Counselling & Coaching   

The focus will be on comfort measures for the terminally ill patient. There will be an emphasis placed on promoting a realistic independence for the client based on his/her support systems. Textbook required.

Death is an elemental aspect of life. It is an inevitable transition yet it seems to remain one stage of the life cycle that causes most discomfort. This course enables students to explore their own life backgrounds as they engage in a critical and exploratory study of ideas and issues surrounding Death and Dying. The course will look at Society's attitudes about death, varied meanings and definitions and their influence on the thoughts and feeling of an individual's capacity to acknowledge and prepare for end of life. Students will study the concept of a Death System as theorized by Robert Kastenbaum. Students will look at issues related to anxiety, acceptance or denial and palliative care. The will allow students to examine causes of death, including illness, traumatic loss and suicide. Students will also examine the critical role of the communication processes in understanding and relating to dying people.Textbook Required.

Dual diagnosis refers to a condition wherein an individual with a developmental disability is also diagnosed with a mental health problem such as mood disorder, schizophrenia, dissociative, anxiety, and/or personality disorder. This course educates students about the nature of dual diagnosis, and need for coordinated systems of support. Textbook required.

This course provides students with an overview of the concepts and principles relevant to therapeutic group work. There are three main areas of focus that will be covered; types of group work, the theoretical stages of group process and ethical techniques for enhancing therapeutic outcomes. The course examines group stage-related themes such as preparing members, forming group norms, establishing member goals, addressing confidentiality and trust related issues, working with strong emotions and consolidation of learning. An experiential component of the course provides students with the opportunity to experience group process both as a group member and facilitator. Feedback on students’ involvement in group process will be provided by the professor and through related assignments. Prerequisite: Interviewing Skills II. Textbook required.

This course is intended to build and expand upon the foundation of counselling skills introduced and practiced in Interviewing Skills I. Students will be introduced to various higher order skills as measured by the interpersonal influence continuum. In addition, students will be introduced to a variety of major theoretical perspectives on counseling, including the person-centered, cognitive behavioral and brief therapy models. Emphasis will be placed on experiential learning and students will have the opportunity to integrate theoretical concepts with their emerging counselling skills. Prerequisite: Interviewing Skills I. This course has mandatory chats. Textbook Required.

Software required: Access to a video recording device, which can capture audio is required.

This course is intended to build and expand upon the foundation of counselling skills introduced and practiced in Interviewing Skills I. Students will be introduced to various higher order skills as measured by the interpersonal influence continuum. In addition, students will be introduced to a variety of major theoretical perspectives on counseling, including the person-centered, cognitive behavioral and brief therapy models. Emphasis will be placed on experiential learning and students will have the opportunity to integrate theoretical concepts with their emerging counselling skills. Prerequisite: Interviewing Skills I. This course has mandatory chats. Textbook Required.

Software required: Access to a video recording device, which can capture audio is required.

You will be provided with an introduction to the basic theory and skills necessary for effective interviewing and counselling. A micro-skills approach to intentional counselling is taken. Throughout this course, students use role-play situations to practise skills, concepts, and methods designed to develop concrete competencies in interviewing and counselling. Software required: Access to a video recording device, which can capture audio is required. NOTE: This course has mandatory chats and mandatory group work. Textbook required.

You will be provided with an introduction to the basic theory and skills necessary for effective interviewing and counselling. A micro-skills approach to intentional counselling is taken. Throughout this course, students use role-play situations to practise skills, concepts, and methods designed to develop concrete competencies in interviewing and counselling. Software required: Access to a video recording device, which can capture audio is required. NOTE: This course has mandatory chats and mandatory group work. Textbook required.

This course covers theoretical and practical information on the dynamics of Life Skills coaching with particular emphasis on the Saskatchewan Newstart Model and subsequent developments of the theory as demonstrated through the Life Skills publications of the Y.W.C.A.Key concepts relevant to Life Skills Coaching will be examined. As well, the process and dynamics of the Life Skills I group the student participated in will be reflected on via a private and confidential format to integrate the experience into a theoretical perspective. Once students have developed a working knowledge of the model, they will conduct group sessions for their peers. Students will give and receiving feedback on their application of the theory so they can enhance their assessment skills for future professional growth. Textbook required.