Couple and Individual Counselling and Psychotherapy: Couple Theory 2

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 7
• Convenor: Katherine Astill
• Assessment: a 5000-word couple theory paper (100%), plus 5000-word process recording and 50-minute viva, and a student review report form (pass/fail)

In this module you will deepen your understanding of psychotherapeutic work with couples and individuals, and gain an advanced understanding of key theoretical and clinical issues such as the impacts of trauma, divorce and disturbed mental states on clients’ capacities to relate to self and other.

Indicative syllabus

• Sex/Sexualities/Oedipal issues
• Couples/Parents/Children
• Divorce, separation, endings and loss
• Envy, shame and narcissism
• Trauma
• Transference and countertransference
• Projective identification
• Containment
• Mental states (e.g. depression, borderline states, psychotic states)

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• demonstrate an advanced knowledge of psychoanalytic and psychodynamic theories of the couple relationship
• demonstrate an advanced knowledge of complex psychoanalytic concepts, and their application to the couple relationship
• critically evaluate a wide range of advanced psychodynamic concepts and apply them to the couple relationship
• demonstrate an advanced ability to work with couples using appropriated theoretical frameworks
• demonstrate advanced critical evaluation and reflectiveness in relation to your own thinking and that of others
• present and critically discuss your thinking with others
• demonstrate the independent and research-minded capacity required for seminar presentations, written submissions and your own development.