is regularly provided to support the person achieve what they are aiming to achieve. We strongly encourage students to proactively seek feedback from the facilitators and from other students so that they do not fear the feedback process but welcome it as a useful dialogue to support to their own learning agenda. This form of learning is precise and personal and helps students engage actively in the learning process as well as encouraging them to achieve the course outcomes.

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 The course aims to provide the opportunity, environment, resources and support for students to undertake accredited training in professional counselling.

2 The course aims to offer a programme which will support and respect the learning process of students by incorporating a variety of training methods relevant to counselling.

3 The course aims 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.

7 The course will provide each student with a handbook which will outline learning objectives and how these are to be demonstrated in assignments, practice and the various course activities.

8 The course meets all the criteria required by the University of Stirling in order for it to be approved and accredited by the University as a Post-Graduate Diploma within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

COURSE CONTENT

Since this is a counselling course based on the application of the Person-Centred approach, the content of the programme is delivered around the framework of the six key therapeutic conditions of this model. From an academic position the content is also developed under the heading of six dominant themes.

Theme 1 The Theory and Practice of Therapeutic Change

Theme 2 Personality Theory and Psychopathology

Theme 3 Diversity: Different psychological approaches, The needs of different client groups

Theme 4 Ethical Issues, Clinical Issues, on-going Professional development, Research Methods

Theme 5 Clinical Supervision and the in-depth analysis of the counselling process

Theme 6 Developing Self-reflectivess

Condition 1 Two persons are in psychological contact

Condition 2 The first (the client) is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable and anxious Condition 3 The second person (the therapist) is congruent or Integrated in the relationship Condition 4 The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client Condition 5 The therapist experiences empathic understanding of the client's internal frame of reference and endeavours to communicate this experience to the client. Condition 6 The communication to the client of the therapist's empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is to minimal degree achieved

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Certain aspects of the course are presented in lecture form and there are presentations by external specialists covering different topics relevant to counselling. However, interactive workshops are the principal learning environment for exploring specific themes and issues. Other structures used during the programme include: Encounter Groups, Study Groups and the Course Community Group. This last group, the Course Community Group is the largest group since, as its name suggests, it involves everyone who is part of the course. This group meets each day of the course and provides a broad range of essential functions for the course. Apart from being a forum for information and discussion it is also a setting in which core elements of the course are experientially learned and where individuals are prompted to in-depth self-reflection.

Supervision Groups also form a key part of the course programme. By providing opportunities for counselling work to be linked to course work, students gain a broader understanding of certain client issues they may not have the chance to work with directly. In addition it allows students to give and receive feedback to each other. Students meet in small groups with supervisor-trainers throughout the course.

The major part of the course is residential and this is a requirement of the course. For the 2009-2011 Diploma the course will take place at Newbattle Abbey College, Dalkeith, Scotland. This venue provides individual rooms for all students and a safe environment which is conducive to the learning and reflective processes of the programme. The PERSONA administration office is situated in Motherwell.

The non-residential days of the programme when students meet in their supervision groups, are arranged in different locations. As far as possible these locations are designed to reduce the amount of travel for students; however, this cannot always be guaranteed and unfortunately some people may still have a long journey.

DEVELOPING COUNSELLING COMPETENCE

During the course, students develop their competence as counsellors through a range of different activities including working together as "client and counsellor". Some of this work is recorded on video and discussed by small groups with the support of a member of the course staff. This provides both a useful learning opportunity and also a helpful record of the development of the students' counselling work.

Outwith the course, there is a requirement for students to arrange their own counselling practice opportunities. Course staff will advise on the suitability of a counselling setting and will do their best to assist course members who are having difficulty, but ultimately it is the responsibility of students to ensure that they are able to meet the minimum Diploma course requirement of 160 hours of appropriately supervised counselling practice.

Counselling practice needs to take place in an environment where it is possible to have an explicit and freely-consented-to counselling agreement between student-counsellor and client. Although some students may work in an environment where the use of counselling skills is a large part of their work, nevertheless, in order to meet the course requirements they would need to create formal counselling agreements.

Course students should be aiming for an average of 3 hours of client work per week throughout the duration of the course. This should preferably include a mix of long term work with clients as well as shorter contracts.

The course supports and monitors the counselling work undertaken by students but it is also a requirement of the course that students engage a separate personal supervisor who has been approved by the course. As well as being a BACP requirement for all practising counsellors, individual supervision offers the most direct opportunity to consider and reflect on the link between theory and practice. It also provides an opportunity to look at personal blocks to development as a counsellor in a supportive setting. Students will be expected to meet with their supervisor regularly throughout the course, at an approximate frequency of one hour per fortnight. This frequency of supervision might need to be increased if the student's level of work or personal difficulties require it.

ASSESSMENT

The ability to appropriately monitor self is fundamental to the reflective practitioner and the course aims to provide a learning environment and assessment process within which students can develop this ability. Personal responsibility in the learning and assessment process is central to the course since it involves students taking the opportunity to develop their own internal "locus of evaluation" and the ability to reflect upon and value self. The process is structured to provide ongoing support and encouragement, with feedback from members of staff and other students. This approach of supportive assessment is continuous throughout the course. Formal feedback is provided specifically in relation to each of the three core areas of the course:

Theoretical understanding: - monitored through written assignments

Developing Practice: - monitored through live practice sessions, recorded sessions and Supervision Groups

Self-reflectiveness: - monitored through participation in Course Community Meetings, Encounter Groups and Workshops

REQUIRED SUBMISSIONS

Students undertake written work during the course both as a focus for their personal research and reading and to allow them to demonstrate their learning. There are six submissions during the course.

Students are also expected to make a minimum of three audio-recordings of their counselling work with clients, with the client's informed consent. These recordings offer the best possible insight into the actual counselling being done, providing a key opportunity for personal/professional development.

Additionally, students are recommended to maintain a journal during the course, although this will be private and will not be included as a course assignment.

SELECTION

Since this course is essentially an advanced training (post-graduate diploma level), applicants must have completed a substantial basic training in counselling/counselling skills as a minimum entry requirement. Where applicants are able to make a case for themselves on the basis of equivalent experience that will also be considered. In such a case "equivalent experience" would mean that the applicant was working (paid or as a volunteer) in a role which necessarily involved using counselling skills and creating a supportive relationship with those using that service. It would also mean that the applicant had been working in this role for a significant length of time so that they could discuss their development over time in using these skills. The minimum acceptable previous training in counselling is a formal certificate in counselling skills, ie 120 hour tutor contact time.

All applicants are invited to submit a completed application form and this requires to be supported by two references. Enclosed with the application form is the set of questions which we ask each referee to answer on behalf of the applicant. Referees are invited to send the completed reference directly to the course administration office.

The Application Form has been devised to elicit only the most essential information about the individual and this is done deliberately as part of our equal opportunities approach to selection. An additional form is attached as part of the university's monitoring processes.

All applications receive a written acknowledgement which informs them if they are being offered an interview and the interview date. Interviews will take place at regular dates between January and June of 2009. Following an interview, successful applicants will be offered a place on the course as soon as possible. Once that place has been accepted by the applicant and a deposit has been paid, that place on the course is secure and so the number of available places will decrease during the interview months. Anyone who is not successful will be informed of the specific reasons why the interviewers feel that they do not wish to offer a course place.

The selection interview takes the form of an individual meeting with one of the core staff and a group interview process involving other applicants, facilitated by course staff. The interview process normally involves two separate meetings; the first part (individual interview) lasts about 45 minutes and the second part (group session) lasts two hours.

COSTS

The total cost of the programme is made up of the course fees plus the costs of the full board residential. The course fees are £3832.00. The first instalment of £832.00 is payable when accepting the offer of a place on the programme the remainder is payable in two instalments of £1500.00 at the beginning of each year. Accommodation fees are paid directly to the venue. The accommodation rates average out at approximately £1700 for the two years. (Costs are correct at time of going to print but may change).

Please note these costs do not include the fee payable to each person's individual counselling supervisor. This is a private arrangement between the course member and the supervisor. It is a professional requirement that students enter into supervision for their client work. Supervision is not, however, personal therapy and a student would be responsible for making separate arrangements for this, if necessary: it is not a course requirement.

COURSE STAFF

Therese Campsie currently works as a Person Centred Counsellor in the voluntary sector within a Healthy Living Network, as a supervisor in Private Practice and she is a COSCA accredited trainer. She has worked in a variety of contexts both as a counsellor and user of counselling skills including among others Primary Care, Stress Centres and Youth Drop-ins. She was also involved for many years with individuals and organisations including issues around H.I.V and A.I.D.S, Cancer, Breastfeeding and Parenting. She is currently undertaking an MSc in Counselling and her research proposal is looking at perceptions' around hearing counsellors working with deaf clients with an interpreter present.

Mike Hough was originally trained as a Youth Worker and worked as a senior lecturer in the Department of Community Education lecturer at Strathclyde University for many years before joining the Counselling Unit in 2002.. He has particular interests in the fields of Emotional Literacy, Guidance and Pastoral Care in Education. He has initiated the development of innovative curricula material in Guidance and Counselling and is looking to consolidate his writing output in these areas. Mike has particular responsibility for the Certificate in Counselling Skills and in addition manages the Unit's Counselling in Schools Project.

Kevin McGeever has been working as a therapist and supervisor for a number of years and in a variety of settings extending from the pastoral, the medical and privately. He has studied in Italy and the USA and was the first Executive Director of the COSCA [Confederation of Scottish Counselling Agencies]. In that role he was one of the team responsible for the creation and launch of the Certificate in Counselling. Currently he manages a large service which provides counselling into the NHS.

Catherine McGrath trained as a nurse and midwife and worked for a number of years in East Africa. It was during her time in Tanzania (1985-1990) that she first 'met' Carl Rogers. Amongst a pile of discarded books was an old battered copy of 'On Becoming a Person'. The title intrigued her, she read it and has been hooked ever since! She jumped at the opportunity to follow an Integrative Counselling and Personal Development Training in Kent and later joined their staff as a trainer and facilitator. However she still felt drawn to the Person Centred approach and went on to complete the diploma course at Jordanhill and the Supervision Training with PCT Britain. She has been counselling in GP practices in Lanarkshire since the counselling service was started in 1996 and has been supervising counsellors over the last few years.

Rachel Mullen is a trained person-cantered counsellor, a graduate of Persona and a COSCA Trainer at James Watt College, Greenock. She is also a fully trained aromatherapist and Indian Head masseuse. Rachel works in Glasgow Social Work Dept as a Community Service Officer working with offenders. She enjoys good food with friends, reading, holistic and natural health studies.

Lindsey Stewart is originally from South London and has lived in Edinburgh for 16 years. She is divorced and has 2 daughters, now both in their twenty's. Lindsey completed the Diploma with Persona in 2005. She works full time as a Support Worker and also works a Volunteer Counsellor in the evenings. To relax she enjoys swimming, walking, reading and cookery and also enjoys music and dancing.

Ishtar Swaffield comes from a professional background in Education, Movement and the Theatre Arts. She has extensive experience and training in the Humanistic approach to psychotherapy and holds the PCT (Britain) Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has travelled widely and worked in therapeutic communities in a number of different countries. She has a particular interest in creative, expressive and intuitive processes and continues to explore the integration of this within personal and professional training and development. Ishtar lives in Edinburgh, working as a counsellor, supervisor and facilitator. Additionally she works as a consultant with organisations developing Employee Counselling Support and Employee Development Services.

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