The programme is designed to enrich health and social care professionals with practical knowledge and skills in psychological counselling. A practical focus on delivering evidence-based counselling approaches will enrich students’ interviewing and intervening skills in treating clients with specific psychological needs. Through interactive demonstration and real case analysis, students can help others achieve holistic health, relieve burnout, and gain higher job satisfaction. Nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, hostel workers, patient care workers, teachers, healthcare administrators and people interested in pursuing a counselling career are welcome.
This programme consists of eight courses, totaling 210 hours.
This course explores the psychosocial aspects of physical health and illness involving the relationship between beliefs, behaviors and health. It focuses on identifying various psychosocial factors related to immune functioning, pain and illness, and their impact on the effectiveness of healthcare treatment. Students will be able to appreciate the role of prevention and behavioral change, and apply concepts of health-promotion and illness-management in healthcare setting.
Good interaction with patients and their families has a positive effect on recovering from illness, decreasing patients’ anxiety, improving treatment compliance, and reducing patients’ complaints. This course provides practice-based counselling training opportunities for students to learn the skills in an experiential manner. Activities include building rapport and therapeutic working relationships with patients, basic and advanced listening and responding skills, and handling resistance and challenges in communication.
Positive psychology is the scientific study of human strengths, subjective well-being, happiness and life satisfaction. It turns its focus from the traditional view of mental illness to what makes life better. This course gives an overview of strength-based interventions and focuses on positive goal setting and development of strengths such as resilience, hope and positive emotions in spite of illnesses and disabilities in the process of counselling.
This course presents an overview of various psychotherapeutic approaches including person-centered therapy, psychodynamic therapy and family therapy, as well as the ethical issues and cultural considerations in therapeutic relationships. Students will be able to experience the process of counselling and integrate counselling theories with practice based on case analysis and demonstration.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an evidence-based practice for treating specific psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. This course introduces the basic theories, case formulation and cognitive restructuring skills in treating clients by changing their negative thoughts and behaviors about illness and disability so as to improve their emotional well-being.
This course focuses on clinical interviewing skills on common emotional and mental disorders in Hong Kong including a wide range of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, risk assessment and crisis intervention. Students will gain knowledge of common psychological disorders, coping methods and their impact on well-being and the helping relationships.
Trauma, serious illness and disability may cause such strong feelings as anxiety, depression, and grief. The course provides an overview of art and play as the main communication tools in helping children and adults with history of trauma, relationship difficulties and loss and grief. Students will experience and design different art and play activities, and integrate them into the helping relationships.
This course integrates counselling theories with practice in treating clients with specific psychological needs including terminal illness and suicidal thoughts. It focuses on polishing students’ therapeutic presence and advancing their applied counselling skills. Students will gain an understanding of the psychological issues of people with special needs and apply specific counselling skills in healthcare setting.
Students who have obtained a passing grade and satisfied the attendance requirement in each course will be awarded the Professional Diploma in Health Counselling.
Classes will be held on weekday evenings, from 6:45 pm to 9:45 pm, at Kowloon Tong/Tsim Sha Tsui Learning Centre.
Aged 21, preferably with three years’ relevant work experience.