PA228-6-AU-CO:
Counselling Skills with Children and Adolescents - Theory
2025/26
Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 12 December 2025
15
13 June 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA LJC8 Sociology with Psychosocial Studies
In this module students will study the nature of the counselling relationship, consider how to develop a therapeutic alliance, and the overall process of counselling. Students will explore issues of assessment and formulation, understanding the underlying verbal and non-verbal communication, including the application of skills and techniques utilised, for example, in art and play, and how all this works within the psychodynamic framework that the module supports.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide a theoretical understanding of psychodynamic counselling with children and adolescents
- To learn about how counselling skills are used in practice both through case examples found in readings and through workshops
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Have an understanding of the principles of psychodynamic thinking
- Have a grasp of key skills in supportive work with children and adolescents
- Have an understanding of the dynamics of relationships and encounters between staff and children/adolescents
The readings below will be helpful to give you an introductory grasp of the some of the main ideas and concepts commonly used in the module you have chosen. Do not be concerned if you cannot take all this in straight away – that is not important. It is more important to get a feeling for the approach overall. We are very pleased you are coming to study with us and we warmly welcome you into our learning community.
Chris Nicholson – Director of Education
‘Key psychoanalytic concepts’ by Trowell, J. in The Emotional Needs of Young Children and Their Families. Ed. Routledge;
‘Psychodynamics: A Changing Theory’ in Leiper, R. and Maltby, M. (2004) The Psychodynamic Approach to Therapeutic Change. London: Sage. (pp 12-33)
‘Defining the Theory: Psychodynamics’ in Michael Preston-Shoot and Agass, D. (1999) Making Sense of Social Work. London: Palgrave McMillan.
This moodule will be delivered via:
- Seminar - Students will discuss readings on theoretical and practical aspects of counselling relationships with children and adolescents. There will be a reflective group and the beginning and end of this module
- Workshop – Students will participate in experiential workshops to practice new skills and to deepen their understanding. Students will also participate in two reflective groups
- The module balances academic study and discussion of the issues along with active participation in weekly workshops and attendance at two reflective groups. Reflective groups provide both a chance to reflect more widely upon the learning in this module and participate in an experiential event giving a first-hand sense of psychodynamic processes which form the foundation of the learning.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Essay 1 |
|
50% |
| Coursework |
Essay 2 |
|
50% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Miss Oyku Turker, email: ot19081@essex.ac.uk.
Student Administration 5A.202; telephone 01206 874969; email ppsug@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dr Anthony John Faramelli
Goldsmiths
Lecturer in Visual Cultures
Available via Moodle
Of 3 hours, 3 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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