Approaches to Therapy II
This unit offers students the overview of two main schools of thought: the cognitive behavioural approach and the existential/humanistic approach. It explores the history and theoretical underpinnings of each approach, as well as introducing the strategies used in each. It provides a critique of the overall effectiveness of the two approaches, and pays particular attention to the fit between the counsellor and the approach.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the milestones in the historical development of cognitive behavioural theory
- Critique the different approaches of cognitive behavioural theory
- Demonstrate, analyse and evaluate the application of the cognitive behavioural theories in practice
- Analyse the implications of the key theoretical concepts and techniques of cognitive behavioural therapy - such as automatic thoughts, assumptions, schemas and cognitive distortions
- Identify the milestones in the historical development of existential/humanistic theory
- Critique the different approaches of existential/humanistic theory
- Analyse the implications of using an existential philosophy in psychotherapy
Content Areas
- Orientation of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- The Role of Learning Theory
- Behavioural Therapy
- Cognitive Therapy
- Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
- Orientation to Existential Approaches
- Phenomenology
- Time and Temporality
- Carl Rogers and the Existential-Oriented Person-Centred Approach
- Existential/Humanistic Therapy
- A Philosophical Approach
Unit Duration and Workload
This unit involves a total of 36 hours of face to face delivery or self-directed study including educator contact in flexible delivery modes, generating a further 120 hours of self-study per unit including research and related study activities, including assessment. This translates as 13 hours per week for the unit.