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BSc (Hons) C&P Autumn Certificate Postgraduate CPD

Professional Certificate in Couples Counselling

Live Online | 5 Days | 15th February

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This certificate course is designed to enable qualified professionals to work with couples.

In this couples counselling course, you will learn to observe, assess, evaluate and formulate therapeutic interventions and support using the couple’s environmental influencers as well as their thoughts, moods, emotions and behaviour. You will be introduced to the many dynamics within the couple relationship and how to work with these. The approaches presented are usable, up-to-date and strongly evidence-based.

Who is this course for?

The course is for all counsellors and psychotherapists who want to broaden their practice to include work with couples, family members and relationship issues. This certificate course is designed to equip counsellors and psychotherapists with the knowledge and skills necessary to incorporate Couples Counselling into their practice in a client-centred, integrative way.

What are the benefits of doing this course?

This certificate course is designed to equip counsellors and psychotherapists with the knowledge and skills necessary to incorporate Couples Counselling into their practice in a client-centred, integrative way. The course presents an opportunity for professionals to broaden their client referral base. The course is designed to complement already existing qualifications by broadening the repertoire of practitioner skills. Experiential aspects of this course will allow participants to integrate theories into practice.

What will you learn?

Knowledge

On completion of this Certificate, participants will:
Be introduced to working with couples
Understand how to contract with couples
Integrate a working knowledge on the importance of the family of origin
Identify the importance of roles and their influence on relating styles
Understand the impact of communication in couples
Be able to identify the signs of abuse and/or coercive control
Have an awareness of the importance of safety when working with anger (overt or covert)
Be introduced to sex and sexuality in couples work
Comprehend the concepts within the EFT model
Best practice guidance on working with couples

Skills

On completion of this Certificate, participants will be familiar with the use of:
Self-reflection on personal values, communication style and sexual scripts
Ways to evaluate their current practice needs with couples best practices guidelines
Different ways of connecting with both individuals in the couple and overcoming any defence mechanisms
Skills in facilitating better communication in the relationship
Working with the relationship as the client rather than either individual
Skills in identifying, delicately managing and referring (if necessary) cases that present with abuse and/or coercive control
Current research and professional development resources in support of working with couples

Booking Form

Course Details

DURATION: 5 Days START DATE: Saturday 15th February 2025

TIMETABLE: Saturday and Sunday from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm

DAY 1: Saturday 15th February 2025

DAY 2: Sunday 16th February 2025

DAY 3: Saturday 1st March 2025

DAY 4: Sunday 2nd March 2025

DAY 5: Sunday 18th May 2025

AWARD: PCI College Professional Certificate in Couples Counselling

VENUE: Live Online

Syllabus

DAY ONE: Introduction to Couples Counselling

Working with couples vs individuals
Contracting
Introduction to the family of origin
Attachment influences – Bowen, Mahler

DAY TWO: Family Dynamics

Bowen’s Family Systems Theory
Satir’s Family Roles
Kappman’s Drama Triangle
The Genogram
Skills practice

DAY THREE: Relationship Dynamics

Gottman’s 4 Horsemen of the Apocolypse
Johnston’s Relationship Dance and Negotiating Needs
Triggers in relationships – the Amygdala Hijack
Introduction to Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) as an approach
Identifying Abuse and Coercive Control and knowing what to do when it shows up
Skills practice

DAY FOUR: Sexuality

Sexuality in couples work
Sexual scripts
Working with same-sex couples
Sexual dysfunctions in couples work
Skills practice

DAY FIVE: Integration/Assessment Day

Integration session
Poster presentations

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Record of 15 hours of supervised client work in the area of Couples Counselling.
Record of 3 sessions with a supervisor.
Poster Presentation

Please note that when carrying out the 15 hours of supervised client work required to complete the course, students on the Professional Certificate in Couples Counselling must ensure that at least 30% of their work with clients is with couples, while the remainder can be with individuals on a one-to-one basis.

Entry Requirements

ELIGIBILITY

Qualification in Counselling, Psychotherapy or other helping professionals with therapeutic experience and students currently in professional training (those who have begun seeing clients). Entry is by an application form.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

All candidates are required to satisfy the English language requirement. Candidates whose first language is not English and who are presenting qualifications other than the Leaving Certificate may satisfy the requirement through the completion of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or equivalent, on the basis that they obtain a minimum band score of 6, which denotes a very good skill level of English. It should be noted that these are the minimum requirements in English and PCI College may set higher requirements in each case.

IT SKILLS: students require sufficient IT skills to complete the course

Students can expect to be provided with advice and support concerning any learning difficulties that they may encounter. Any diagnosed learning difficulty, e.g. dyslexia, must be noted on the application.

Students must have access to clients on a daily basis to be able to meet the requirement of 15 hours of counselling using the couples, family members and relationship issues tools learnt during this course.

Course Fees

FEES

Full Price: £580

PCI College Graduate Price*: £545

PCI College BSc/MSc Student & Alumni Member Discount Price: £495 - Join Alumni group on LinkedIn here to avail of discount.

*PCI College Graduate rate applies to BSc Degree and Postgraduate students only.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications must be accompanied by the payment of the full course fee. Applicants are entitled to a refund if they decide to cancel within 14 days of receipt of their booking, and didn't participate on the course. Please note that the name used on your application needs to be the same name that you have on your passport.

Integration day (Day 5) is scheduled for a date that allows sufficient time for students to complete practice hours. If you are unable to attend your integration day due to not having completed your practice hours, you may be subject to a fee for setting the integration day outside of your original class schedule.

Fees are non-refundable in all personal circumstances. The College makes every effort to avoid altering course times, course commencement and conclusion dates. However, should any changes be necessary, you will be notified at the earliest opportunity. All courses run subject to demand and the formation of a viable class cohort. A full refund will be given to all applicants in the event that the class does not proceed.

For more information, please visit our full Terms & Conditions page.

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