Counselling Therapist

Please click the course title below to scroll to the course description:

Term One

Term Two

Term Three

Term Four

Term Five

Orientation and Student Success Skills

This course will provide a comprehensive orientation to Stenberg College and the program you are enrolled in. As with all new things, there will be some challenges and excitement. This course will explore transitioning as a college student, reviewing learning styles, enhancing critical thinking, and familiarizing you with the resources available for your use. This course covers student success skills where you’ll learn effective study habits (specifically to improving both reading and writing skills) based on your own personal learning style. Life skills exercises are also integral to the course, teaching communication, accountability, teamwork, self-awareness and building an understanding of the impact you have on others.

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Foundational Counselling Skills & Techniques

In this course, you will begin to speak the language of the counselling profession as you learn about the history of counselling, develop foundational counselling skills, and explore foundational counselling techniques including a spotlight on mindfulness.

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Research in Counselling Therapy

In this course, you will learn about the foundations of social science research, including the difference between qualitative and quantitative methods, informal and formal inquiry, and various research methodologies. You will also learn how to conduct research, analyze research findings, and apply it to clinical situations. This course will also focus on the importance of ethics in research.

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Personal & Professional Development Skills Workshops

The Personal and Professional Development (PPD) Skills Certificate is a self-directed, online certificate that enhances your soft skills. The six PPD workshops cover Professionalism, Quality Service, Feedback, Diverse Teams, Conflict Resolution and Leadership. Together, these workshops prepare you to effectively approach and resolve real-life situations.

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Introduction to Neuro Science

In this course, you will investigate the structure and function of the nervous system including memory, problem solving, and decision making. You will discuss neuroplasticity and the effect that trauma and other events can have on the brain.

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Lifespan Development

In this course, you will learn not only how people develop physically across their lifespan, but how they develop cognitively, emotionally, and socially through all stages of their life. Several theories will be considered in examining each of these areas.

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Caring for the Caregiver through the Practice of Self Care

In this course, you will learn about the importance of self-care for a counsellor. You will learn about and experiment with various self-care tools including life assessment, journals, mindfulness, and gratitude. You will learn the importance of identifying triggers and seeking support from your supervisor as part of your self-care routine.

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Professional Practice, Legal Issues & Ethics in Counselling Practice I

In this course, you will acquire a basic understanding of what constitutes ethics. Through the counselling profession’s Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, and other relevant literature on ethical decision making you will be able to describe what makes an ethical issue and how to respond to various ethical issues.

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Simulated Counselling Skills Practice I

In this course, students will have the opportunity to apply all skills taught throughout Term I. Students will have the opportunity to gain feedback from their peers and instructor on their role plays, presentations, and skill sets.

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Introduction to Therapeutic Modalities

In this course, you will learn about the foundational concepts in each of the following types of therapeutic modalities: background-focused, emotion-focused, thought-focused, and action-focused. You will expand on this knowledge in CTD201 Therapeutic Modalities I: Foundations, exploring specific modalities in each of these types, and you will delve even deeper into a modality of your choosing in CTD 202 Therapeutic Modalities II: Advanced Study.

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Therapeutic Modalities I: Foundations

In this course, you will discover specific modalities within each of the therapeutic modality types discussed in CTD200 Intro to Therapeutic Modalities. You will also learn about some of the ways these modalities are integrated, expanded upon, and adapted in practice and begin to reflect on which modality you will work from in your own work as a counsellor.

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Marketing Your Practice & Yourself I

In this introductory course, you will begin to position yourself as a professional counsellor. You will develop your brand and basic marketing tools including business cards and a social media presence.

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Therapeutic Modalities II: Advanced Study

In this course, you will expand on what you have learned about the varying approaches to counselling treatment systems in CTD200 Intro to Therapeutic Modalities and CTD201 Therapeutic Modalities I: Foundations. As you begin to plan for your own counselling practice, you will select one therapeutic modality that you would like to explore further and implement in your future work. With your instructor’s guidance and peers’ feedback, you will conduct an independent study project researching, reflecting on, and planning potential implementations of this modality.

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Counselling Interventions

In this course, you will learn about a variety of affective, behavioural, and systemic interventions including daily mood logs, relaxation strategies, interpersonal coping strategies, empty chair, voice dialogue, sand play, and vision boards. You will be able to demonstrate and apply these interventions independent of theoretical orientation.

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Counselling Assessment

In this course, you will learn about a number of assessments and how they can be applied to assist the client. Assessments to be covered include functional assessments, personality assessments, behavioural assessments, and risk assessments.

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Introduction to Psychopathology & Psychopharmacology

This course is designed to help you understand the basic of psychopharmacology including drug effects and interactions, principles of pharmacokinetics and neuroscience. This course studies the common psychotropic drug used in the treatment of mental health disorders and the effects on human behavior.

You will also cover an overview of common psychopathological conditions and be introduced to the DSM-5 classification system.

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Professional Practice, Legal Issues & Ethics in Counselling Practice II

In this course, you will explore the ethics, procedures, and practice issues around confidentiality, proper documentation, reporting, referrals, and consultation. Further, you will identify your scope of practice and learn how to maintain professional boundaries.

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Simulated Counselling Skills Practice II

In this course, students will have the opportunity to apply all skills taught throughout Term II. Students will have the opportunity to gain feedback from their peers and instructor on their role plays, presentations and skill sets.

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Individual Counselling

In this course, you will have the opportunity to take the skills learned in CTD100: Foundational Counselling Skills and Techniques to an advanced level. You will gain knowledge and hands on experience by learning how to apply advanced counselling skills through role play, discussions, lectures and group work. At the end of the course, you will be able to facilitate a successful counselling session.

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Child & Youth Counselling

In this course, students will learn how to assist children and youth through challenges, mental health issues, and achievements. Students will have the opportunity to explore the effects of bullying, social media, peer pressure and low self-esteem. Students will gain knowledge in the form of lectures, role plays, and hands on experience.

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Family Counselling

Family Counselling is a type of therapy that can help families with any issues they may be facing. Through viewing the family as a whole unit, the counsellor can assist the family to improve their relationships, work through struggles, face challenges, and explore changes in a way that does not simply have the problem go away, but make the family stronger. By providing all family members with a voice in the counselling process, the counsellor, along with the family members, will be able to recognize the family patterns, build on a positive, and develop alternatives or solutions.

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Group Counselling

When several individuals come together to work through a similar concern with a Counsellor, this is considered Group Counselling.

This course is designed to offer you the foundation to facilitate group sessions. You will learn both theoretical and experiential approaches, focusing on group development, group process, leadership styles, issues faced by the leaders, self-disclosure, and the steps needed to create a proposal for hosting a group. You will have the opportunity to participate in leading a group and being a member.

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Diversity & Cultural Counselling

In this course, you will learn the foundations needed to work with diverse clients. You will learn about history, challenges, and identity of several diverse cultures. You will have the opportunity to explore the unique challenges of gender and sexuality in a diverse society. You will gain knowledge and experience through role plays, lectures, and hands on experience.

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Relationship & Intimacy Counselling

In this course, you will learn about the various stages of a relationship and human sexuality. Throughout this course you will explore the principles of a healthy relationship, conflicts within a relationship, the 5 Love Languages, and more. You will develop your own style of handling difficult conversations around infidelity, sexual issues, and separation/divorce. You will gain knowledge in the meaning of physical, mental, and emotional intimacy.

Loss & Grief Counselling

In this course, you will learn a strength-based approach to assist individuals experiencing several levels of grief. By looking at the effects of grief on the cognitive, emotional, behavioural, physiological and social functions of an individual, you will be able to determine the best interventions. You will become aware of your personal values and beliefs that may affect your work with different cultures.

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Trauma & Crisis Counselling

In this course, you will learn the foundational techniques and skills needed to assist clients with trauma and crisis situations. Throughout this course, you will be exposed to different types of trauma, how to hold space for clients, and different approaches while working with clients. You will explore the impact that trauma has on the brain, the body, and emotions of human development. This course will provide you with an understanding of several different theories and models used during trauma and crisis interventions. You will learn the importance of assessments and will be able to provide a client with resources and referrals.

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CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

In this course, you will gain the foundational skills of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. You will be able to assist clients in the process of changing or challenging their thought process, and how they feel about their thoughts and the behaviours that follow. Throughout this course, you will explore belief systems, needs versus wants, and automatic thoughts. You will gain knowledge by lectures, role plays and hands on experience.

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Lifestyle & Career Development Counselling

In this course, you will learn holistic approaches to assist clients to live the life they want. Throughout this course, you will be exposed to the 7-point wellness wheel assessment (physical, intellectual, emotional, social, environmental, financial and spiritual) as an aid to assist clients in choosing their next step.

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Special Topics in Counselling

In this course, you will be introduced to some of the hot topics in the counselling field. Topics will change to respond to changes in the industry and feature guest lectures by experts working with each special topic.

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Simulated Counselling Skills Practice III

In this course, students will have the opportunity to apply all skills taught throughout term 3. Students will have the opportunity to gain feedback from their peers and instructor on their role plays, presentations and skill sets.

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Industry Certifications

Students will complete a series of workshops on non-violent communications, non-violent crisis intervention, and use the DSM-5 and ICD-10.

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Professional Practice, Legal Issues & Ethics in Counselling Practice III

The focus of the first week of this course will be on the therapist’s role and boundaries, self-improvement, and supervision. The second week will be interactive, where you will first do a review of all ethical concepts learned in the program so far. To tie together all your learning, you will then participate in an ethical debate, role plays, and case study discussions and presentations.

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Case Management

In this course, you will be equipped with the tools and skills necessary to manage your patient load and schedule, manage documentation, assess and evaluate your clients’ needs, collaborate and consult with other health care and human service professionals, and share plans of action with your clients.

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CPCA Exam Preparation

This course is designed to prepare you for the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA) Qualifying Examination, a requirement for membership with this association.

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Integrated Counselling Practicum*

You will start your practicum experience in a Student Clinic Environment where you will begin to independently practice your skills as a Counselling Therapist Student under Supervision. As your autonomy increases, you will collaborate with the Clinical Practicum Supervisor to secure experience in outside agencies that focus on your identified area of interest.
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Business Development & Management for a Thriving Counselling Practice

This course will give you the skills to launch and manage a private counselling practice, from the process of registering your small business to creating service contracts to managing and maximizing your incoming calls.Back to Top

Marketing Your Practice & Yourself II

In this course you will learn to leverage your personal brand as a professional counsellor to build clientele, as well as learn about various marketing tools from word of mouth referrals to social media to develop your marketing plan. Included in your plan are the creating content that shape your potential clients’ first impression of you and your practice, which include a website, voicemail, and email auto-responder.
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Counselling Practice Billing & Accounting Procedures

In this course you will gain an understanding of how to set, ask for, collect, and track payments in a private counselling practice. You will research counselling fees and determine your own fee structure as a new graduate and learn how best to discuss fees with clients. The course will also cover tools and methods available to manage the fees you collect.
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*In addition to classroom and skills practice hours, students complete 90 hours of practicum whereby they provide direct client counselling services. These 90 hours are integrated throughout Terms II, III & IV (typically on Fridays by appointment in the Counselling Clinic) and are in addition to the weekly class time. At the end of Term IV, students will also have a period of two weeks to complete any outstanding hours.

Additional Certifications

DSM-5 & ICD-10

You will learn how to navigate and understand the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th edition.
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Non-Violent Crisis Intervention

This training provides students with effective techniques for approaching an agitated person and helping reduce their tension, presenting alternatives to people when they lose control and/or become violent. This training also helps students to maintain the best possible professional attitude during interventions and introduces the physical intervention skills needed to maintain the welfare and safety of all involved.

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Non-Violent Communication

You will learn how non-violent communication techniques can impact your client sessions and personal well-being.
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