CURRICULUM

• Diploma of Professional Counselling
• Diploma of Counselling Practice
• Addictions Worker Certificate
• Family Support Worker Certificate
• Career Exploration & Development Skills Certificate

*All Programs are offered ON-CAMPUS and by
DISTANCE EDUCATION

VCCT is now affiliated with Westbrook University, West Virginia, USA.

Westbrook University has agreed to evaluate and apply VCCT's coursework from the Diploma of Professional Counselling towards a Bachelor of Arts in Clinical Counselling. Transcripts from VCCT will be reviewed individually as part of the registration process. For further information please call VCCT and/or check out the University at www.westbrooku.edu

Diploma of Professional Counselling (52 weeks)

Courses listed below include 10 required and 6 elective courses and can be taken on campus or by either distance education or unless indicated otherwise. Additional certificates and diploma programs are described in the VCCT catalogue. A Certificate is given upon completion of each course. Courses and programs may change to remain current with professional standards.

Ten Required Courses:

1. Personal and Professional Development
2. Models of Counselling
3. Case Study Approaches to Models of Counselling
4. Clinical Counselling Skills I
5. Advanced Counselling Skills
6. Integrated Counselling Skills
7. Psychosocial Development
8. Introduction to Psychopathology
9. Sexual Abuse Counselling
10. Substance Abuse Counselling

Six Elective Courses:

1. Introduction to Cognitive-Behavioural Counselling
2. Introduction to Family Counselling
3. Gestalt Counselling Skills
4. Group Process & Support Skills
5. Listening, Asserting & Resolving Conflict
6. Loss and Grief Counselling

Elective Courses listed below (available by distance learning),
may substitute for the above elective courses and are offered on campus depending upon enrollment.

1. Aboriginal Counselling Skills
2. Clinical Art Therapy
3. Counselling Employment Search
4. Chronic Illness Counselling
5. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
6. Counselling Practice Development
7. Case Study Approaches to Career Counselling
8. Case Study Approaches to Family Counselling
9. Counselling of Eating Disorders
10. Family Violence Counselling
11. Family of Origin Explorations
12. Gambling Addiction Counselling (on-campus only)
13. Issues in Cross-Cultural Counselling
14. Introduction to Counselling Seniors
15. Introduction to Career Counselling
16. Issues in Prison Release
17. Pharmacology for Counsellors
18. Personal & Professional Development of the Counsellor
19. Specialized Approaches to Sexual Abuse Counselling
20. Suicide & Crisis Intervention Skills
21. Specialized Approaches to Substance Abuse Counselling

(Distance education and on-campus programs)

Diploma of Counselling Practice

The Diploma of Counselling Practice is awarded upon completion of 24 months of reporting counselling sessions with clients seen in a private practice or agency setting in any location world-wide, and conferencing with an approved Clinical Supervisor. For other requirements, please request and review the Course Catalogue by submitting your background information on the Admission page.

Addictions Worker Certificate (24 Weeks)

This program is designed to introduce students to theory and skills that are applicable to working in various community support positions with substance abuse issues and populations. The program is available in both On-Campus and Distance Education formats. Courses are in-depth with 60 hours of classroom time in each which is almost double the usual number of hours in University courses. Courses are taught by experienced therapists who have specialized knowledge of substance abuse, its management and treatment. Each course is also designed to offer students the opportunity for extensive experiential learning through hands-on skill practice which facilitates the generalization of skills to real world settings after graduation. The program exposes the student to a range of models of substance abuse etiology and intervention that includes individual, family, community, and cultural factors. In addition to earning the Addictions Worker Certificate students may also apply these credits to earning the full VCCT Diploma in Professional Counselling should they chose to take additional courses. Due to demand enrollment may be limited in this popular specialization so plan for registration early if interested.

Courses Include:

1. Personal & Professional Development of the Counsellor
2. Substance Abuse Counselling
3. Clinical Counselling Skills
4. Introduction to Family Counselling
5. Pharmacology for Counsellors
6. Introduction to Cognitive-Behavioural Counselling
7. Special Approaches to Substance Abuse Counselling
8. Group Process & Support Skills

Family Support Worker Certificate (24 Weeks)

This program is designed to introduce students to theory and skills that are applicable to working in various community support positions with a wide range of family needs and issues. The program is available in both On-campus and Distance Education formats. Courses are in-depth with 60 hours of classroom time in each which is almost double the usual number of hours in University courses. Courses are taught by experienced therapists who have specialized experience and knowledge of family issues, dynamics, and treatment. Each course is also designed to offer students the opportunity for extensive experiential learning through hands-on skill practice which facilitates the generalization of skills to real world settings after graduation. The program introduces the student to the issues that today's families are most commonly found to be struggling with. Courses include: Family Communication, Marital Conflict, Step-Family Dynamics, Family Violence, Addiction and Abuse Issues, Parenting and Childcare, Special Needs Children, Behavioral Management, Adolescent Issues, and more. In addition to earning a Family Support Worker Certificate students may also apply these credits to earning the full VCCT Diploma of Professional Counselling should they chose to take additional courses. Please note that enrollment may be limited due to demand so apply early if interested.

Courses Include:

1. Personal & Professional Development of the Counsellor
2. Introduction to Family Counselling
3. Clinical Counselling Skills
4. Family Violence
5. Listening, Asserting & Resolving Conflict
6. Substance Abuse Counselling
7. Loss & Grief Counselling
8. Case Study Approaches to Family Counselling

Career Exploration & Development Skills Certificate (18 weeks)

The Career Exploration & Development Skills Certificate is designed to allow students to both explore their own career development as well as become familiar with current career counselling research, concepts, and employment facilitation skills. Students will be trained to a level of competence enabling them to provide a variety of approaches to career exploration and employment counselling applicable across different community settings. It is available in both on-campus and distance education formats. Courses are in-depth with 60 hours of classroom time in each which is about double the time in similar university courses. This extra time allows for a high level of hands on skill practice. Courses are taught by experienced counsellors who have specialized knowledge in this area. The program exposes students to a wide range of contemporary models of career exploration and counselling techniques applicable to a variety of populations and cultural groups. In addition, earning the Career Exploration & Development Skills Certificate also allows students to apply credits earned in this certificate toward other VCCT diplomas should students want to further their counselling education and skills.

Courses Include:

1. Introduction to Career Counselling
2. Clinical Counselling Skills I
3. Listening, Asserting & Resolving Conflict
4. Advanced Counselling Skills
5. Case Study Approaches to Career Counselling
6. Integrative Counselling Skills