Overview
The Responsive Counselling Relationships & Interpersonal Communication course is designed to build on the foundation of critical reflection on both counselling theory and processes, as well as appreciation for both client and counsellor cultural identities and social locations, established in GCAP 631 and 633. In this course, the focus will shift to translating conceptual understanding into applied practice skills. Learners query the ways in which the relational practices of the counsellor and the nature of the therapeutic relationships can shift, adapt, or be altered in response to the specific cultural identities, contexts, values, worldviews, and needs of each individual client. The focus is on the conceptual and theoretical influences on responsive relationships, the ways in which counselling processes support and are supported by responsive relationships, the ways in which specific counselling microskills and techniques can be employed in service of responsive relationships, and the importance of reflective practice in ensuring client-centred, responsive relationships and counselling processes.
Synchronous Activities
CAP 671 is heavily focused on skills practice, as such, there is a large component of weekly synchronous skills practice activities throughout the 13 weeks of the course. Learners will be partnered with one partner at the beginning of the course, and this person will be their primary skills lab practice partner. They also participate in pairs and individual coaching with the course instructor and several synchronous Teams meetings with all class members). These synchronous activities are spread out over the semester to optimize learning and to keep the time demands manageable (2 to 4 hours per week). We do our best to group students by time zone to facilitate connecting with others in real time.
Evaluation
To receive credit for GCAP 671, students must submit all of the course assignments, achieve a minimum grade of B- (70 percent) on Videos 2 and 3, obtain a pass on the Applied Practice Activities Consent Form and Evaluation, and obtain a composite grade of at least B- (70 percent)on the course. The weighing of the composite grade is as follows:
| Activity | Weight |
| Virtual Lab Consent Form | P/F |
| Virtual Lab Instructor Graded | P/F |
| Video 1: Practice of Engagement and Listening for Client Meaning | 10% |
| Video 2: Responding to and Co-Constructing Meaning | 25% |
| Video 3: Describing Problems and Preferences | 35% |
| Assignment 4: Describing Problems and Preferences: Personalized Application | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
David Pare, The Practice of Collaborative Counseling and Psychotherapy (2013). External tool.