CPS5005 · Principles of child psychotherapy

Overview

This unit will outline the principles of Child Psychotherapy from a developmental and psychoanalytic perspective. It will address the context and boundaries of therapy and explore ways the child communicates in therapy. It will also address issues of technique including the therapeutic use of the relationship between the child and the psychotherapist being the central tool in ongoing clinical work; the process of observing, hearing and interpretation in psychotherapy; issues of termination: and the structure, significance and dynamics of this process.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment in this unit includes hurdle assessment tasks. Failure of any hurdle assessment task may result in failure of the unit.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Identify and interpret the means by which the child communicates in therapy.
2. Evaluate the significance and meaning of the way the child relates to the therapist by analysing the concepts of transference and countertransference.
3. Evaluate the use of interpretation in therapy by analysing its timing, content and intention;
4. Evaluate the significance and importance of boundaries and structure provided by the therapist.
5. Identify and appraise the importance of termination - the process of bringing the therapy to a conclusion; and
6. Determine the impact of working with the disturbed child including the disturbed child in special situations and advance an understanding of the child and the therapeutic process.

Workload

In this unit there will be 12 hours of teaching and learning activities per week comprising a mix of teacher-directed and self-directed learning, including readings, video resources, online discussions, interactive tutorials, a reflective journal, and written assessments. In addition, students in this Unit will attend and participate in the half day weekend workshop.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.