Pre-requisites

SS601 Ethical and Professional Practice

Co-requisites

None.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Analyse and evaluate oppressive social values and practices that can lead to traumatic abusive relationships

• Critically analyse concepts, theories and interventions of crisis and grief counselling

• Assess the affects of crisis, trauma or loss in their own life, and examine their personal responses, including from a Christian perspective.

• Create a counselling relationship with persons in crisis and assist them to make meaning out of their experience

Unit Description

This counselling for crisis, trauma and loss unit will provide students with an understanding of theories and practices related to responding to grief and loss, particularly in relation to traumatic events and times of crisis. Students will learn to respond appropriately and counsel people in crisis in a sensitive professional manner, including those who have suffered significant trauma, such as abusive relationships, to assist them to work through their crisis experiences, to find some meaning, support and hope.

Topics

1. Empathic ways to journey with clients in their story of despair, while working towards the alternative unique story of hope
2. Personal values, supporting our spiritual and theological responses to vulnerable people who have been traumatised. Study the ways Jesus responded to people who had been oppressed and traumatised
3. Social constructions of reality, including oppressive practices that can lead to traumatic experiences
4. Power relationships, including gender inequality, that can lead to violence and trauma. Consider ways to deconstruct and re-author the story of trauma
5. Community imposed and relational types of trauma and effects of trauma on people’s lives and their on-going relationships
6. Re-traumatising our clients or triggering our clients to relive their trauma. Explore sensitive practise to support adults and families who have been traumatised
7. Re-membering the survival responses to trauma, and the small acts of resistance
8. Re-calling the responses and the circle of support or potential circle of care and support
9. Creative and helpful responses by the therapist and with our clients, that are not re-traumatising, but are helpful and hopeful, including for children
10. Approaches for working with people who have suffered domestic violence

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Unit offerings

Face to face: Semester 2, 2025 (Every 2nd Year (Odd), Semester 2)

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.