Counselling Skills

Your at-home learning program includes seven Instruction Sets designed to take you step-by-step through the Counselling Skills you’ll employ in your professional as well as your personal life. Your first Instruction Set will be sent to you as soon as your enrolment has been accepted. Other Instruction Modules Sets will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have training materials to work with.

You will need access to a Microsoft® Windows®-based computer (running Windows Vista® or later) and the Internet in order to complete your program with ICS Canada.

Here is an overview of what you’ll learn and the order in which you’ll receive your learning materials:

Instruction Set 1

• Learning Strategies
  • The advantages of learning at home; types of study materials; types of examinations; accessing and using the features of our website; determining what kind of learner you are; establishing a study schedule; using study tips; preparing for and taking examinations.
• Interpersonal Communication Skills
  • Components of communication, defense mechanisms that act as barriers to effective communication; personal traits essential for successful interpersonal relations; components of oral communication; identification of prejudice, discrimination, or insensitivity in the workplace; role of body language in communications.

Instruction Set 2

• The Role of Counselling
  • Counselling defined; the purpose of counselling;
    why do we need counselling; how counselling grew.
• The Limits and Extent of Counselling
  • Varieties of counselling; qualities and attributes of an effective counselor; maintaining and developing helping skills; limits of client/counselor relationship.
• Textbook: The Skilled Helper

Instruction Set 3

• The Initial Counselling Session
  • The counselling process; overview of Egan’s helping model; attending; developing rapport; responsibility; relaxation.
• Active Listening and Empathy
  • Active listening; shadow side of listening;
    empathy as a communication skill; the uses
    of empathy; empathy as a core condition.
• Supplement: Basic Counselling Skills Readings

Instruction Set 4

• Problem Exploration, Probing, and Questioning
  • Helping clients tell their stories; assessment and learning; reluctant and resistant clients; probing; questioning skills.
• Challenging and Confronting
  • The goals of challenging; what needs challenging; helping clients challenge themselves; difficulties and benefits associated with confrontation.
• Goal Setting
  • Developing programs for constructive change; helping clients create a better future; what do clients really want; what are clients willing to pay for what they want?

Instruction Set 5

• Management Aspects of Counselling
  • Caseload management; records management; time
    and stress management.
• Action Planning
  • Helping clients develop strategies to get what they need and want; what’s best for the client?; making plans.

Instruction Set 6

• Action Skills
  • Introduction; helping clients become effective tacticians; getting along without a helper: developing social networks for supportive change; the shadow side of implementing change.
• Advanced Counselling Skills
  • Introduction; advanced counselling skills; when to refer a client; the process of referral; referral agencies.

Instruction Set 7

• Supervision of Caseload Management
  • Supervision methods; transference and counter transference; caseload management; caseload management concepts.
• Assessment and Report Writing
  • Effective counselling; the value of experience; evaluating the effectiveness of counselling; observations; report writing.

Online Library and Librarian
Students in ICS Canada have access to an online library for use during their studies. Students can use this library to do the required research in the courses they complete or can use it for general reference and links to valuable resources. The library contains helpful research assistance, articles, databases, books, and Web links. A librarian is available to answer questions on general research-related topics via email and to assist students in research activities during their studies with ICS Canada.

We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.