Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Purpose

This Postgraduate Diploma: Psychotherapy aims to promote effective psychotherapeutic practice and enhance public health by applying empirically supported principles of psychological assessment, case formulation, therapeutic relationship and intervention. This qualification will significantly improve multi-disciplinary clinical practice, improve patient care and outcomes, enhance expertise and service-delivery in health-care settings and promote the development of a research base in this field.

The purpose of this Postgraduate Diploma: Psychotherapy is to provide mental health workers with up-to-date academic and clinical skills in psychotherapy, and to equip them to provide appropriate and good quality evidence-based treatment to patients, primarily in the public health system (primary, secondary and tertiary settings). Clinicians will be taught the skills to evaluate their work, and to be familiar with efficacy and outcomes literature.

Rationale

Many clinicians in South Africa (e.g. psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers) have Postgraduate Degrees that provide basic training in psychotherapy. However, not many of them have specialised training to provide psychotherapeutic interventions that are appropriate for patients with complex diagnoses who present in psychiatric and medical settings. Furthermore, there are few University-based advanced qualifications that provide specialised training in psychotherapy. This contrasts with the situation abroad, where advanced psychotherapy training is common.

There is a demand for appropriate, quality psychotherapy training and provision in clinical contexts. Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists within the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health are located in these health service and hospital settings, and have the necessary expertise and experience to provide the teaching and supervision required for further Postgraduate training. Psychotherapy is increasingly informed by operationalised scientific constructs, and by an empirical evidence-base addressing its efficacy. In recent years, multiple research designs (qualitative research, systematic case studies, experimental designs, process-outcome studies and randomised controlled trials) have contributed to evidence-based practice. There is therefore a large set of scientific knowledge that is available to practitioners interested in advanced training - with the potential of providing significant help to patients.

It is assumed that learners who register for this qualification

• Have a good working knowledge of diagnostic and classification systems in psychiatric illness.
• Are able to do basic psychological formulations.
• Have basic knowledge of major psychological theories and psychotherapeutic interventions (especially psychodynamic and cognitive-affective approaches).
• Have adequate skills in clinical note-taking, report writing and case presentation.
• Have been/are in their own personal psychotherapy.

Recognition of Prior Learning

This qualification may be achieved in part through the Recognition of Prior Learning, which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. Recognition of Prior Learning may also be used to gain access to the qualification by those learners who do not meet the minimum admission requirements.

Access to the Qualification

Access is open to learners who have a Degree in either Health or Mental Health at NQF Level 7. This would include, amongst others, Medical doctors, Psychiatric Nurses, Clinical Social Workers, Clinical Psychologists and Psychiatrists.

Learners who do not meet the minimum admission requirements can apply for admission through the Recognition of Prior Learning.

Both modules are at NQF Level 8, total 120 credits and are compulsory.

Modules

• Advanced clinical evaluation in complex health-service settings, 55 credits.
• Evidence-based practice in psychotherapy, 65 credits.

Total: 120 credits.

1. Apply knowledge and understanding of specialised evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions appropriate to the mental health needs of people using the public health system.
2. Demonstrate and apply proficiency in the essential skills required for psychotherapeutic practice.
3. Apply ethical conduct essential to the practice of psychotherapy.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

All the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are addressed in this qualification.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply knowledge and understanding of the nature and impact of mental health needs to people using the public health system.
• Critically review information-gathering, synthesis of data, evaluation and management processes in psychotherapeutic contexts in order to develop creative responses to problems and issues through clinical evaluation/interviewing, diagnostics, theoretical formulation and treatment planning.
• Use a range of specialised skills to identify, analyse and address complex or abstract problems drawing on best practice clinical interventions for a range of psychiatric conditions.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the history of psychotherapy and apply theory of psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural therapies in psychotherapeutic interventions.
• Analyse several psychotherapeutic models (individual, family and group therapy).
• Demonstrate an understanding of the complexities and uncertainties of selecting and applying procedures, processes and techniques to unfamiliar problems.
• Evaluate clinical work and how interventions bring about therapeutic change.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Demonstrate an ability to interrogate multiple sources of knowledge for application in psychotherapeutic practice, through interviewing, clinical note taking, report writing and case presentation.
• Present and communicate academic, professional and occupational ideas effectively to a range of audiences, offering creative insights, rigorous interpretations and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to the psychotherapeutic context.
• Accurately refer patients to appropriate resources.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Identify and address legal and clinical principles underlying ethical issues based on critical self-reflection on suitability of different value systems to the psychotherapy context.
• Identify and address moral and ethical responsibilities by showing respect for patients and colleagues, recognising patients' rights and being sensitive to cultural diversity.
• Take responsibility for work in public and primary health care by making decisions, using resources and being accountable for the decisions and actions of others, where appropriate.
• Operate effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and demonstrate an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements of a team.
• Address professional and ongoing learning needs of self and others and be willing to participate in self and peer evaluations.

Assessments include

• Writing comprehensive reports on observations of clinical interviews.
• Doing clinical history-taking interviews and oral presentations.
• Submitting theoretical formulations of psychotherapy patients to an individual psychotherapy supervisor.
• Presenting oral psychotherapy examinations.
• Submitting theoretical formulations on different examination case studies.

Ongoing assessment of experiential learning

In the Postgraduate Diploma: Psychotherapy, 60% of the learning activities consist of practical clinical work in a hospital setting. This work is presented on a weekly basis to individual clinical supervisors. It is not formally assessed; however, both supervisor and learner complete written mid-placement and end-of-placement feedback reports. In addition, learner progress is discussed by the entire team at a formal teaching team meeting at the end of each clinical placement. Learners are given formal feedback regarding their progress, areas of difficulty and aims for improvement in the next placement.