Learn to Help Families Solve their Problems
The family is the core unit of most societies. It may be nuclear or extended, it may be open or closed. There are also many different types of cultural and subcultural variations. Some people may be involved in polygamous relationships, others in polyamorous relationships, and yet others in GLBTIQ relationships. Family counsellors need to be aware of all kinds of different permutations.
This course helps students to come to terms with different approaches to family counselling and to acknowledge the various narratives that each family has. Learn about how to interview families and how to listen to their problems. Develop a better understanding of family dynamics, and a capacity to analyse and facilitate solutions to problems that emerge in modern families.
What this Course Covers
Ten lessons:
1. Nature and Scope of Families
2. Family Dynamics
3. History
4. Identifying Problems
5. Support Structures
6. Approaches to Family Therapy I
7. Approaches to Family Therapy II
8. Conducting Initial Interviews/sessions
9. Considering Solutions
10. Case Study
Workload
Study when, where and however much you want. For most students, the course can be completed with a total of around 100 hours of study; and a commitment close to that may be needed to achieve desired learning outcomes.
Extra Reading
The following books, available through this web site are relevant supplementary reading for this course
- Family and Relationships Counselling
- Counselling Handbook
- Helping People Cope with Grief or Crisis
Assessment
Self Assessment Tests are presented throughout the course. These are essentially an automated quiz. When you undertake a "SAT" or "Self Assessment Test", you will be able to see what you got correct, and what was incorrect; and in that way, you can identify your weaknesses.
Assignments are given at the end of each lesson. You should complete this assignment, paying careful attention to follow what is asked of you. It can be just as important to learn to work to specification, as it is to learn about the topic you are studying. Graduates who develop a habit of working to specification in the field of counselling, will impress employers, and will be more efficient when self employed.
A Final Exam is offered upon satisfactory completion of all assignments. This is optional. If you choose to apply for and do this exam, you will have the possibility of obtaining a "formal credit" or "Pass Certification" for this course. A fee applies. The exam may be sat under prearranged conditions anywhere in the world. This college will award you a formal transcript, upon successful completion of the exam, as proof of your results.
Recognition and Ethics
This college is a member of the ACS Affiliates Network; a group of colleges from several countries, affiliated with each other through ACS Distance Education.. Courses are developed with input from all of these colleges, aspiring to reflect internationally accepted standards and needs.
A strict "No Plagiarism" and "No fraud" policy exists. Assignments are checked for plagiarism, and assignments will not be deemed to have been completed, if work is not your own original creation, and is found to have been copied from elsewhere. If the person doing the course is discovered to be different to the name enrolled, the enrolment and any results will be recorded as invalid and any fees paid will be forfeited.
Refund Policy
A full refund less expenses (up to 15% of fees applied) is provided to anyone wishing to withdraw from a course, within 2 weeks of enrolment. This does not apply after the first assignment has been submitted and marked; or after the two weeks has expired.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS INSTITUTION?
We believe that we have an ethical responsibility to make good use of the fees you pay and the time you invest into an education through our college. To this end, our first priority is always your learning. This comes before issues such as formal accreditations, speculative marketing and bureaucratic processes which all too often add considerable costs to the running of colleges, and take resources away from the provision of more valuable services to the student.
This college focuses on facilitating your learning and support to optimise that learning. We recognise that learning is all about improving knowledge and skills in your long term memory. While some colleges may focus on getting you to pass exams, by committing knowledge to short term memory; we understand that such an approach is not true education, and does little to improve your long term career or business prospects.
How This Course Could Help You
This course is of value to anyone with an interest in psychology, counselling, mediation or psychotherapy. Those wishing to work in these fields as well as others in caring roles or helping roles may wish to use this course to develop their understanding of this field. It will also be useful for marriage guidance counsellors and relationships counsellors.
Study this course either in isolation or as part of a certificate or higher qualification to enhance your current skills or as a foundation towards further study.