Counselling is always responsive to society. For example, some societies have no word for “suicide” as it is not seen, others invoke spirits as part of healing, while “swooning” was a 19th c. European gendered phenomena. Conversely, our society is technophilic and capitalist. Given this reality, the intention of the present unit is two-fold. First, we will discuss the quick expansion of technology within the counselling industry. To be able to use a variety of technologies well is instrumental when seeking to attract and hold clients. As an adjunct to this we will also explore some of the utopian/dystopian possibilities that AI presents to counsellors. The second focus of this unit recognises that a proportion of students wish to set-up a private practice after graduation. They must therefore have basic business skills to be successful. Even if not wanting to go into private practice, many counsellors soon take on team leader roles and so must become comfortable with budgeting, HR management and marketing. Taken together, this unit augments your placements for it focuses on “the work of work”. We trust that it will help you as you set out on your journey as a counsellor.
Unit code: CO3007Z
Unit status: Approved (Assessment revision)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3
Unit discipline: Counselling
Delivery Mode: Blended
Proposing College: Australian Lutheran College and School of Professional Practice - Counselling
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Use a variety of counselling technologies in a competent way. |
| 2. | Understand the emerging impact of technology (e.g., social media and AI) on people’s daily lives, mental health and wellbeing, and be able to respond in a nuanced way. |
| 3. | Understand how to start a small business successfully. |
| 4. | Identify their obligations to various stakeholders as their small businesses become operational. |
Offering: This unit is to be taught in year 3, semester 2 (term 3).
Prerequisites: CO2007Z Counselling Ethics, The Law, And Best Practice
Prohibited combinations: NA
Problem-based learning In practice: To understand how to structure a question and use a logical process to derive an outcome which meets appropriate intellectual/professional standards is an important skill for counsellors. Through the provision of various intellectual lenses and associated problems students have the opportunity to engage problem-solving at a deeper level. While this is done effectively with online modules, at a face-to-face intensive, or during online seminars, students also get exposed to: (1) ambiguous problems; (2) problems with multiple answers; (3) problems with probabilistic outcomes; (4) problems with no good answers or no answers at all. In this way they begin to develop a rich understanding of what it is like to work with clients. Assessments are designed to enhance students’ problem-solving skills and to assess their readiness for clinical practice.
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | A number of tasks pertaining to technology and its use in Counselling |
2000 | 40.0 |
| Case Study | Develop a business plan, marketing plan and other documentation as appropriate to a small business which offers counselling services. |
3000 | 60.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by OVC, Acting DAP on 17 Jul, 2026
Unit record last updated: 2026-07-17 16:36:12 +1000