Overview
GCAP 682: Counselling Practicum II provides learners with the second semester of an extensive practicum experience (GCAP 681 provides the first semester of the Counselling Practicum experience). GCAP 682 introduces learners to counselling practice, with a specific focus on the application of counselling skills in a supervised applied practice context. As learners move through the practicum course, they will have an opportunity to integrate content (i.e., counselling theories, ethics, cultural diversity) that they have learned in previous GCAP courses, including GCAP 681, into applied practice; increase skills in managing workplace demands in counselling agencies; and continue to build the foundation for lifelong professional development and reflective practice.
The practicum placement includes direct service experience in both individual counselling and group work. The GCAP 682 course work compliments the clinical supervision provided at the practicum site by addressing a range of issues related to counselling practice. Through both field placement and course activities, learners will become familiar with a variety of professional activities (e.g., record keeping, supervision, referral processes, collaboration, and professional development) and variety of professional resources (e.g., assessment and intervention processes, a wide range of professional resources, and research). Ongoing development as a practicum student and as a counselling professional is a primary focus throughout the course. The assignments and learning activities are designed to facilitate development of essential competencies in the counselling profession.
There will be synchronous Virtual Intensive Seminars (VIS) in Weeks 9 through 11 in which learners present their counselling work to their instructor and peers for consultation and evaluation. Participation in the VIS in their entirety is required.
Outline
The course is divided into 13 weeks and is structured as follows:
- Week 1: Revisiting Counselling Frameworks
- Week 2: Self Care
- Week 3: Vicarious Traumatization and Secondary Traumatic Stress
- Week 4: Revisiting Culture in Counselling Practice and Supervision
- Week 5: Navigating Larger Systems (Collaboration)
- Week 6: Dealing with Therapeutic “Failures”
- Week 7: Learning from Clients
- Week 8: Preparing for Termination of the Counselling Relationship
- Week 9: Preparation for Virtual Intensive Seminar
- Week 10: Virtual Intensive Seminar
- Week 11: Virtual Intensive Seminar Debrief
- Week 12: Therapist Factors Revisited
- Week 13: Course Reflections and Summary
Evaluation
GCAP 682: Counselling Practicum II will be graded based on the satisfactory completion of all course activities, with the percentage weighting of each activity as indicated. Learners must obtain an average grade of 70% overall on components graded by percentage in order to pass the course.
In addition, in order receive credit for completing GCAP 682 learners must obtain: a fully completed satisfactory Summative Practicum Evaluation by the Practicum Supervisor in Typhon, and a record 400 completed Practicum hours (completed across GCAP 681 and GCAP 682) that includes completion of a minimum of 200 direct client contact hours as verified by the Practicum Supervisor in Typhon.
Course Assignments
The assessment structure for GCAP 682 Counselling Practicum II is based on the following course activities:
| Activity | Weight |
| Participation in Online Discussions | 25% |
| Assignment 1: Reflective Edublog | 20% |
| Assignment 2: Case Conceptualization and Presentation | 30% |
| Assignment 3: Theoretical and Metatheoretical Positioning Paper | 25% |
| Summative Practicum Evaluation | Pass/Fail |
| Total | 100% |
Materials
All course materials are available online.
Other Course Requirements
Attendance at practicum intensives: Students participating in GCAP 682 Counselling Practicum II are required to attend the Virtual Intensive Seminar (VIS) in Week 10. The VIS is held via synchronous video meetings, with four full days scheduled in that week (for a total of 24 hours of live video conference). Learners are required to attend the VIS in its entirety, and learners who do not attend the entire VIS will be required to withdraw from the course and discontinue their practicum.
Video recording of work with clients: Each learner has the option to present one video recording of their work with a client at the VIS.