Level: Advanced
Duration: TBC
(4 months duration which candidates fulfil 50 clinical hours at practicum site and 9 hours of individual supervision with practicum supervisor.) 
Venue: Singapore University of Social Sciences and via ZOOM
 

Synopsis

This course aims at strengthening the practice skills of the participants and helping them to develop their own individualised style in counselling. The course also aims to develop in the students some degree of specialisation in terms of counselling models. Individual supervision will be offered by experienced practitioners in the family counselling domain.
 

Who Should Attend

This course is for professionals, as well as individuals, embarking on a career switch into the social service sectors seeking to navigate the intricacies of counselling and develop an individualised counselling style.
 

Topics

  • Learning Outcomes of Practicum
  • Preparation for Practicum
  • Starting the Practicum
  • Nature and Scope of Practicum
  • Professional Conduct and Development Activities
  • Assessment of Practicum
  • Roles and Responsibilities of Supervisors
  • Specialised Counselling Skills
  • Making Referrals
  • Ethical Guidelines for Professional Counsellors
  • Parent Rights and Responsibilities
  • Responsibilities to Self and Colleagues

Learning Outcomes

  • Appraise specialised counselling skills for different client groups
  • Assess client’s needs based on specialised knowledge and data collection
  • Debate how counsellor and client factors can enhance or impede the therapeutic alliance
  • Critique ethical issues that may emerge in the counselling process before making any ethical decision
  • Prioritise client needs in formulating intervention plans
  • Evaluate cultural, social and individual differences with sensitivity
  • Formulate realistic counselling goals in collaboration with clients
  • Experiment with novel strategies in dealing with difficult and resistant clients
  • Select appropriate therapeutic tools to assess client’s needs and problems
  • Modify intervention plans to address changing needs of clients
  • Evaluate the practicum experience to give constructive feedback
  • Propose changes to improve the practicum experience
     

Objective

A. Knowledge and Understanding (Theory Component)

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Assess client’s needs based on specialised knowledge and data collection
  • Debate how counsellor and client factors can enhance or impede the therapeutic alliance
  • Critique ethical issues that may emerge in the counselling process before making any ethical decision
     

B. Key Skills (Practical Component)

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Formulate realistic counselling goals in collaboration with clients
  • Select appropriate therapeutic tools to assess client’s needs and problems
  • Modify intervention plans to address changing needs of clients
     

Schedule

Briefing of the Practicum (Not the Actual Training)

Time Agenda
 Day 1
09:00 - 12:00

Course Overview
Learning Outcomes of Practicum
Preparation for Practicum;
Nature and Scope of Practicum
Roles and Responsibilities of Supervisors


Assessments

  • Reflection Journals / Case Summaries – 10 hours

    Students are required to keep a journal which is a compilation of their brief reflections and self-assessment on counselling sessions they have conducted. Ideally, the students are to reflect on all the counselling sessions they have conducted

    • What they have learned about the clients or themselves from the session?
    • Where they have done well or where they have fallen short of expectations?
    • How they could link theory to practice?
    • What could be done to improve their counselling skills, etc.?
  • The journal is to reflect the students' learning experiences, a kind of personal documentation of their journey of growth and self- discovery. At the end of the Practicum, the students are expected to submit a copy of their journal (with at least 10 entries) to their Individual Supervisor as written documentation of their field experience
     

Requirements

  • Undergraduate degree in any field from a recognised institution
  • Need to be working with an SSA at the point of application
  • Completed the 4 foundational modules:
    • Theories and Techniques in Counselling
    • Micro and Advanced Skills in Counselling
    • Counselling in a Multicultural context
    • Human Development – A psychosocial approach

About the Trainer

Trainer to be confirmed.
 

Application Procedures

Please submit the following documents to [email protected]:

  1. Coloured copy (back and front) of NRIC for Singaporeans and PRs, or "Employment"/"S" Pass for foreign applicant
  2. Application form

Course Fee

Course Fee for $2400

1 Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy: Singaporeans aged 40 and above may enjoy subsidies up to 90% of the course fees.
2 Enhanced Training Support for SMEs: SME-sponsored employees (Singaporean Citizens and PRs) aged 21 and above may enjoy subsidies up to 90% of the course fees.


  • Participants are required to achieve at least 75% attendance and pass any prescribed examinations/assessments or submit any course/project work (if any) under the course requirement.
  • Participants are required to complete all surveys and feedbacks related to the course
  • The course fees are reviewed annually and may be revised. The University reserves the right to adjust the course fees without prior notice.
  • Singapore University of Social Sciences reserves the right to amend and/or revise the above schedule without prior notice

For clarification, please contact the SUSS Academy via the following:

Telephone: +65 6248 0263
Email: [email protected]