Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy (1 Year Add-on)

Level

NFQ Level 8.

Credits

60 ECTS

Commencement

September 2022

Venues

Dublin:
Churchtown, Dublin 14, D14 E0F4

Duration

1 year, part-time delivered every Friday from 10.00 am – 5.00 pm in class and online (Zoom)

Assessment and Research Project completion required over the summer period.

Please Note: There is a requirement to two attend course/ progression meetings on a weekday; these dates will be identified to learners on their timetable at the commencement of the academic year.

Schedule

Contact [email protected] for timetable information

Application

Directly to
[email protected]

Entry is by completion of an Application Form

All applicants are subject to interview. Health & psychological screening may also be required.

All applicants will be required to have completed National Vetting prior to commencing the programme.

Learner Protection

Learner protection for this programme is provided in accordance with Part 6 of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012.

Course Fees

Fees for this programme are comparative to those for similar programmes delivered nationwide, at €4,250

* An additional QQI Certification Fee of €200 also applies

Payment plan options are available for learners – please contact for more information.

Additional Costs:
Please note that there are additional costs for mandatory associated programme activities, in particular, the Residential/Integration 2-day weekend, external supervision and personal therapy.

Programme Aims

The main aim of this 1-year, add-on Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy is to provide adult learners with the opportunity to deepen and expand their knowledge, skills and competence in the field of holistic counselling and psychotherapy. At ICPPD, self-awareness is seen as vital to personal and professional development and is encouraged and promoted throughout this and all programmes offered.

More generally, the broader aims of this 1-year add-on BA (Hons) programme are to

Further develop the academic research, professional study and clinical training of graduates from ICPPD’s L7 BA in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy and for external applicants who meet the admission requirements.
Elaborate on the training of reflective practitioners who work at a high standard of competency, within a humanistic and integrative context, ensuring ethical and safe practice.
Enable learners to practice and integrate clinical expertise and theoretical knowledge within a wider field of counselling and psychotherapy.
Support learners to gain full independent professional status, accreditation and meet regulations within the profession.
Develop the ability to critically engage with contemporary policy and research in this field.

Programme Objectives

The objectives of this 1-year add-on level 8 programme are to

enhance and expand the learner’s self-awareness, and knowledge, skills and clinical experience through engagement with, and experiential immersion in, the programme.
provide comprehensive education and training in the theory, skills and related therapeutic processes required for holistic/integrative counselling and psychotherapy practice.
enable the learner to deepen their knowledge of mental health issues, including addiction, and trauma-related issues, supported by an awareness of the complex ethical implications and good practice involved.
broaden learners’ comprehension and experience of the use of creative processes and bodywork in holistic counselling and psychotherapy.
promote evidence-based practice through robust research in the field of holistic counselling and psychotherapy.
facilitate the learner in achieving relevant client work to meet the requirements of academic and professional bodies.

Application is limited to candidates who have successfully completed a level 7 award in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy or equivalent.

In addition, applicants will need to provide written and verified evidence of having completed a minimum of 100 hours of Supervised Client Work and undertaken a minimum of 50 sessions of Personal Therapy, in advance of their acceptance to this programme.

Where English is the applicants second language, they must provide acceptable proof of English proficiency. The English language proficiency tests and scores which are considered acceptable for ICPPD programmes is 6.5 IELTS, or equivalent. (https://www.ieltsdublin.com/ )

Applicants are also required to have appropriate IT skills to facilitate their engagement with the programme and have a computer with internet access to facilitate some online delivery of programmes if scheduled.

ICPPD is responsible for ensuring learners’ ongoing Fitness to Practice, in terms of health, behaviour and character. Therefore, progression is at the discretion of the College.

Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy
The module will examine humanistic approaches and models of psychotherapy integration from the historical developments of the core philosophical tenets and key writers of the humanistic movement. Through in-depth study of Person-Centred, Existential Approaches, Psychosynthesis Psychotherapy and the models of psychotherapy integration, the learner will advance their knowledge and skills in the methods of psychotherapy in the context of a theoretically integrated framework for practice.

Trauma and Body Psychotherapy
This module will familiarise learners with different knowledge and understanding of trauma, how the fracturing that can happen in the mind, and the imprints that traumatic wounding leaves in the body. It will enable the development of an understanding and embodied knowledge of the defence mechanisms that operate, most often at an unconscious level. The module aims to provide the learner with the skills to facilitate the reorganisation of a client’s experience by sequencing through trauma using a body-centred approach.

Clinical Practice
Clinical Practice is at the heart of all core counselling and psychotherapy training and education programmes at ICPPD. The focus in this module is to deepen the learner’s clinical practice in terms of greater awareness around a client’s process and their own and for the learner to integrate the advanced skills and theory developed from the other modules. The module will develop an informed and critical appraisal of the core principles associated with an adaptable integrative framework for practice.

Research Project
This capstone Research Project will provide learners with the ability and confidence to conduct a piece of supervised research, with advanced research training and peer support. It allows the learner to draw upon knowledge gleaned during the taught modules in the course or appropriate areas of interest, through a systematic plan of action and support. The research practitioner is committed to raising questions about deeply ingrained assumptions which are habitually relied on in counselling and psychotherapy. ICPPD’s research endeavour aims to do no harm and to negotiate ethical issues within counselling and psychotherapy.

Understanding Psychopathology
This module is designed to further develop learners in the critical analysis of discourses in the field of psychological distress and mental health issues, It offers and examines various theoretical approaches to understanding, diagnostic methodology and clinical practice and aims to equip participants with appropriate skills to work with specific mental health issues.

The College reserves the right to amend the list of modules being offered on this programme.

Academic and Professional Requirements

In addition to meeting the academic requirements of the programme, learners are required to meet all of the relevant professional requirements, including those which determine fitness to practice.

Learners are required to complete a minimum of 20 sessions of personal counselling/psychotherapy during this programme.

Note: An additional fee is payable by the learner for personal therapy (to the therapist).

Additional (Integrated) Personal Development

During the programme, learners are invited to lead mini reflections/retreats as part of their creative and spiritual development. Throughout the first 3 years of the programme learners participate in, and experience group process as part of their personal and professional development.

External Supervision

During Clinical Practice, learners are required to complete 1 session of supervision for every 5 sessions of client work, with a minimum of 1 supervision session/month.

By the end of this programme, learners are required to have completed a minimum of 7 supervision sessions with an accredited external supervisor.

Note: An additional fee is payable by the learner for supervision (to their external clinical supervisor).

Additional (Integrated) Personal Development

During the programme, learners are invited to participate in and lead mini reflections/retreats as part of their creative and spiritual development.

Integration Weekend

There will be a mandatory 2– day integration event scheduled at the end of the academic year. This event may be residential and will incur an additional fee (to be advised prior to academic year commencement).

Clinical Placement

Learners on this programme are required to have completed a minimum of 35 client work sessions, under clinical supervision in a suitable placement, and meet all other modules’ requirements.

As part of, and to support Clinical Practice, ICPPD also provides In-House Supervision, groups of (minimum) 3 with an accredited supervisor.

Research Supervision

ICPPD provides external research supervision to learners during the Research Module.

Personal Therapy

Learners are required to complete a minimum of 20 sessions of personal counselling/psychotherapy during this programme.

The experiential environment and holistic focus of this Bachelor of Arts Counselling & Psychotherapy programme support academic frameworks and theoretical input. The programme and individual module learning outcomes are achieved through the following learning and teaching methodologies:

Group and Individual Presentations
Clinical Practice
Creative Projects/Exercises
DVD-Recorded Skills Practice
Practice Dyads/Triads
Essays

External Clinical Supervision
External Research Supervision
Formal/Informal Feedback
Formal Scheduled Classes
Group Work/Peer/Study Groups
Guest lectures
Holistic Reflections
Independent Learning
In-House Group Supervision
Microscopic Case Study
Modelling/Demonstration by Lecturer
Personal Therapy
Practical Assessments
Reflective Learning Journal
Reports
Research Project
Role Play

Academic Resources
ICPPD uses Moodle, a virtual learning environment (VLE), to disseminate class material and share course-related resources, as well as news, assignment details, discussion fora, etc.
The College also provides access to EBSCO e-Library, e-Journal and other resources through Moodle. These resources facilitate the support of learners at outreach centres, and through out-of-hours times.
Learners will be shown how to access these facilities at their Induction session.

Academic Writing Workshops
Academic Writing Workshops are provided free of charge at the commencement of the Academic Year covering areas including Academic Writing Conventions, Critical Thinking, Formatting and Presentation, Referencing, USE of Moodle and Library facilities.

Assessment Strategies for this programme include

Reflective Journals and Creative Portfolios
Role playing and scenarios demonstrating your holistic counselling and psychotherapy skills.
Ongoing assessment by programme lecturer.
Projects, Reports, Creative Poster, Reflections, Written essays, on topics related to the holistic counselling and psychotherapy theory and skills presented during the programme.
Development of a Research Project

This Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy, 1-year, 60 credit, NFQ-L8, programme is validated by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

National Award Standards – Counselling and Psychotherapy

In 2014 Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI published Award Standards for programmes leading to qualifications in Counselling & Psychotherapy at varying levels of the National Framework of Qualifications

The publication of these standards represents the most significant development in terms of the professionalization of Counselling and Psychotherapy in recent years. Most of the Professional Associations in Counselling & Psychotherapy in Ireland agreed in 2008 that Degree and Masters level qualifications will be the future minimum requirements for entry to the professions of Counselling & Psychotherapy. These recommendations are likely to inform the standards which will apply when Counselling & Psychotherapy become regulated by CORU, and the titles of Counsellor and Psychotherapist become protected in law.

All Degrees at ICPPD meet the QQI Award Standards.

Post-Programme Progression
As a holder of this Level 8 Bachelor of Arts (Hons), QQI-validated and IACP Accredited qualification in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy, you will possess the necessary theoretical, skills and competence to enable progression to Level 9, within other third-level institutions.

“In my early professional years I was asking the question: How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? Now I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his own personal growth?”

Carl R. Rogers

“The add on year 4 has been a wonderful experience, ICPPD provided a space to deepen, explore and develop from the core training. The modules integrate both experiential and academic learning, linking the theory to the lived experience beautifully. The tutors all bring their own style of teaching and each module encourages creativity in how we learn, meeting the different needs in the group. My learning has been rich with the environment encouraging and welcoming diversity, experience and perspectives. Personally and professionally I will leave this year in gratitude and abundance; friends, learning, connection, creativity.”

Olivia Feehan, 1 year add-on, Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2018/2019.

Since its foundation, ICPPD has taken the steps necessary to ensure the delivery of a quality service in an environment that is characterised by an attitude to adult learners that is supportive and encouraging. We aim to provide an experience of learning that will develop in learners a hunger for both heart-centred wisdom and critical analysis. Our programmes are designed to be participative, experiential and to draw whenever possible on prior lived experience. The programme’s academic value is enhanced by a learning environment that is warm, vibrant, and genuine. Learners and staff interact in a mutual effort to engage in and promote the concept of lifelong learning. ICPPD’s holistic ethos underpins all interaction. This programme has been designed and is delivered, by staff who are passionate and inspired about the merit of personal development and excellence in professional counselling and psychotherapy training and education.