The History and Evolution of Counselling and Psychotherapy

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

To provide students with a thorough understanding of the historical development and theoretical foundations of counselling and psychotherapy, highlighting their practical implications in modern therapeutic practices.

Course objectives:

1. To analyze key movements and figures in the history of psychotherapy, understanding their influence on current therapeutic techniques and approaches.
2. To critically engage with various psychotherapeutic theories and methods, applying these concepts to solve hypothetical cases and anticipate future trends in the field.

Using a virtual learning environment (Canvas), background notes will be provided shortly before each session so that you can read up on the week's theme in advance if you wish.  I try to make sessions interactive and dynamic - you won't find me hiding behind a lectern.  Classroom activities will be varied, involve a range of discussions and creative tasks, in both the full group and small groups. 

By the end of the course, students will be expected to:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the major theoretical developments in psychotherapy, from Freudian psychoanalysis to contemporary cognitive-behavioural therapies.
• Develop the ability to critically analyze different psychotherapeutic approaches and adapt their insights to practical scenarios within the therapeutic context.
• Enhance their empathetic understanding and cultural sensitivity by examining how psychotherapy has evolved to meet the diverse needs of clients.

Participants will be encouraged to prepare a 1500-word essay exploring one aspect of the evolution of counselling and psychotherapy that has interested them.  They will make a short presentation of their chosen topic in weeks 7 or 8.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.