Copyright © 2023 University of West London

Permission granted to reproduce solely for the purpose of teaching and learning at the University of West
London and its approved academic partners.

You are provided with study materials for your personal use only. You must not share these with others or
upload them to websites. Any student who is found to have shared materials, particularly for personal gain,
will be subject to disciplinary action if appropriate.
 SS60071O: Foundations of Talk
Therapies

Credits: 20

Academic Year 2023-24

Academic Partner: American Education Centre Ltd

Table of contents

Contents
1. Key team contact details 2
2. Module content 2
3. Learning materials 3
4. Maintaining Academic Honesty and Integrity 3
5. Meeting Deadlines 4
6. Getting Support 4
Personal Tutors, Module Leaders, Subject Librarians, and Course Leaders....................................4
Student Support.................................................................................................................................4

Page 2 of 8
7. Preparing for your Assessment 5
8. Summative Assessments 5
Summative Assessment...................................................................................................... 5
Summative Assessment 2................................................................................................... 6
9. Glossary and Acronyms 7

1. Key team contact details

Module Leader, UK Dr Selam Kidane

Email selam.kidane@uwl.ac.uk
External Examiner Dr. Janine Carroll
Academic Partner Link Tutor
Dr Moira Cachia
(APLT)

Module Leader, SL Achira Telwatta

Email amtelwatta@gmail.com
Module Tutor, SL Sahani Jayasinghe
Email sahanijayasinghe09@gmail.com

2. Module content

Module summary content and aims

This module aims to introduce students the theoretical and practical skills required for working with
clients as a counselling and psychotherapy practitioner. The module is aimed at enabling students
to prepare students who are interested in building on these skills and attain clinical accreditation in
their chosen approach by following the relevant course of further study in counselling or
psychotherapy or those who intend to work in areas where counselling support provided.

The theoretical and practical input in the course will introduce ethical and reflective skills intended
to introduce and familiarise students to pertinent talk therapy skills.

Inevitably students’ success in attaining the required skills is relative to the level of engagement in
all aspects of the course including supplementing own learning with additional reading of relevant
material. The set lectures are intended to give a framework for the module content to be enhanced
by independent reading and explorations. With the aim of enabling students to gain an
understanding of the connection between theory and evidence-based practice, students will be
required to take part in structured practical activities.

On completion of this module students will be able to:

3. Identify how counselling theory is implemented in counselling cases .
4. Demonstrate the ability to make appropriate assessment of a referral and recognise the
multicultural considerations required for the development and delivery of therapeutic
support.
5. Be familiar with the basic ethical principles in delivering talk therapy.
6. Apply reflective skills in the context of a therapeutic relationship.

Page 3 of 8
Indicative Content:

Challenging blind spots in the therapeutic relationship

Case Conceptualisations

Developing Therapeutic Goals

Unconditional Positive Regard for a client (client centeredness)

CBT and formulations of a case

Involving the wider system (family therapy)

Commitment to therapeutic goals

Summarising a case to present at MDT

Cross cultural considerations

Developing treatment plans

The essence of clinical supervision

Please refer to the Course Handbook for a detailed outline of how this module forms part of your
course.

3. Learning materials
Your module reading list is available on Blackboard under module and online by searching
uwl.rl.talis.com. This shows real-time availability of books in the library and provides direct links to
digital items, recommended by your lecturer.

Your library at the ANC Colombo campus head office (2nd floor, admin building) can provide you
with necessary reference and e-material.

Subject Librarian Subhashini Amarasinghe

Email library@ancedu.com
Phone 011-4514415
Location ANC, Colombo

Remember to log into Blackboard daily to receive all the latest news and support available
at your module sites!

4. Maintaining Academic Honesty and Integrity

Academic Integrity means avoiding plagiarism and cheating and owning your own work, the use of
essay mills and AI content is also considered academic misconduct. This is when you submit a
piece of work which is not completely your own, but which you are presenting as your own without
acknowledging the author or properly referencing the original source. All your work must
demonstrate Academic Integrity; it must be an honest and fair submission, complying with all the
requirements of the assessment. Failure to meet these standards of behaviour and practice is

Page 4 of 8
academic misconduct, which can result in penalties being applied under the Academic Offences
Regulations.

5. Meeting Deadlines
You should always try your best to submit your work on time. You can submit coursework up to 10
calendar days late without penalty if you request an extension before the submission deadline.
Without an extension, the maximum mark you will be able to get for that work will be the pass
mark.

6. Getting Support
Graduating with a UWL degree will open up a world of opportunities for you, but we understand
that the journey to get there is not always easy – especially when you are combining studying with
work, caring for others, or dealing with illness. That is why we offer lots of support to help you
meet your full potential.

Personal Tutors, Module Leaders, Subject Librarians, and Course Leaders

Your Personal Tutor can help if you’re worried about your studies, need academic advice, or want
to find the best way for you to succeed.

Your Module Leader can help if you’re struggling with work, don’t think you can meet a deadline,
or there was something you didn’t understand or want to know more about.

Your Subject Librarian can help you with finding, evaluating, reading, and referencing sources.
They offer drop-ins and workshops throughout the year.

Your Course Leader can help with any questions about the course you’re studying, such as any
course-specific requirements or options.

Student Support

An academic tutor will be made available to you to provide you with additional academic support.

Academic Tutor Navangi de Silva

Email navangi@ancedu.com
Phone number +94743455011

There may be times when you experience circumstances outside of your control and talking to
your Module Leader and other support services available to you will help keep you on track with
your studies.

If your circumstances mean that you are not able to submit at all or are unable to attend an in-
person assessment like an exam or in-class test, then you can request mitigation for the
assessment. Approved mitigation means that you can have another attempt without penalty if you
fail an assessment or do not submit.

If you request an extension or mitigation before the deadline you can choose to self-certify, without
providing evidence, so long as you have a valid reason. You can only self-certify three
assessments per academic year. If you have used all your self-certification opportunities, or
requested mitigation after the deadline, you will need to provide evidence of your exceptional

Page 5 of 8
circumstances for your request to be granted.

To apply for an Extension or Mitigation;

● Please only email the request to mitigations@ancedu.com, DO NOT send it to any other
email addresses / cc any other staff.
● Fill in the subject line correctly as per the instruction given below, any errors on this
information submission will result in request rejection.
● Fill in the requested information correctly and accurately as reflected on blackboard, any
errors on this information submission will result in request rejection.
● Response turn-around time is 3 working days (please avoid sending in reminders
within 3 working days period) if the request is submitted on time, it shall be considered a
due submission when considered by the panel.

7. Preparing for your Assessment

A key part of your learning will be preparation for your summative assessment. You will be
provided feedback on your formative assessments, and this will help you to better understand
what is required of you when you submit your summative assessment. Please see below guidance
on your formative assessment and how to access your feedback.

You will be invited to participation in Multidisciplinary Team Discussions in which each student
would be allocated to take part as a member of a team to make contribution to discussing a
hypothetical case that is presented to the Team for discussion. The challenges presented for team
discussion reflect the portfolio activities and students get team-wide verbal feedback from tutor
and members of other teams.

8. Summative Assessments

Summative Assessment

Assessment title Portfolio

Submission date and time 06th December 2023
Word Count (or equivalent) Variable
Where to submit Turnitin
Feedback date 15 working days after submission
Assessment Weighting 40%
PSRB requirements (if -
applicable)

Main objectives of the Assessment

A1 (Portfolio) is aimed at enabling students to analyse and assess the skills required by a therapist
throughout a client’s therapy journey. The class will be introduced to a hypothetical case and each
lecture would focus on the theoretical approach related to a task that needs to be undertaken in for
the case.

Tasks will include:

Page 6 of 8
 ● Reviewing a referral and sending an acceptance letter

● Assessing a case

● Developing a treatment plan

● Reviewing progress

● Presenting a case for MDT ( Multi-disciplinary Team) discussion

● Discharging safely

● Reflecting on how race and culture impacts on the process of delivering talk therapy

Students would then choose five out of the seven activities and submit in a portfolio for A1.

No Learning Outcomes Marking Criteria

.
1 Identify how counselling theory is https://campuspress.uwl.ac.uk/teaching/learning-
implemented in counselling cases. technology/turnitin/marking-and-feedback/

2 Demonstrate the ability to make appropriate

assessment of a referral and recognise the
multicultural considerations required for the
development and delivery of therapeutic
support.

3 Apply reflective skills in the context of a

therapeutic relationship.

Summative Assessment 2

Assessment title Case Study

Submission date and time 20th January 2024
Word Count (or equivalent) 2,000 words
Where to submit Turnitin
Feedback date 15 working days after submission
Assessment Weighting 60%
PSRB requirements (if -
applicable)

Submitting, feedback & grades online using Blackboard

Main objectives of the Assessment

The case study, is aimed at enabling students to reconceptualise a published case study from
either a different theoretical angle or choose a focus that wasn’t included in the original
conceptualisation.

In addition to enabling students to demonstrate their ability to relate various theoretical

approaches to practical cases this assessment would introduce students to writing case studies- a

Page 7 of 8
common approach to assessment in clinical training.

No Learning Outcome Marking Criteria

.
1 Identify how counselling theory is https://campuspress.uwl.ac.uk/teaching/learning-
implemented in counselling cases. technology/turnitin/marking-and-feedback/

2 Demonstrate the ability to make

appropriate assessment of a referral
and recognise the multicultural
considerations required for the
development and delivery of
therapeutic support.

3 Be familiar with the basic ethical

principles in delivering talk therapy.

4 Apply reflective skills in the context of a

therapeutic relationship.

9. Glossary and Acronyms

Terms and definitions

Page 8 of 8