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The exact beginning of the counselling profession is unknown, but its roots may be found in a range of helping relationships that have spanned cultures and societies throughout the ages.Schmidt, 2008
Welcome to the Diploma of Counselling! A career in counselling can be incredibly rewarding, as it offers the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. By providing guidance, support, and empathy, counsellors can help individuals overcome challenges, improve their mental health and well-being, and achieve personal growth and fulfilment. Seeing the positive impact of your work on clients can be a deeply gratifying experience, providing a sense of purpose and fulfilment in your professional life.
About this course
Swinburne Open Education has developed this course in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. This qualification reflects the role of counsellors who work with clients on personal and psychological issues using established counselling modalities. They use communication, micro-counselling and interviewing skills and draw on varied counselling therapies to assist clients. At this level, the counsellor will be working in defined and supported counselling roles in established agencies rather than in independent practice.
Course Structure
- Study Periods - Your course has a duration of twenty-four (24) months and is delivered in three (3) study periods. Each study period will contain a number of modules that must be completed (see table below). At the end of each Study Period, you will be required to re-enrol in the next Study Period.
- Modules (Units) - This course is delivered in a modular format. Each module will provide learning and skill development for a relevant subject area. The module is then broken down into topics and subtopics.
- Readings - Each module will contain learning content on a specific topic that has been developed by Swinburne Open Education and the Australian Insititute of Professional Counsellors. Each topic is also supported by required readings, which, for your benefit, have been included at the bottom of each Module. You will be guided in the learning content when and which reading to access.
- Assessments - Each module will contain assessments for you to complete. Once you have completed the learning, activities and readings you will complete each assessment. All assessments must be completed and deemed competent to successfully complete the module (Unit).
Cross-mapping for Block 1 Assessments
Block 1 is assessed holistically across all five modules within this block and in future blocks. Several modules’ assessments overlap with other modules’ assessments.
The information in the following table states which assessments you must complete to be deemed competent in Block 1 overall.
Note: The tick symbol indicates no cross-mapping to other units is required for that particular module’s assessment.
| Assessment | M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | M5 |
| SAQ | ✓ | You must successfully complete M1 SAQs, in addition to M2 SAQs, to be deemed competent for this unit | You must successfully complete M1 & M2 SAQs, in addition to M3 SAQs, to be deemed competent for this unit | ✓ | ✓ |
| Case studies | ✓ | You must successfully complete M3 Case studies, in addition to M2 Case studies, to be deemed competent for this unit. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Practical | You must successfully complete Pracs 8A & 9A, in addition to Block 1 Pracs, to be deemed competent for this unit. | You must successfully complete Pracs 8A & 9A, in addition to Block 1 Pracs, to be deemed competent for this unit. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Practical Role-plays
You will be required to complete three (3) blocks of practical role-play assessments. The following table is an outline of each role-play.
| Client | Block 1 | Block 2 | Block 3 | ||||||||
| Prac 1A | Prac 2A | Prac 3A | Prac 4A | Prac 5A | Prac 6A | Prac 7A | Prac 8A | Prac 9A | Prac 10A | ||
| Michelle Smith | Role-play 1 Part A: Initial Session with Michelle Part B: Review |
Role-play 1 Part A: Second Session with Michelle Part B: Review |
Role-play 2 Part A: Fourth Counselling with Michelle Part B: Review |
Role-play 2 Part A: Sixth/ final Counselling with Michelle Part B: Review |
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| Simon Leung | Role-play 1 Part A: Initial Session with Simon Part B: Review |
Role-play 2 Part A: Second Session with Simon Part B: Review |
Part A: Fourth Counselling Session with Simon Part B: Review |
Role-play 2 Part A: Sixth/final Counselling Session with Simon Part B: Review |
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| Claire Bowman | Role-play 2 Part A: Second Session with Claire Part B: Review |
Role-play 1 Part A: Middle-Phase Session with Claire Part B: Review |
Role-play 1 Part A: Fourth Counselling Session with Claire Part B: Review |
Role-play 3 Part A: Sixth Counselling Session with Claire (not final) Part B: Review |
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| Jamie Greene | Role-play 1 Brief intervention with Jamie | ||||||||||
| Taylor Grey | Role-play 2 Loss and Grief Support with Taylor | ||||||||||
| Pierre Lyman | Role-play 1 Initial Counselling with Pierre |
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| Anika Gupta | Role-play 2 Conversation with Anika | ||||||||||
| Christine Baker | Part A: Initial Counselling session with Christine Part B: Review |
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The description of each role-play is as follows:
| Practical Assessment | Role-play details – Part A | Part B |
|---|---|---|
|
Practical 1A |
The initial counselling session with a new client, Michelle Smith, made an appointment with you to discuss "stress" and "time management". | Reflection of Initial Session with Michelle |
| Practical 2A Role-play 1: Initial Session with Simon Leung |
The initial counselling session with a new client, Simon Leung. You must use a basic decision-making model to assist the client during this session. Simon was referred to you by his GP for help regarding "social anxiety" and "interpersonal communication skills". | Reflection of Initial Session with Simon |
| Role-play 2: Initial Session with Claire Bowman | The initial session with Claire Bowman, who made an appointment with you to help her work through issues regarding her family and career. | Reflection of Initial Session with Claire |
| Practical 3A Role-play 1: Second Session with Michelle Smith |
In the second counselling session with Michelle Smith, you will effectively use counselling communication skills to continue developing your therapeutic relationship and draw out more of Michelle's story. | Reflection of Second Session with Michelle
|
| Role-play 2: Second Session with Simon Leung | In the second counselling session with Simon Leung, you will effectively use counselling communication skills to continue developing your therapeutic relationship and draw out more of Simon's story. | Reflection of Second Session with Simon
|
| Practical 4A Role-play: Middle-phase Session with Claire Bowman |
The second counselling session with Claire Bowman is the middle-phase counselling (assume you already had two sessions). This will be your third session, where you will develop a proper behavioural change program in collaboration with the client. | Reflection of Middle-phase Session with Claire
|
| Practical 5A Role-play 1: A fourth counselling session with Claire Bowman |
In the fourth counselling session with Claire Bowman, you use appropriate counselling communication skills and a cognitive behavioural approach to explore and address Claire's feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy. | Reflection of the Fourth Session with Claire
|
| Role-play 2: Fourth counselling session with Michelle Smith | In the fourth counselling session with Michelle Smith, you will use appropriate counselling communication skills and an integrated solution-focused and cognitive behavioural approach with Michelle. | Reflection of the Fourth Session with Michelle
|
| Practical 6A Role Play: Fourth counselling session with Simon Leung |
In the fourth counselling session with Simon Leung, you will use appropriate counselling communication skills and an ACT approach with Simon. |
Reflection of the Fourth Session with Simon
|
| Practical 7A Role-play 1: Sixth/final counselling session with Michelle Smith |
In the sixth counselling session with Michelle, you will use appropriate counselling communication skills to conduct a final counselling session in which you review Michelle's perspective regarding her progress, make suggestions for further support, and bring the counselling process to an end. | Reflection of Final Session with Michelle |
| Role-play 2: Sixth/final counselling session with Simon Leung | In the sixth counselling session with Simon Leung, you will use appropriate counselling communication skills to conduct a final counselling session in which you review Simon's perspective regarding his progress, make suggestions for further support, and bring the counselling process to an end. | Reflection of the Final Session with Simon |
| Role-play 3: Sixth counselling session with Claire Bowman | In the sixth counselling session with Claire Bowman, you will use appropriate counselling communication skills to conduct a re-contracting session to review Claire's perspective regarding her progress, goals, and re-contract. | Reflection of the Sixth Session with Claire |
| Practical 8A Role-play 1: Brief intervention with Jamie Green |
For this role-play, you will be required to conduct a brief intervention with the client (Jamie) in which you conduct a motivational interview and then provide appropriate support based upon their stage of change. | |
| Role-play 2: Loss and Grief Support with Taylor Grey | For this role-play, you will be required to conduct an initial counselling session with a new client, Taylor Grey, where you will effectively use verbal and non-verbal communication techniques and counselling strategies to provide grief and bereavement support to your client. | |
| Practical 9A Role-play 1: Initial session with Pierre Lyman |
For this role-play, you are conducting an initial session with a new client, Pierre Lyman, referred to you by his case manager for counselling support as part of his larger case management plan. Pierre's case manager, Sam, has provided you with Pierre's individualised plan. | |
| Role-play 2: Conversation with Anika Gupta | For this role-play, you have just finished facilitating one of your group sessions and one of the clients, Anika, has asked to speak to you. You will provide a brief intervention to support your client. | |
| Practical 10A Role-play: Third counselling session with Christine Baker |
For this role-play, you are conducting your third counselling session with a client, Christine Baker, where you will discover that Christine is in a crisis. Throughout the role-play, you must take appropriate actions that comply with your responsibilities as a counsellor and your organisation's policies and procedures to manage Christine's crisis. | Reflection of the Third Session with Christine
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You can download a PDF of the Diploma of Counselling Practical Role-Plays Storyboard.
Trigger warning:
This course may include content that deals with sensitive and emotionally challenging topics. Some of the topics covered in this course may include trauma, abuse, addiction, mental health issues, and relationship difficulties. These topics may evoke strong emotions, memories, or reactions in some learners. It is important to prioritise your own self-care and seek support as needed. If you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed, please do not hesitate to reach out to your trainer, student services or a mental health professional for support.
For more information about this qualification, click here to be directed to the Training Gov Australia (TGA) Website.
Module Overview
The following table lists and describes the modules (units) that you will be undertaking as a part of this course. Before getting started with each module, it is important to establish regular time each week dedicated to your studies.
Having a set routine is the best way to ensure you are successful in completing your qualification. To assist you in doing so, a Student Study Planner template (planning tool) has been developed for this qualification. Once you have downloaded this planner, complete it and save it onto your computer. Please refer to the Orientation module, under subtopic 1.9.4, 'Self-Paced Learning' for more information on how to complete the Student Study Planner.
| Order/Module Name | Unit Code | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Study Period 1 | ||
| 1. Establish and confirm the counselling relationship | CHCCSL001 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to use a structured approach to counselling to determine, establish and confirm the nature of the counsellor-client relationship according to the agency’s counselling model. |
| 2. Apply specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills | CHCCSL002 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to use advanced and specialised communication skills in the client-counsellor relationship. |
| 3. Support counselling clients in decision-making processes | CHCCSL007 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to assist clients to clarify their goals, explore options and develop a course of action. |
| 4. Research and apply personality and development theories | CHCCSL004 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to research key concepts and constructs of theories of personality and human development, and link those to counselling practice. |
| 5. Apply learning theories in counselling | CHCCSL005 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to apply theory underpinning behaviourism and social learning to formulate and monitor a program for behaviour change in a counselling context. |
| 6. Practical Assessment 1 | ||
| Study Period 2 | ||
| 7. Select and use counselling therapies | Introduction | CHCCSL006 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to select and use different counselling therapies to meet client needs. |
| 8. Select and use counselling therapies | Cognitive Behaviour Therapy | CHCCSL006 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to select and use different counselling therapies to meet client needs. |
| 9. Select and use counselling therapies | Solution-Focused Therapy | CHCCSL006 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to select and use different counselling therapies to meet client needs. |
| 10. Select and use counselling therapies | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy | CHCCSL006 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to select and use different counselling therapies to meet client needs. |
| 11. Facilitate the counselling relationship and process | CHCCSL003 | Learn the skills and knowledge to support clients to identify and work through concerns and to manage the counselling process to its conclusion. |
| 12. Provide brief interventions | CHCCCS014 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to assess intervention needs, and then to implement and monitor brief intervention strategies for people at various stages of the change process. |
| 13. Provide loss and grief support | CHCCCS017 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to recognise and respond to the needs of people who are experiencing loss, grief and bereavement. |
| 14. Practical Assessment 2 | ||
| Study Period 3 | ||
| 15. Develop, facilitate and review all aspects of case management | CHCCSM005 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to undertake case management meetings to plan, monitor and review service provision. |
| 16. Provide individualised support | CHCCCS015 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to organise, provide and monitor support services within the limits established by an individualised plan. The individualised plan refers to the support or service provision plan developed for the individual accessing the service and may have many different names in different organisations. |
| 17. Work with people with mental health issues | CHCMHS001 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to establish relationships, clarify needs, and then work collaboratively with people who are living with mental health issues. |
| 18. Work legally and ethically | CHCLEG001 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to identify and work within the legal and ethical frameworks that apply to an individual job role. |
| 19. Recognise and respond to crisis situations | CHCCCS019 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to recognise situations where people may be in imminent crisis, and then to work collaboratively to minimise any safety concerns and make plans to access required support services. |
| 20. Practical Assessment 3 | ||
| 21. Work with diverse people | CHCDIV001 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to work respectfully with people from diverse social and cultural groups and situations, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. |
| 22. Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety | CHCDIV002 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to identify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety issues in the workplace, model cultural safety in own work practice, and develop strategies to enhance cultural safety. |
| 23. Reflect on and improve own professional practice | CHCPRP003 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to evaluate and enhance own practice through a process of reflection and ongoing professional development. |
Course Publish
Course Name
CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling