Page 210 - SYU Prospectus

Shue Yan University Prospectus 2021-22

COUN 210 Micro-Skills in Counselling and Psychotherapy
1 Term; 3 Credits
This practice-based course will provide students with the basic knowledge about verbal
and nonverbal micro-skills used in contemporary counselling and psychotherapy. They will
learn to demonstrate their ability to use the skills in role-plays and other simulated settings.
They will also learn relevant ways to practise their skills at different stages of the counselling
process that are age and culture dependent. This is a highly interactive class; students are
required to engage fully and intensively and they are recommended to practise their learned
skills outside the class with “mock” clients.

COUN 220 Cultural Diversity in Counselling and Psychotherapy
1 Term; 3 Credits
The course aims to enhance students’ general cultural sensitivity and competence in
working with a “diverse” population and to train students to develop critical thinking and insight
about various cultural issues. Specific situations and contextual conditions occurring currently
in Hong Kong will be discussed. The course will also explore the implications of diversity in
psychotherapy and counselling in several ways. First of all, the issues of nomothetic and
idiographic nature regarding human society will be examined and discussed. Second of all, the
interrelatedness of cultural elements, such as personality, implicit assumptions, environmental
cultural communication and cultural factors which affect the practice and utilization of
psychotherapy and counselling across cultures will be addressed and appraised.
Subsequently, the application of scientific inquiry and theoretical knowledge to identify common
themes or elements of psychotherapy and counselling practice that are essential and useful
across cultures will be investigated. Finally, distinct approaches and elements that are primarily
ethno-culturally based are explored so as to facilitate the students to have a better grasp of
both the changes and benefits that cultural diversity brings to counselling practices.

COUN 230 Personal Experience as Counsellee
Non-Credit Bearing
It is our belief that a doctor cannot become a good doctor unless he/she fully
comprehends what it is like to be a patient, and likewise, a counsellor cannot become a good
counsellor until he/she has experienced what it is like to be counselled. Therefore, students
are required to receive by the end of their third year in the degree programme 30 hours of
counselling, including 15 hours of individual counsellee experience and 15 hours of group
counsellee experience. Students may seek counselling service from qualified counsellors
offering psychological counselling. Qualification required can be found in Internship manual,
and students need to seek approval to their counsellors' qualification from the department in
advance. Students need to take note to the potential fee required for counselling services.
Alternatively, students may receive counselling service from Counselling and Research Centre
(CRC) from HKSYU at a nominal fee. This is one of the prerequisites for COUN 461-2
Internship in Counselling.

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