Leaders in Distance Learning

Level 3 Diploma in Counselling

Course Synopsis

This Ascentis Quality Assured Level 3 Diploma course is aimed at providing a look at the fundamentals of counselling. The course will be of much interest to those who wish to enter the profession of counselling in the private sector or who are interested in working with others. An in depth look at different problems the counselor may encounter when dealing with others and gives a detailed overview of body language and business planning for those who are interested in entering into a private business will be provided. The course also offers the student the chance to analyse their own life and come to terms with their feelings on various subjects.

Course Structure:

This course will provide the student with a Level 3 Diploma in Counselling. It will contain 9 sub modules [termed units] made up as follows:

1. Counselling and You - Providing the foundation blocks for the entire course. This module will introduce the student to modern concepts of counselling. The focus will be on how giving advice, guidance, and counselling differ. Following this, the student will be taken through lessons on getting to know themselves. This will entail numerous private learning sessions that will help the student understand themselves and their thoughts. This section of the course is a full personal development course in itself which will prepare students to identify what they want for and from themselves, how their goals may affect their progress, and how to manage other people's opinions in their lives.
2. Essential Qualities - Focuses on the qualities a counsellor needs to work effectively and professionally for their client. This unit also offers the student the ability to examine their thoughts and how they may use these thoughts to empathise with their clients.
3. Interviewing a Client - How to build key client relationships, maintaining confidence and trust of clients, delivering quality services, managing client expectations.
4. Depression, Stress, and Suicide - Examines the techniques used to draw information out of the client in these situations and aid them in coming to terms with how they feel. Open questions are explored here along with suggestions on how to recognise these feelings in others based on their actions.
5. Relationships and Sexuality - Examines the techniques used to draw information out of the client and aid them in coming to terms with how they feel. This unit also explores couples counselling.
6. Death and Bereavement - This unit explores the stages of dying and the tasks of mourning. The counselling principles and procedures are focused on along with the techniques in bereavement counselling.
7. Drugs, Alcohol, and Financial Problems - This unit covers the definitions and effects of drugs and alcohol. Addictions and helping the client in these situations is covered before the unit moves into the financial problems of a client and setting homework objectives.
8. Counselling Ethics - The ethics of a counsellor is explored here by the student's absorption of a professional code of ethics.
9. Counselling Administration - Documentation a counsellor will need to start counselling. This covers the regular counsellor / client forms, the client session form / contract, the client basis form, the terms and conditions form, the client goal / action form, the sample referral letter and numerous others. Following this section the student will be moved into 'A Plan for Business'. This is another full course in itself which aids the student in planning their own business and helps then think rationally about the processes of the business side of counselling.

Upon completion of each unit in the course the student will be provided with an assignment, based upon short questions and answers or essay questions, in order to test the understanding of the course presented. Upon completion of the final 9th Unit the student will be required to complete a 'thesis'. This will be a 5,000 word assignment, with the option to select from one of numerous subjects.

Benefits of the Course:

Students will expect to derive the following benefits from the diploma course:

• Understand the differences between the different modes of complimentary therapy offered to those interested in discussion therapy.
• Learn to understand their preferences without interaction from others.
• Develop skills to deal with the steps involved in reaching their goals and reaching their own expectations.
• Gain an appreciation of the tools and techniques that counsellors use as part of their "toolbox".
• How to properly manage and structure client appointments and manage reports and client progress.
• Discover ways to improve communications with the client while utilizing and developing abilities to empathise.
• Develop effective counseling skills and learn how to interact professionally and effectively with outside organisations.
• How to collect information and carry out research.
• A greater awareness of the dimensions of starting a private business and how to fulfil their role as a counsellor.
• An understanding of what is required as a business owner and how to professionally achieve goals.

The course will examine the major attributes required by the professional Counsellor and includes:

• Code of Conduct
• Counsellor descriptions
• Types of client problems
• Professionalism - meaning of trust
• Professional membership with the CMA
• Counselling reports and files

Course Content:

Module 1 - Counselling and You

This unit provides the foundations for the rest of the course. It moves the student through their own thoughts as well as giving them an idea of what sort of work they will be doing as a counsellor should they choose to take on the profession. The first part of the module focuses on the differences in professional interaction and shows how clients receive different modes of service with each different profession settling on finer notes on counselling fundamentals.

Sub-modules are introduced in the form of a personal development course that aids the students in looking at themselves. The student is offered 'Action Learning' throughout the course which prompts them to examine their own feelings and discuss what they believe to be their goals. Their present abilities are questioned, and they are asked to focus on their inner feeling about numerous times or situations in their lives. This coaching course is for the student personally and is a full course in its own merit.

Module 2 - Essential Qualities

This part of the course will focus upon the qualities a counsellor must demonstrate to successfully and professionally help their clients. Confidentiality is discussed along with breaking confidentiality. Genuineness, unconditional regard, and empathy, are examined along with the need for the counsellor to be completely non-judgemental. There are detailed questions for the student to ask themselves which helps them note the reasons for a non-judgmental attitude toward the client.

Module 3 - Interviewing a Client

This unit discusses how to build key client relationships, maintaining confidence and trust of clients, delivering quality services, and managing client expectations. It details the counsellor's office and placement of furniture, how to use open questions and how to summarise the client's answers to show a high level of understanding. It continues on to examine non-verbal communications, challenging, confronting, and the understanding of what a client may not be saying.

This unit will be focused on how to build client relationships, maintaining confidence and trust of clients, delivering quality services, managing client expectations and achieving value-added contribution raising client satisfaction.

Objectives of module:

• Building the client / consultant relationship
• Understanding the client
• Building trust and confidence
• Phases of the relationship
• Understanding problems
• The meaning and importance of quality

Module 4 - Depression, Stress, and Suicide

Depression, Stress, and Suicide are all discussed in this unit. Being able to discuss different feelings and record signs is paramount to the effective counsellor. The signs and symptoms are discussed separately along with different ways to draw information out of the client. Having a working understanding of different symptoms allows the counsellor to understand what the client may be feeling and guide them towards seeing their problem, understanding it, and working through the feelings.

Module 5 - Relationships and Sexuality

Relationships may be the leading cause of a person's loss of confidence and as a counsellor may come up against this problem with numerous clients, an understanding of how human beings relate to each other is crucial. This unit explores relationships, how important they may be in a person's life, and what kinds of problems may occur.

As 'sexuality' describes the way in which a person expresses themselves as a sexual being, it is important that the counsellor understand sexuality and how important it is for a human to understand and be comfortable with theirs. This unit explores sexuality and the importance of a counsellor's non-judgemental approach to their client.

Module 6 - Death and Bereavement

Death and bereavement are both explored here starting with the stages of dying and the tasks of mourning. Those who are bereaved need their own time to pass through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The counsellor must understand these steps in order to counsel a bereaved client and gaining understanding aids in the counsellor's ability to empathise. This unit also offers the student the 'counselling principles and procedures' when dealing with a client with these problems.

Module 7 - Drugs, Alcohol, and Financial Problems

Drugs and alcohol are explored in this module from their descriptions to the effects they have on humans. Long term and short term effects are discussed along with support counselling for drug dependency.

The student will absorb information on:

• Alcohol
• Inhalants
• Cannabis
• Depressants
• Cocaine
• Narcotics
• Designer drugs

Financial problems can arise for a number of reasons and can be devastating for anyone. This part of the module discusses the counsellor's objectives and how the counsellor sets the client a series of homework objectives.

Module 8 - Counselling Ethics

This unit gives the student the chance to read through a professional code of ethics and discuss any parts that they may feel uncomfortable with or unable to cope with. A counsellor must adhere to a strict code of ethics when dealing with the vulnerable and the student will gain the knowledge of what is expected of them if they choose to take on this role.

Module 9 - Counselling Administration

This unit gives samples of various counselling sheets. These include:

• Counsellor client contract
• Client session form
• Client basis form
• Client goal action form
• Referral letter
• Client session form / contract
• Terms and conditions
• Referral to another agency or service
• Client's action plan / care plan
• Permission to release information and / or to advocate
• Client feedback form The final part to the full course is a 'Plan for Business'. This is a full course in its own merit and moves the student through a business plan, how to market their skills professionally, finance, and the conflicting elements they may encounter. This section of the course is for those who have the ambition to start their own private practice.

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