Details for Interpersonal Communication Skills

Please note: This subject will replace 'SSC412 Counselling Practice I' from Semester 2 (2023) onwards (new code and name only).

Awards offering Interpersonal Communication Skills

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Graduate Certificate in Arts
• Graduate Certificate in Wellbeing Studies
• Graduate Diploma in Arts
• Graduate Diploma of Applied Social Science
• Graduate Diploma of Counselling
• Master of Arts

Unit Content

Outcomes

1. Develop an understanding of foundations of communication and counselling, including wellness, socio-cultural competence and ethical practice;
2. Develop an understanding of core competencies of counselling and people helping for individuals and groups;
3. Generate and combine the principles for effective communication, active listening, micro-skills and conflict management into your relational style;
4. Formulate an approach to ongoing professional development and wellbeing, including critial engagement with peers.

Subject Content

• Foundations of Counselling: Wellness, Socio-Cultural Competence and Ethical Practice
• Core Competencies of Counsellors and People Helpers
• Principles of communication in individual and group contexts
• Active listening & attending behaviours; Micro-skills of silence, minimal encouragers, paraphrasing and summarising
• Self-awareness and self-disclosure; Assertiveness
• Reflection of content, meaning, reflection of feeling, questioning, confrontation
• Introduction to a range of historical and contemporary counselling theories
• Cultural contexts of counselling and cross-cultural communication
• Counselling frameworks, structure and practice: sessions and interviews
• Professional development and well-being
• Group processes and dynamics
• Group counselling and support

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Onsite (face-to-face)
• Online (e-Learning)
• Intensives

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

• Paper and Presentation (40%)
• Skills Demonstration and Critical Reflection (50%)
• Reflective Learning Journal (10%)

Prescribed Text

• Geldard, D., Geldard K. & Foo, R. (2021). Basic personal counselling (9th ed). Melbourne, VIC: Cengage Learning Australia.

Please consult your instructor prior to purchasing any texts.