ACCREDITED BY
FTAI
The Clanwilliam Institute is offering a four year part time training programme in Systemic Therapy. This programme is accredited by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the Family Therapy Association of Ireland (FTAI) and the European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP).
This four year training programme is structured as follows:
Year 1 Postgraduate Diploma in Systemic Psychotherapy Part 1 and Foundation Level Professional Training Programme in Systemic Psychotherapy This programme is accredited by QQI as Part 1 of Postgraduate Diploma and is accredited by FTAI as Foundation Training Programme in Systemic Psychotherapy.
Year 2 Postgraduate Diploma in Systemic Psychotherapy Part 2 and Intermediate Level Professional Training Programme in Systemic Psychotherapy This programme is accredited by QQI as Part 2 of Postgraduate Diploma and by FTAI as Intermediate Level Training in Systemic psychotherapy.
Year 3 M.Sc. Programme in Systemic Psychotherapy This programme is accredited by QQI as an MSc in Systemic Psychotherapy. This programme is accredited by FTAI as Professional Level Training Programme in Systemic Psychotherapy (Part 1).
Year 4 Professional Level Training Programme in Systemic Psychotherapy This programme is accredited by FTAI as Professional Level Training Programme in Systemic Psychotherapy (Part 2). The Clanwilliam Institute is accredited by EAPTI, which is an accredited Training Institute with EAP. The Four Year Programme is accredited by EAP as leading to an award of European Certificate in Psychotherapy.
This comprehensive part-time training in family therapy has particular relevance for professionals in the health, social services, education and related disciplines. This programme which is recognised
Postgraduate Diploma in Systemic Psychotherapy (Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications)
MSc in Systemic Psychotherapy (Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications)
CLANWILLIAM INSTITUTE
FOUR YEAR (Part time) TRAINING PROGRAMME IN
SYSTEMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
as one of the foremost psychotherapy training courses in Ireland has been running, subject to review and revision, for twenty five years. This programme has recently been modified to fit with academic and professional training requirements emerging from both Irish and European Academic and Professional bodies.
The programme is comprised of 5 interweaving strands: Theory; Clinical Practice; Ethics & Inclusivity; Research; and Reflexivity/ Personal Professional Development (PPD). The curriculum comprises 4 modules based on these strands - Theory; Clinical Practice; Ethics & Inclusivity and Research that are developed and integrated throughout the four years of the programme. Reflexivity is a core component of all of these modules.
The learning environments for these five strands include academic seminars, supervised (live) clinical practice in teams; retrospective supervision (in fourth year) and personal group experience. A high degree of student participation and self-directed learning is expected.
Objectives of the Programme
The main objective of the programme is to provide the fundamentals of good practice as a systemic family therapist. The core learning outcomes associated with this objective are the demonstration of the following:
The skills, knowledge and competence to practice as a systemic family therapist; an ethical positioning that allows them to scrutinise and reflect on their practice;
A familiarity with theory and research that allows them to review and update their clinical work;
A reflexivity that allows them to review and manage the place of their own self in their clinical and research practice; and
An awareness of the importance of the therapeutic relationship in psychotherapy.
Philosophy of the Programme
The Clanwilliam Institute approach to therapeutic practice and training has been constructed from three principal theoretical and philosophical influences - systems theory, social constructionism and professional ethics.
a) The systemic view emphasises the contextual and relational aspects of human experience. It sees the person as embedded in a social and emotional world which s/he is constantly being influenced by and influencing. This approach enables the practitioner to take account of the multi-layered complexity of the many systems within which we live. This focus on context and relationship distinguishes systemic (family) therapy from other forms of psychotherapy. This relational contextual approach emphasises the centrality of the therapeutic relationship.
b) The Clanwilliam approach identifies with a social constructionist perspective which regards all meaning (and thus identity and problem descriptions) as generated in language between people. Thus it is through the medium of language that new meanings and resources may be accessed and new relationship configurations achieved.
c) Within the philosophical positioning of the Clanwilliam Institute professional ethics are an integral part of professional thinking and practice and a part of personal and professional growth The Clanwilliam Institute ethos is grounded in ethical principles drawn from professional codes of practice, a duty of care towards all involved – clients, students, colleagues and the public– and a commitment to the development of non-discriminatory practice and service delivery.
The Clanwilliam approach seeks to hold and work with the continuing tension between these philosophical influences, achieving an appropriate professional stance and maintain an ethical position in particular when dealing with issues of inequality, disadvantage and abuse. This approach emphasises that there are no neutral stances and all participants are challenged to reflect on their biases and cultural conditioning. Therapy and training are viewed as co-operative, explorative, mutually respectful processes.
Programme Structure
The academic programme is structured around over-arching themes which provide continuity and integration. These include:
a) Viewing meaning, interactional patterns, structure and communication as inter-related dimensions of human experience and behaviour;
b) Attending to both the person and the context so that neither is invalidated;
c) Giving particular attention to an anti-discriminatory position in relation to gender, race, religion, ability, age, culture, class, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
Guided by these considerations, a curriculum has been developed which attends to the person of the client and also to that of the student therapist. The curriculum comprises 4 modules that are developed and integrated throughout the four years of the programme. Reflexivity is a core component of all of these modules.
These modules are as follows:
YEAR CLINICAL credits THEORY credits ETHICS AND INCLUSIVITY credits RESEARCH credits Year 1 PG Dip Semester 1 Clinical Practice 1
10 Theory 1 10 Ethics and Inclusivity 1 5 Research 1 5 Year 2 PG Dip Semester 2 Clinical Practice 2
10 Theory 2 10 Ethics And Inclusivity 2 5 Research 2 5 Year 3 Masters Clinical Practice
20 Theory 10 Ethics and Inclusivity 10 Research production: dissertation 20 Year 4 Professional Year Clinical Practice 5 Theory and practice: Integration 5 Clinical consultation 15 1) Clinical Practice
These modules are composed of two parts, live supervision in clinical teams and work based clinical practice.
Live Clinical Supervision:
Students work as members of a team with a Registered Supervisor. Family therapy training has evolved a distinctive method known as "live supervision". By this is meant that the student is guided, as he or she is conducting therapy, by a supervisor who is observing using a one-way mirror and/or video system. This provides an intensive learning experience with the opportunity for detailed feedback and commentary afterwards. Students are gradually introduced to this format
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during the first year and begin clinical practice under direct supervision during the second year. In the third year the students move towards more autonomous practice although all sessions continue to be 'live' supervised, and in the fourth year there is a shift to retrospectively supervised team work. Live supervision clinical practice in year 2 and 3 generally takes place in a venue off site with Clanwilliam supervisor. Students remain with their assigned groups throughout the year. While one student works with the client(s) face-to-face, the other members of the group observe with the supervisor. Students are also involved in case discussion, planning, reviewing the session and feedback to the student therapist. In some cases the whole group may work as a team with more active participation in the therapy process.
Cases are selected and assigned in so far as is practicable to give the students a range of clinical experience. Where clients give permission, sessions are recorded on tape or disc. The recordings are subsequently reviewed by the student and discussed with the supervisor and group. Attention is given to theoretical issues, the development of therapeutic techniques and the individual skills and style of the student. Students are encouraged to address their personal and emotional resonances to the stories of the clients both in the supervision group and the Personal and Professional Development group (see below for more details of this group).
In the first year the students consider the influences of relationships and personal history on their development as a therapist. Students present and explore their family genogram and its impact in the therapeutic domain is reviewed. It is felt that students will develop a better understanding of and compassion for issues and problems in families together with reflexivity in relation to their own positioning, if they have undertaken an exploration of their own family of origin. In the fourth year, student’s move from live supervision (in the presence of the supervisor) to individual practice with retrospective supervision and group seminars/group consultations.
Work Based Clinical Practice:
Students gain experience of working systemically outside the confines of the programme. Students are required to complete a minimum of 200 hours of external systemic practice on completion of year 3. This will usually be in a student’s workplace but, occasionally, it may be necessary for students to complete additional work on a placement basis. Students bring to the facilitated supervision sessions audio & videotapes of therapy consultations in which they are engaged so as to allow them the opportunity to reflect on their practice and to benefit from the reflections and input of others in the supervision group.
Work based clinical practice occurs in year 4; however all students are expected to have clinical practice opportunities available to them for a minimum of six hours per week by the end of year1.
An appropriate working relationship with the students’ workplace, covering issues such as accountability and confidentiality, is agreed in year 4 when retrospective supervision for clinical work is being provided by a registered Systemic supervisor.
2) Theory
These modules attend to the interconnections between theory and practice.
The theoretical modules provide students with a detailed and critical overview of the principal philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of systemic practice as well as the postmodern influences on systemic therapy:
Systemic thinking Constructivism
Social constructionism
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These modules link theoretical perspectives with the practice of therapy. Models of Family Therapy are explored in relation to (a) theoretical descriptions of the model (b) descriptions of practice (c) explorations of the links between theory and practice (d) critiques of the model and (e) an experiential component where participants experiment with utilising the model.
History of family therapy Structural family therapy Strategic therapy
Solution-focused therapy Multigenerational approaches Milan systemic family therapy Post-Milan developments Reflecting processes Narrative therapy
These modules present a diverse range of problem presentations and contexts where systemic practice is undertaken. The relevant research findings are presented and critiqued. An indicative range of practice positions explored in the programme is as follows:
Couples therapy o Sexuality
o Psychosexual therapy o Marital separation o Children and separation o Introduction to mediation Family law
Systemic work with individuals Reconstituted family forms
Working with children & adolescents Bereavement and loss
Addictions
Systemic approaches to sexual abuse Treatment of abusers
Violence in relationships HIV and families
Eating disorders
Family welfare conferences Systemic consultation
The application of systemic social constructionism within organisational contexts Mental health and family therapy
3) Ethics, justice and professional practice
This module highlights ethics as a central aspect of therapeutic practice, and explores links between ethics, justice and professional practice. Emphasis is placed on incorporating ethical principles within everyday practice and on understanding and utilizing ethical codes and principles. Different frameworks of understanding ethics – in particular legal, spiritual and social justice frameworks – are presented and explored.
Ethics and professional practice Gender
Justice and inequality
Working with marginalized groups Social justice perspectives
6 Child protection guidelines
The adversarial system Therapy and spirituality
4) Research
Particular emphasis is placed within on understanding the place of research in therapy. Introductory components provide the opportunity for students to explore the relationship between research and practice, to read research papers critically, and explore different epistemological foundations of research methods. The practice component focuses on carrying out research projects, with particular emphasis on research methods, research design, data collection, data analysis and presentation of results.
Introduction to research methods Quantitative research Qualitative research Dissertation proposal Ethics in research Dissertation supervision Reflexivity
Reflexivity is a continuing process through the four year training programme. Reflexive engagement with the practice of psychotherapy is both an ethical requirement and a guiding principle of competent, effective psychotherapeutic practice. Students are given the opportunity to reflect on their theoretical, clinical, organisational and personal positionings in ways that enhance and promote critical self-reflexivity.
Reflexivity in CWI training programmes is composed of two parts, a theoretical/practice component in each module and Personal and Professional Development groups.
Theoretical/practice component
The theoretical/practice component aims to
equip students with the necessary skills to assess personal value, knowledge, skills and competencies;
identify strategies for professional and personal development; balance personal and professional commitments;
develop personally appropriate coping strategies;
develop reflexive engagement in multiple relationships at a therapeutic, research, professional and organisational level.
Reflexivity supports theoretical and clinical learning through its emphasis on self-awareness of personal, professional, institutional and organisational limits, strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities, and its focus on fostering the ability to respond to such awareness in ways that address these strengths and limitations. This includes awareness of the limits of personal and professional knowledge and a respectful positioning towards other models and frameworks of knowledge, as well as an awareness of the place of the self in therapeutic processes.
Personal and Professional Development (PPD)
The PPD groups occur in each of the four years of the programme. These groups promote participation in a group process and, through the use of exercises and tasks, greater self- reflexivity. Participation in these groups facilitates the development of increased perception of the complexity of the process of change in oneself and in others, and thereby makes a difference to competence in practice.
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A strong emphasis on the personal story and emerging professional identity of the student therapist is a major focus of these groups. This follows from the theoretical perspectives of the programme where the therapist is seen as a co-creator of the therapeutic story or 'reality' and as in a relationship with the client(s). In this regard it is considered as essential that the student therapist develop an ability to reflect on their own history and current experience and a willingness to examine how these may be influencing their practice.
Assessment
The objectives of the programme and the learning outcomes are assessed through a combination of continuous assessment, project work and examinations. The specific forms of assessments are as follows:
Continuous Assessment: Practice Evaluation
This formal evaluation is provided at the end of each year. Practice Evaluations for each year assess the specific learning outcomes achieved in the specified subjects for that year. This evaluation process is supported by a mid-year process where the Clinical Supervisor co-engages in an evaluation discussion with each student. This assists students to identify strengths as well as any potential weakness that might impact on their progress throughout the course. The mid year evaluation is not graded and acts only as a guide to the Supervisor and student. Written Assignments
Written assignments are used to assess the achievement of learning outcomes on specified subjects. The topic of the various Written Assignments are closely linked to the teaching inputs and learning outcomes for that subject. Written assignments may include a requirement for presentation of written work. This assessment method also examines and enhances student competence in writing in a manner consistent with professional publication.
Examination
This takes the form of a written and oral case presentation. These examinations are designed to assess the knowledge, skills and competencies of the student through presentation and discussion of a piece of recorded clinical work. The examination modules are assessed in terms of the specific learning outcomes for that module.
Dissertation
As part of this programme all students are required to complete a research dissertation. Students are expected to submit a detailed research proposal on their chosen topic. Formal instructions are provided to students on the requirements for their dissertation.
The Institute reserves the right to alter course components and modify assessment procedures as deemed necessary.
It is expected that students will attend for all sessions of each of the three following activities i.e. clinical team practice, academic seminars, and PPD group. If a student must or does miss more than 15% of any one of these activities, the Head of Training and the student will determine, in consultation with other teaching team members, whether work is needed to be done to fulfill the requirements of the course.
Accreditation and Registration
The Postgraduate Diploma and MSc in Systemic Psychotherapy are accredited by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) (www.qqi.ie) (Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications) The Foundation, Intermediate and Professional Training Programmes in Psychotherapy are accredited by FTAI and EAP.
8 Entrance Requirements
1. Direct Entry
To be considered for admission, applicants should hold an honours primary degree (National Framework of Qualifications Level 8) in a field of study in the human sciences or its equivalent.
Or
Hold an Ordinary degree (National Framework of Qualifications Level 7) in a field of study in the human sciences or its equivalent and have obtained a minimum of three years relevant post-qualification experience.
2. Indirect Entry
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Applicants who are not entitled to direct entry may be
considered for entry on the basis of their prior learning, that is their knowledge and skills acquired through life, work experience and study, not attested through formal certification. Applicants will be considered provided they can demonstrate equivalence to Direct Entry Requirements which can be verified through the Clanwilliam Institute RPL process. Applicants will be required to demonstrate an ability to contribute to and benefit from the programme. Applicants who are considering application through this route are encouraged to make informal enquiries to the Head of Training. Applicants will be required to satisfy the Head of Training and the Programme Committee as to their capacity to contribute to and benefit from the programme.
Note:
RPL applications take a minimum of 9 weeks to prepare and one week for a decision. Therefore RPL applications should commence at least 10 weeks prior to the closing date for direct entry applications. Late applications may result in less time for preparation of portfolio.
Fees for RPL applications are available on request.
All applicants are required to be in a work setting or hold a role which will provide opportunities for the student to implement the learning from the programme, such as counselling, psychotherapy, support services, or project/community work in either a paid or voluntary position.
For non-native English speakers tested evidence of competency in English is required.
All candidates will be interviewed to assess their suitability for the programme. At interview candidates are expected to demonstrate:
An interest and engagement with the field of psychotherapy and with the Institute’s approach and ethos;
A reflexive awareness of their own learning experience;
A willingness to engage with supervisory and support structures; A sensitivity to group and team processes.
Progression through the programme is dependent on successful completion of all of the programme requirements
Calendar
The academic year runs from late September to the end of May. Arrangements may be made for sessions and/or team-work to extend beyond these dates.
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Year One 30 ECTS credits: Hours requirements are as follows:
Seminars: 50 hours Clinical Group: 35 hours PPD Group: 15 hours Self Directed Learning: 500 hours
Years Two 30 ECTS credits: Hours requirements are as follows:
Seminars: 60 hours Clinical Group: 150 hours PPD Group: 20 hours Self Directed Learning: 400 hours
Year Three 60 ECTS credits: Hours requirements are as follows:
Seminars: 76 hours Clinical Group: 150 hours PPD Group: 20 hours Self Directed Learning: 980 hours (Note: Extra student effort and commitment are required to produce a dissertation)
Year Four Hours requirements are as follows:
Seminars: 14 hours Clinical Group/ Supervision: 132 hours PPD Group: 20 hours Work based clinical practice: 200 Self Directed Learning: 160 hours
This year, which includes work-based learning, has a variable structure that takes into account requirements of students and their employers.
The PPD groups will take place at times to be agreed
Holidays: All holiday-periods are scheduled to coincide with the dates advised for schools by the Department of Education. Thus there is usually a 2-week break at Christmas and at Easter, with mid-term breaks in Terms 1 & 2
Fee for 2013/2014 Programme: Provisional & subject to change Fees for each year of the programme will be:
Year 1 €5,500 Year 2 €8,000 Year 3 €8,000 Year 4 €7,000
Fees Policy – The Clanwilliam institute accepts no obligation to refund any learners fees after the course has commenced. Learners need to reserve their place on our course by deposit of €1500. Where learners who have paid for the course notify the Clanwilliam institute before the course commencement date that they do not intend to take up the place reserved, all fees will be refunded except for the €75 administrative fee. Fees in full will be refunded if the listed course is cancelled. In exceptional cases of hardship (eg medical, bereavement) requests for refunds of fees should be made in writing along with supporting documentation to the Head of Training.
Application Procedure
Completed application forms together with curriculum vitae, personal statement and the names of two referees/supervisors who are familiar with your work and/or academic abilities, should be submitted to the Training Department. An application processing fee of €75 is required.
Closing date for applications: 15 June 2013
Please note addition fees are payable for an RPL application. Fees are available on request. Application for entry to the training programme will also incur that application processing fee of €75.
Clanwilliam Institute, 18, Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2. Email: [email protected]
www.clanwilliam.ie
An Information Day for those interested in applying for this programme will be held in Clanwilliam Institute in early April
