PUB HLTH 7002 - Emotion Focused Therapy

North Terrace Campus - Winter - 2023

Emotion Focused Therapy is a psychotherapy treatment that is empirically supported, neo-humanistic, and views the role of emotion as crucial in understanding psychological distress, the formation and maintenance of rigid interpersonal and behavioural patterns, and creating therapeutic change. This course provides both theoretical and skill-based training in Emotion Focused Therapy. An overview of theory and its application to client concerns will be addressed. Skill development, particularly in the use of empathic responses and marker guided task interventions will be developed throughout this course. Students will learn to critically apply Emotion Focused Therapy?s case formulation model to client concerns to guide their practice. The capacity to appraise their own counselling practice will be honed throughout this course, providing a platform for ongoing ethical and empathic practice.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PUB HLTH 7002
    Course Emotion Focused Therapy
    Coordinating Unit Public Health
    Term Winter
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites PUB HLTH 5005, PUB HLTH 5006, PUB HLTH 5007, PUB HLTH 5008, PUB HLTH 7010, PUB HLTH 6018 and PUB HLTH 6021
    Restrictions Restricted to MCounsPsych students or with permission of Program Coordinator
    Assessment Online quiz, written paper, practical assessment, class participation
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Ms Ann Ibrahim

    Course Coordinator: Ann Ibrahim
    Lecturer, School of Public Health
    Phone:08 8313 4999
    Email: ann.ibrahim@adelaide.edu.au

    Student & Program Support Services Hub
    Email: askhealthsc@adelaide.edu.au
    Phone: +61 8313 0273
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    1.  

    Communicate an integrated understanding of key Emotion Focused Therapy theoretical principles as informed by Emotion Theory

    2.

    Formulate succinct hypotheses connecting client issues, core emotion schemes, problematic emotional processing styles, and relevant interventions

    3.

    Synthesise Emotion Focused Therapy knowledge and application, demonstrating sound practice of the counselling process and sequence whilst maintaining a client focus

    4.

    Critically appraise Emotion Focused Therapy counselling practice demonstrating advanced levels of self-awareness regarding strengths and areas for ongoing learning and growth

    5.

    Demonstrate a consistently high level of ethical practice of counselling supported by Neohumanistic principles, substantiating the use of interventions with recourse to Emotion Focused Therapy theory.

    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1-5

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    2-5

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    3-5

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    1-5

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    1-5

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    N/A

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    1-5

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    3-5
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Greenberg, L. S. (2015). Emotion-focused therapy: Coaching clients to work through their feelings (2nd ed.). APA.
    Recommended Resources
    Goldman, R. N., & Greenberg, L. S. (2014). Case Formulation in Emotion-Focused Therapy: Co-creating Clinical Maps for Change. APA.

    Elliott, R., Watson, J. C., Greenberg, L., & Goldman, R. (2003). Learning emotion focused psychotherapy: The process-experiential approach to change. APA.

    Selected online resources, including journal articles, videos and reading lists will be disseminated via MyUni.
    Online Learning
    MyUni is used extensively for announcements, discussion boards, recordings of seminar/workshops and practicals, external web-links, readings, details of assignments, as well as online quizzes and essay submission. Material will be sequentially released in line with the teaching and learning activities in each week.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The aim of this course is to enable students to develop a clear understanding of EFT theory, case formulation, and the core counselling interventions in EFT. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own practice.

    During the class sessions, didactic material and experiential learning are integrated to introduce theoretical and practice concepts and illustrate their use. Scaffolded skill learning in triads with formative feedback provided by the lecturer/tutor will form a significant part of the face to face learning. Watching videos of counselling sessions and understanding the microprocesses within marker guided task interventions, as well as application of the EFT 3-stage, 14-step case formulation model will be undertaken in a collaborative context.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The course comprises 5 full day workshop sessions over a 3 week period in Winter School. Sessions will employ a range of learning activities to facilitate integration and understanding of the content presented. In addition to didactic content, a range of workshop, discussion-based practices and small group skills-based activities will be employed. Due to the highly interactive and practical nature of these workshops, full attendance is required. 

    Essential readings will be set prior to, during, and following the winter school workshops. It is expected that students will have read and engaged with these before each session. If you do not do the essential reading/s, you may find it difficult to follow and contribute to both group discussions and practice sessions. In addition, assessment work will require engagement with these requied readings.

    The workload set for this course is made up as follows:
    • Face to Face workshops and practical session: 9.30am - 4.30pm for 5 days 
    • Core/background readings: 5 hours / week
    • Preparation of assignments: 4 hours / week
    Learning Activities Summary
    The following topics will be covered during the 5 workshop days.


    Topic

    Key learning

    Introduction to Emotion Focused Therapy

    Course overview

    Historical development of Emotion Focused Therapy grounded in Neohumanistic principles and affective neuroscience

    Theoretical principles 

    Understanding the key aspects of Emotion Theory that inform EFT work including:

    - Emotion schemes

    - Emotion regulation

    - Emotion response types

    - Dialectical constructivism

    Foundational skills

    Developing foundational therapeutic skills including:

    - Fostering an experiential focus using the skills of empathic responding

    - Exploring and evoking emotion schemes

    - Recognising emotion types and how to work with them

    Marker guided task interventions

    An introduction to problematic emotional processing markers and their related interventions

    Using marker guided task interventions

    Understanding the principles and process in enacting key marker guided task interventions including:

    - Empty chair work

    - Two chair work for a self-evaluative split

    - Two chair enactment for self-interruption processes

    - Systematic evocative unfolding

    - Emotion regulation interventions

    - Self-soothing dialogue

    Case formulation

    Working with EFT's 3 stage, 14 step case formulation model

    Specific Course Requirements
    Full attendance is required at all workshop sessions.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    Assessment Task

    Assessment Type

    Weighting

    Learning Outcomes 

    EFT Theory multiple choice quiz

    Summative

    20

    1, 2

    Case conceptualisation paper

    Summative

    30

    2, 3

    Practical assessment

    Formative & Summative

    40

    3, 4, 5

    Participation

    Summative

    10

    1-5

    Assessment Detail

    EFT Theory Multiple Choice Online Quiz (Weighting 20%)
    Students will answer an online multiple-choice quiz to demonstrate an integrated understanding of Emotion Focused Therapy theory.

    2000 Word Case Conceptualisation Written paper (Weighting 30%)
    Using EFT’s 3-stage, 14-step case formulation model, students will create a case conceptualisation based on a video recording of an EFT counselling session.

    Practical Assessment (Weighting 40%)
    During the 5 day workshop, students will be observed in triad practice with their peers by a tutor. Immediate feedback will be provided on their application of skills informed by theory which constitutes the formative component of this assessment. In the 3rd week of the course following the 5 day workshop, students will conduct a practical counselling session with a fellow student as their client demonstrating the effective and appropriate use of empathic responding and 1 marker guided task intervention. This will be assessed live with their assessor present and is the summative component of this assessment.

    Participation (Weighting 10%)
    Students will attend and engage in workshop activities, demonstrating respectful engagement and cooperation with their lecturers and fellow students, and completion of practice-based learning tasks. Further opportunities to demonstrate participation will be available through contribution to online discussion via the Discussion Board on MyUni.

    Submission
    Submission of Assignments
    The quiz and case formulation assignment will be submitted through MyUni. Feedback for the practical assessment will be provided via an online rubric on MyUni.

    Extensions
    All extensions for assignments must be requested, at the latest, by the last working day before the due date of submission. Extensions will generally be granted only on medical or genuine compassionate grounds. Supporting documentation must be provided at the time a student requests an extension. Without documentation, extensions will not be granted. Late requests for extension will neither be accepted nor acknowledged.

    Only the Course Co-ordinator(s) may grant extensions.

    Supporting documentation will be required when requesting an extension. Examples of documents that are acceptable include: a medical certificate that specifies dates of incapacity, a police report (in the case of lost computers, car & household theft etc.), a letter from a Student Counsellor, Education and Welfare Officer (EWO) or Disability Liaison Officer that provides an assessment of compassionate circumstances, or a letter from an independent external counsellor or appropriate professional able to verify the student’s situation. The length of any extension granted will take into account the period and severity of any incapacity or impact on the student. Extensions of more than 10 days will not be granted except in exceptional circumstances.

    Late submission
    Marks will be deducted when assignments for which no extension has been granted are handed in late.

    All assignments, including those handed in late, will be assessed on their merits. In the case of late assignments where no extension has been granted, 5 percentage points of the total marks possible per day will be deducted. If an assignment that is 2 days late is awarded 65% on its merits, the mark will then be reduced by 10% (5% per day for 2 days) to 55%. If that same assignment is 4 days late, the mark will be reduced by 20% (5% per day for 4 days) to 45%, and so on.

    The School of Public Health reserves the right to refuse to accept an assignment that is more than 7 days late.

    Assignments submitted after the due date may not be graded in time to be returned on the listed return dates.

    Students submitting examinable written work who request (and receive) an extension that takes them beyond the examination period are advised that there is no guarantee that their grades will be processed in time to meet usual University deadlines.

    Resubmission
    If a student is dissatisfied with an assessment grade they should follow the Student Grievance Resolution Process
    https://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/grievance/process/ . Students who are not satisfied with a particular asessment result should raise their concerns with Course Co-ordinator(s) in the first instance. This must be done within 10 business days of the date of notification of the result. Resubmission of any assignment is subject to the agreement of the Course Co-ordinator(s) and will only be permitted for the most compelling of reasons.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.