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.
This programme is particularly suitable for qualified counsellors and psychotherapists, or those who have completed previous counselling and psychotherapy and who now wish to build upon existing qualifications.
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.
This programme supports learners to develop their range and depth of knowledge, skills and competencies in the field of holistic counselling and psychotherapy and to, thereby, develop into competent, compassionate, ethical, professional practitioners.
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.
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
