To counsel well implies that the practitioner knows much about the ways of people, both good and bad. The counsellor must therefore be a student of the “human condition”. Amongst other things this implies that counsellors understand suffering; be it inflicted on, or by, a client. The human condition is, thankfully, also one in which hope persists and acts of beauty are possible. This unit will provide you with a snapshot of how great thinkers from across time and cultures have reflected on what it means to be both flawed and fully human. As such, this unit puts the client front-and-centre. It is hoped that this unit will frame your thinking when you soon begin to encounter more technical units.
Unit code: CO1004Z
Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1
Unit discipline: Counselling
Proposing College: School of Professional Practice - Counselling
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Be more curious about human nature and in so doing will have developed a greater capacity for “Theory of Mind”. |
| 2. | Name and describe various frameworks for living which seek to comprehend human nature. |
| 3. | Evaluate which framework for living best describes their own way of being in the world. |
| 4. | Evaluate which framework(s) for living appear to provide the greatest benefit for a variety of clients. |
Transformative Learning
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skeleton Argument | For 5 different module “Activities” across the unit provide either: (1) a response of approx. 100 words to the question posed; or (2) a response of approx. 100 words to another student’s post. Each response will be marked as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. |
500 | 5.0 |
| Personal Reflection | For 5 different module “Reflection questions” across the unit provide either: (1) a response of approx. 100 words to the question posed; or (2) a response of approx. 100 words to another student’s post. Each response will be marked as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. |
500 | 5.0 |
| Investigation | Being curious about people is the key to good counselling. While people watching can be insightful there is a fine line between being unobtrusive vs. harassing. Therefore we would like you to watch one of the movies listed below as a way to consider human nature. As you watch your chosen movie please consider: (1) what the “back story” of the main character(s) was, or may have been; (2) the likely psychological impact of this on how they do life; and (3) any present, but unacknowledged, truths you observed in how the main character(s) interacted with others. As to this last point, try to understand their deeper motivations and drives present. To do so observe tone of voice, facial expressions, body language etc. Consider also how the character(s) use space (e.g., do they fill a room with their presence or do they shrink inside it). By-the-by this exercise is very similar to exploring with a client the impact of their family-of-origin and uncovering present, but unspoken, realities. Movies to choose from:
|
1500 | 30.0 |
| Personal Reflection | Consider the various frameworks for living discussed in class. Which best articulates your preferred way of being in the world? How might this impact how you counsel and who you counsel? |
1000 | 40.0 |
| Investigation | For the frameworks for living named below identify: (1) a mental health issue that would be helped by counselling in this “style”; and (2) a mental health issue which would likely be made worse by counselling in this “style”. Justify your choices. The frameworks to consider are:
|
500 | 20.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 13 Oct, 2023
Unit record last updated: 2023-10-13 14:27:40 +1100