University Advanced Diploma: Introduction to Couple Counselling

Venues
The Introduction to Couple Counselling programme has three intakes per year - September, January and May - and runs either during the week or at weekends. The venues are High Melton (weekends), Bristol, London, Birmingham and Manchester (weekdays). At High Melton accommodation will be available for those who wish to stay on site. This can be organised directly with Doncaster College. Specific details about the dates and venues will be posted on our website as they become available.

Cost

Costs of Relate Institute Courses

Fees for new starters in 2008/2009 will vary. Applicants are advised to liaise with Carter Portch at carter.portch@relateinstitute.ac.uk or Jennifer Warden on 01302 553 553 XTN 2351 or jennifer.warden@relateinstitute.ac.uk.

The programme fee includes all tuition and tutorials. Clinical supervision is included only if the placement is in a Relate Centre. The fee does not include the cost of accommodation, meals, travel or attendance on the Relate Institute Continuous Professional Development days
(CPD).**

Students will also be expected to purchase or borrow their own books, journals or articles.

The fee can be paid in one instalment or may be divided into three equal instalments, for which the student will be invoiced. The due dates for each payment will be clearly stated on the invoice.

*The fees will be subject to an incremental increase for 2009/10

**Students on Relate Institute programmes of study are entitled to a discounted fee for attendance on Relate Institute Continuous Professional Development days (CPD).

The programme
This one year programme, in collaboration with the University of Hull, aims to provide an introductory training for people wishing to work as couple counsellors with Relate or other couple counselling organisations and who have no previous working experience in the field of counselling. It also provides a relatively short specialist training in couple counselling for other suitably qualified counsellors who wish to develop their work in their current employment or private practice.

See also Working with Couples: An Introduction to Theory and Practice

After successfully completing the programme students will:

• Have a basic grounding in aspects of psychodynamic theory, systemic theory and human sexuality which are applicable to working with couples
• Have developed basic counselling and communication skills that are needed when working with couples
• Have started working with clients at a Relate Centre or in another placement agency
• Have potential access to further advanced training at Masters level with Relate (via Doncaster College) in Relationship Therapy, Psychosexual Therapy and Clinical Supervision, which will assist in providing the means to achieve accreditation with the relevant professional body depending on which training is undertaken.

The programme takes place over 10 two-day blocks. Each day begins at 9.30am and ends at 5.00pm. In addition to these blocks students will attend a single day's event from the Relate programme of Continuous Professional Development days (CPD). Students will also undertake a placement, normally at a Relate Centre, of 50 hours of supervised clinical practice, of which a minimum of 35 hours should be with both of the couple in the counselling room.

Entry criteria
Prospective applicants have:

• Evidence of academic qualification at Level 3 or equivalent
• Access to a practice base in a Relate centre or other approved clinical setting
• Evidence of counselling skills training

Interview criteria
Applicants will need to demonstrate personal qualities relevant to therapeutic practice and training, which include:

• Respect for and valuing of others, and their differences
• A commitment to anti-discriminatory practice
• A capacity to cope with the professional and academic demands of the course
• A capacity to be reflexive and use experience and feedback constructively.

All successful applicants will be required to have undergone a Criminal Records Bureau check at enhanced level within the 12 months leading up to the commencement of the programme.

Applicants are strongly advised to ensure they have adequate word processing skills, IT skills and access to the internet before embarking on this course.

Modules
Module 1 - A systemic approach to couple counselling (20 Level 6 Credits):

• This module is designed to provide the basic systemic knowledge and skills that are required before beginning work with clients with relationship difficulties
• To link systemic theory and practice as it applies to working with clients with relationship difficulties, including sexual difficulties