Unit rationale, description and aim

The ability to integrate theoretical knowledge into clinical practice is fundamental to the practice of psychology. This is the final specified unit for the Master of Psychology (Clinical) that will enable students to come together for their last semester and bring learnings and challenges from the practicum units.   

The unit is designed as a series of facilitated discussions on key issues that arise in clinical practice. In the final stages of their course, and planning their transition to the workforce, students will have experienced a range of professional issues that impact upon clinical practice. Facilitated discussions provide an experiential environment, where students use reflective practice to understand their barriers to difficult topics and practice responding in a supportive environment. Further, by coming to understand the importance of radical self-care at the individual, collective and relational levels, students will develop and awareness of how to apply the principles of radical self-care. 

The aim of this unit is to facilitate, through reflective practice, development of confidence in dealing with difficult issues that arise within the therapeutic context and to develop a practice of radical selfcare that enhances well-being and reduces burnout. 

2026 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.

Prerequisites

PSYC614 Practicum B AND PSYC662 Clinical Health Psychology and Psychopharmacology AND PSYC663 Advanced Psychotherapeutic Interventions AND PSYC664 Research 1

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Describe the advanced clinical skills needed to ad...

Learning Outcome 01

Describe the advanced clinical skills needed to address complex issues within the context of appropriate professional behaviour and ethical and legal responsibilities of a psychologist.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7, GC11

Solve problems that arise in the therapeutic relat...

Learning Outcome 02

Solve problems that arise in the therapeutic relationship with clients, by having the capacity to communicate clearly and effectively on complex issues.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC10, GC12

Explain the importance of radical self-care in pro...

Learning Outcome 03

Explain the importance of radical self-care in promoting mental health and well-being.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7, GC11

Apply radical self-care principles in their person...

Learning Outcome 04

Apply radical self-care principles in their personal and professional lives, recognising the intersections of social justice, power dynamics, and individual agency.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC12

Content

Topics will include:

Reflective Practice:

  • Managing aggression 
  • Talking about sex  
  • Time  
  • Issues around payment 
  • Transference/Countertransference  
  • How to use supervision to enhance reflective practice 
  • How issues and privilege and social justice impact clinical practice 

Radical Self-Care:

  •  5 C's of mental health: Connection, Coping, Calmness, Care, and Compassion. 
  • Self-awareness, being aware of own needs 
  • Asserting boundaries 


Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment strategy for this unit allows students to collaborate and demonstrate their acquisition and critical reflective skills and radical selfcare strategies. All assessment tasks in this unit are hurdle tasks because in order to address complex psychological disorders effectively, students must demonstrate an appropriate level of competence across all learning outcomes. The written presentation is designed to enable students to consolidate knowledge of complex issues in therapy development. The oral presentation is designed to give students skills in discussing with others how to manage complex issues. The reflective journal will enable students to apply functional skills in reflective practice and radical self-care over the duration of the unit.   

To pass this unit, students are required to attend and participate in a minimum of 80% of the classes and must demonstrate achievement of every unit learning outcome and pass all assessment tasks. If students fail their original submission (i.e., first attempt) they are provided with one additional opportunity to pass the assessment task (i.e., second attempt). If the student passes the second attempt, they will receive a pass grade for that task.

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1 - Written Presentation Enables...

Assessment Task 1 - Written Presentation

Enables students to construct and communicate concisely the issues involved in selected topic of clinical practice.  

Weighting

Hurdle (Pass/Fail)

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO3
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7

Assessment Task 2 - Oral Presentation Enables st...

Assessment Task 2 - Oral Presentation

Enables students to verbally communicate and facilitate a discussion of the issues involved in a complex topic related to clinical practice in a class setting.

Weighting

Hurdle (Pass/Fail)

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO4
Graduate Capabilities GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC12

Assessment Task 3 - Reflective Journal Enables s...

Assessment Task 3 - Reflective Journal

Enables students to demonstrate competence in reflective practice across a range of challenging situations

Weighting

Hurdle (Pass/Fail)

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC11

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit is offered in attendance mode because face-to-face attendance is the most effective way of engaging discussion of complex topics in a supportive way and further reflects how the majority of clinical work is conducted.  The teaching and learning strategy will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner and emerging practitioner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within class discussions and activities. This unit uses an active learning approach to support students to develop skills and insight that can be applied to themselves. Students are required to attend and participate in facilitated class discussion and will be expected to contribute examples from their own experience.  

Representative texts and references

Cozolino, Louis, J. (2004). The making of a therapist: A practical guide for the inner journey. W.W. Norton & Company.   

Gale C, & Schröder T. Experiences of self-practice/self-reflection in cognitive behavioural therapy: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Psychological Psychotherapy. 2014 Dec;87(4):373-92. doi: 10.1111/papt.12026. Epub 2014 Mar 28. PMID: 24677534. 

Gilbert, P., & Simos, G. (Eds.). (2022). Compassion focused therapy: Clinical practice and applications. Routledge. 

Hersh, M. A. (2022). The Thriving Therapist : Sustainable Self-Care to Prevent Burnout and Enhance Well-Being. American Psychological Association.

Kolts, R. L., Bell, T., Bennett-Levy, J., & Irons, C. (2018). Experiencing compassion-focused therapy from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists. Guilford Publications. 

McWilliams, N. (2004). Psychoanalytic psychotherapy: A practitioner's guide. The Guilford Press. 

Scharff, J. S. (Ed.). (2014). Clinical supervision of psychoanalytic psychotherapy (1st ed.). Karnac Books Ltd.

Straker, G., Burton, R., & Geeves, A. (Hosts). (2021-present). Three Associating Podcast, Adventures in Relational Psychoanalytic Supervision. Apple Podcasts. https://threeassociating.com/episodes/  

Teyber, E. (2011). Interpersonal process in therapy: An integrative model (6th ed.). Brooks.

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