CERTIFICATE

The Certificate in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapeutic Studies is a pioneering, innovate and progressive programme of study.

This Certificate Programme is validated by Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) and is at level 6 on the NFQ (20 credits). It supports individuals who have a desire to augment their personal and professional interest in the area.

The programme aids the development of therapeutic skills for those working in front line occupations that deal with people either in hospital settings, educational bodies, youth, community development and voluntary organisations. Those who successfully complete the certificate programme, may progress to the Bachelor Degree programme in Counselling and Psychotherapy, following assessment of suitability.

This programme is suitable for those seeking to pursue their awareness and development in the field of counselling and/or who work in the helping/caring professions.

• To introduce learners to a practical cutting-edge approach to mental health care and counselling;
• To encourage psychological wellbeing within the programme and empower and encourage support networks;
• To provide a warm and challenging environment where students can learn and grow.
• To enable learners to begin to develop a clear and transparent understanding of counselling and psychotherapy that is congruent with the principles associated with bone fide helping professionals; and
• Encourage learners to view this course in the context of lifelong learning and personal as well as professional development.

• To augment learners’ interest and to enhance awareness and development in the field of counselling and psychotherapy and/or who work in the helping/caring professions.
• To introduce learners to models of counselling theory as they are applied to individuals in their various relational settings;
• To develop competencies in learners and give them an introduction into ethics in the counselling profession;
• To develop learners’ counselling skills to enable them to improve communication and listening skills;
• To offer learners the opportunity to work on personal development thus promoting self-awareness and personal growth congruent with professional practice; and
• To understand the necessity of demonstrating respect and acceptance of the different ways that individuals from diverse socio-economic class, gender and cultural-racial groups construct meaning.

Theory learning outcomes stage one:

• Recognise definitions of counselling and psychotherapy;
• Appreciate the historical evolution of counselling and psychotherapy;
• Evaluate how the need for therapy has emerged within society;
• Describe how counselling and psychotherapeutic theories help the learner to conceptualise and understand: human behaviour; emotions; motivation; personality; social and cultural experiences; lifespan development; find meaning in life, and making sense of life experiences and transitions;
• Have a basic knowledge of the concepts of Person Centred Counselling (PCC), Choice Theory/ Reality Therapy (CT/RT) and Multicultural Counselling and Therapy (MCT); and
• Identify how learning theory can impact on one’s personal and professional development.

Skills learning outcomes stage one:

• Awareness of the necessary characteristics and attributes of an effective listener;
• Value the core conditions of empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard within the helping relationship;
• Identify personal blocks to effective listening;
• Demonstrate basic skills of listening in the helping context;
• Ability to distinguish the difference between general relational interactions and psychological contact within the helping relationship; and
• Evaluate personal and professional growth in counselling skills application.

Personal development stage one:

• Recognise that the learner is an instrument of the therapeutic process within the helping relationship and therefore accurate and sensitive self-awareness is an essential component of one’s development;
• Value the significance of seeing oneself as a resource and to be sensitive to the shifts in internal feeling states and to have a sense of how one might be perceived by others.
• Identify strategies for self care and ongoing development;
• Apply theories of self concept to enhance personal development in the areas of self-esteem and self –acceptance;
• Reflect on personal growth and experiences of life as a primary source of understanding the therapeutic process; and
• Have a greater awareness of personal needs and how to set goals for meeting psychological needs. 

• Applicants should be of mature learner age (age 23 years and older) and produce evidence of the same;
• Be able to articulate their interest in the therapeutic field and their reasons for pursuing this course of study; and
• Produce evidence of prior educational attainment (see application form for further details)

Entry onto the certificate programme is through application and interview. Selection procedures will apply.

The programme is highly interactive and taught through role-play, lectures, group-work and audio/video presentations. The ethos of the course reflects the Quality School model of CT/RT/LM, which promotes a warm, safe environment that is free from fear, criticism and coercion.

Participants will have the opportunity to produce and participate in individual written assignments, group projects and group work.

This module aims to give the learner a broad introduction to the field of counselling and psychotherapy and the main approaches therein. Learners will also be given an overview of the models of Choice Theory and Reality Therapy, Person Centred Counselling and Multicultural approaches.

This module aims to introduce the learner to the basic and intermediate skills of counselling. Learners will be coached in a range of key skills that will facilitate effective listening within the helping relationship.

This module aims to enable learners to increase their levels of self awareness of their own personal development within the context of becoming a helper. Learners will explore their levels of self-awareness and how this relates to becoming an effective helper in the caring profession.

IICP utilise Continuous Assessment (CA), as this mode of assessment enables learners to achieve positive learning outcomes throughout the full programme of study.

The assessment strategy for the programme focuses on enabling learners to retain the knowledge, skills and competence gained from each module in a meaningful and purposeful way and allow them to reflect on how they can incorporate the learning as part of their overall growth.

Assessments will include practical work, individual and group projects and written assignments.