Counselling Theory and Practice II

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
SOWK 3122
Descriptive
Counselling Theory and Practice II
Department
Social Work
Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
18
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 2 hours/week
and
Lab: 2 hours/week

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Learning activities

In this course, students engage in a variety of learning activities such as lecture, discussion, field activities, group work, case studies, and presentations.

Course description
This course offers students the opportunity to explore effective approaches for counselling individuals, with an emphasis on decolonizing and anti-racist frameworks. Building on the foundational concepts of SOWK 2122, this course focuses on current evidence-based and wise practice approaches including cognitive behavioural counselling, grief counselling, crisis intervention, mediation, and motivational interviewing. Through an inclusive, culturally responsive lens, students will develop skills to engage with clients’ individual, systemic, cultural, and spiritual differences, deepening their ability to provide compassionate, empowering, and socially just support.
Course content

• Relational and strengths-based counselling foundations
• Anti-racist and anti-colonial counselling frameworks
• Core counselling and engagement skills
• Evidence-based approaches (including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy, grief counselling)
• Assessment and case conceptualization
• Crisis intervention and suicide risk assessment
• Counselling across culture and diversity
• Power, ethics, and therapeutic relationships
• Reflexive practice and skill development

 

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Use foundational counselling skills to effectively support clients in diverse practice settings;
  2. Apply evidence-based social work counselling practices;
  3. Explain critiques of Western counselling models and their impact on marginalized populations;
  4. Demonstrate empathy, cultural humility and reciprocity in relationships;
  5. Apply Indigenous ways of healing and culturally responsive approaches to counselling practice;
  6. Demonstrate reflexive practice skills to assess and integrate multiple approaches in work with diverse individuals, families, and communities;
  7. Describe de-escalation strategies;
  8. Demonstrate an understanding of the goals of crisis intervention and the skills to intervene in suicide risk situations;
  9. Demonstrate motivational interviewing skills, cognitive behavioural counselling skills, grief counselling, effective mediation skills; and knowledge of strategies for engagement. 

 

Means of assessment

Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in a course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline. This is a letter-graded course.

Typical means of assessment include the following:

  • Written papers
  • Case study analysis
  • Role-play demonstrations
  • Presentations
  • Projects
  • Exams
  • Participation
  • Attendance
Textbook materials

Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester. Example texts may include:

Ko, G., Anderson, M., Collins, S., & Yasynskyy, Y. (Eds.). (Current edition). A practical guide for counsellors: Co-creating safe and culturally responsive relational spaces. Counselling Concepts.

Prerequisites
Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Which prerequisite

Nil