Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy

This module explores the essential foundations of person-centred therapy within a pluralistic and integrative context, focusing on the development of effective therapeutic relationships. You will engage with key person-centred concepts such as empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence, which are crucial for creating a supportive therapeutic environment.

Through experiential learning, including role-plays and reflective exercises, you will enhance your counselling skills while fostering self-awareness in relation to equity, diversity, and inclusion. The module examines anthropological, relational, and ethical foundations of person-centred therapy, equipping you to work with diverse client populations.

This module explores the foundations of clinical, ethical practice in counselling and psychotherapy. It provides students with a in-depth understanding of the BACP Ethical Framework and other professional codes of conduct. To support students to critically engage with complex ethical dilemmas we will interweave underpinning theoretical concepts of an integrative practice as well as introducing the influence of related disciplines on our work as therapists and the changing landscape of mental health provision. We will take a constructive, critical and reflexive approach to the fundamental principles introduced, and the central importance of ethical maturity and the therapeutic relationship, including the role of power, privilege, inequality, difference and diversity as these experiences impact on ethical decision making, the therapeutic relationship and the process of therapy.

This module builds on key theoretical concepts in contemporary therapeutic practice, with a particular focus on psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) approaches; with an integration of research findings in the field to consider how these inform practice.

To support students’ developing theoretical and research-informed competence, the module will reflect a core aspect of the work of therapy: the development of students’ capacity for reflexivity in assimilating theory, research and practice.  This focus will include an intentional and critical examination of the therapist's (and researcher’s) role, biases, and subjectivity throughout the work.

This module provides students with an opportunity to develop their therapeutic competence in practice. Students will consolidate their understanding of assimilative integration and apply person-centred, psychodynamic and CBT approaches in real-world client work (in placement). The module will support students to build on their understanding of the application of theory & research, ethical awareness, clinical development, and reflective practice. Students will develop an integrative model for therapeutic work in which assumptions about the nature and development of human beings link coherently to the theoretical basis for specific client problems or issues, and the various therapeutic interventions that may be used to facilitate psychological change, growth and healing.

This module provides students with the opportunity to engage in an in-depth, practice-based capstone project that integrates clinical casework with critical engagement in research. Students are supported to develop and submit a substantial case study that draws on relevant theoretical and empirical literature, supervision insights, and professional standards. The capstone replaces a traditional dissertation and is designed to reflect the realities of clinical practice including assessment, formulation and treatment planning, ethical thinking, supervision and therapist well-being. It concludes with the submission of a written case study and accompanying professional poster presentation. Students are guided by tutors throughout the process. Students taking this module will be expected to be in practice and supervision and draw upon their current clinical work to complete the module.