BA (Hons) Counselling and Mental Health Bachelor's degree at York St John University

Humanistic psychology, and the philosophy that informs it, provides the theoretical foundation for this entire course. On this module you will gain an understanding of the cultural and historical background to humanistic psychology's emergence, and of the philosophical ideas that inform humanistic theory, practice and research. You will also explore how this theory is practically applied in the field of mental health.

This module forms a pair with Humanistic Psychology and Philosophy. On it you will develop your theoretical understanding and skills in the practical application of the humanistic approach to helping. Skills workshops will enhance your ability to facilitate a process which privileges the client's experiencing. Group discussions and peer feedback will improve your self and other awareness.

This module is the start of the placement aspect of your course. These lectures prepare you to undertake a minimum of 20 hours of placement activity, and encourage you to reflect on your placement experiences. We will introduce you to the world of work through topics such as safeguarding, critical professionalism, and professional ethics. You will also be encouraged to connect your placements to your understanding of the wider societal systems, including how services are funded. This will help y

This module attempts to (imperfectly) align to decolonisation struggles across the world and within the University. Embrace an education of liberation, encouraging you to take the lead, have autonomy and voice within your assignments, and grapple with issues of justice, fairness and accountability. You will investigate the ways in which factors such as gender, class, ethnicity, sexuality, age and disability impact upon personal experience, and can affect the dynamics of the helping process. Toge

This module is an introduction to the theory and practice of humanistic helping. You will develop key skills through workshops, and explore ways of relating to others by participating in group discussions. This module will prepare you for your professional placements.

Explore the field of academic research, and gain an understanding of research methods and protocols. On this module you will learn about academic referencing and writing, and consider how to engage in academic reflection. This is essential preparing for later modules in the course.

This modules will enable you in the application of helping skills within the diverse community contexts encountered on placements. It covers areas such as group theory, working with young people, and inclusive practice for working within diversity. Through skills workshops you will further develop your relational skills, integrating appropriate interventions for group work and inclusive practice into their own evolving humanistic approach to helping.

The module will further develop your understanding of the determinants of mental health and you will critically examine the challenges of contemporary mental health practice and policy. It is an introduction to examining psychological distress through the lenses of different theory models, such as: Biological models Sociological models Psychological models Biopsychosocial models

Develop an understanding of organisational settings, their internal workings and external influences, limitations and networks. This module covers areas such as professional ethics and relevant legal issues. Interactive activities will improve your capacity to understand, challenge and consider the wider system from your placement setting. This professional knowledge will be accompanied by reflective activities undertaken in the peer support groups, which will enable you to draw personal learnin

This module builds on the Humanistic Theories module along with the skills-based activities from your first year. The Humanistic Theories modules introduce you to the "third force" of psychology, while this module introduces the "second force" and its associated change-oriented approaches. Such approaches are of direct use in a number of placement settings and an array of professional destinations beyond university. Skills workshops will encourage you to integrate appropriate strands and interve

This module builds on the first year module Introduction to Academic and Research Skills, deepening your appreciation of research methods across qualitative and qualitative paradigms. Develop your knowledge and understanding of the range of methodologies employed in research in the field of counselling and mental health, of the forms of knowledge they yield, and of the philosophical assumptions which inform the 2 main research fields. You will enhance your practical abilities through group work

This module applies approaches to mental health within their historical and social context to a range of specific mental health issues that counsellors, social workers and other helping professionals are likely to encounter in their working lives. You will learn how to understand these issues from multiple perspectives, such as the lived experience of the people experiencing these issues, and the wider social factors that impact on them. You will also explore the approaches and interventions tha

Develop a more critical, philosophically-informed awareness of the field of humanistic counselling. Extend and experientially deepen your understanding of the interplay in humanistic helping between theory and research, practice and self. Along with more advanced concepts and practices developed from within the humanistic field, you will be introduced to conceptions of selfhood, and the forms of helping practice that issue from them. Skills workshops will be focused on developing your capacity f

This module is your chance to carry out research in an area of counselling that you are really interested in. We will support you to develop an idea and write a research proposal. You will then engage in independent learning to complete your project with the 1 to 1 support of an academic tutor. By the end of the module you will have conducted a research project from start to finish and will have completed a dissertation to present your findings.

On this module you will continue to develop as a reflective and ethically aware professional. You will learn about the key theories and models of supervision practice, helping you to understand its purpose in helping professions. This will include engaging in supervision groups with your classmates to develop your skills and further your understanding. Over semester 1 and 2 you will complete a further 40 hours of placement in a setting relevant to your career aspirations.

This final practice-orientated module will further develop your understanding of helping practices, your proficiency in intentionally facilitating a client-responsive process, and your impact on those you work with. Your lectures will feature humanistic critiques of the therapeutic relationship, the mutuality of the therapeutic relationship and attends to areas of social justice. Skills workshops will foster your individuated approach to offering a therapeutic relationship.

Psychoanalysis is the starting point of the concept of talking therapies as a response to issues of mental health. Psychodynamic theories and therapy continue to influence and inform the counselling landscape. This module will advance your understanding of the 3 forces of therapy (psychodynamic, behavioural and humanistic) that are introduced earlier in the course. You will also learn about the psychodynamic approaches, which will complete your theoretical journey through the course. The assignm