Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy MSc

Birkbeck, University of London

COURSE OVERVIEW

There are many different types of counselling, each based on their own concepts and orientations.

Psychodynamic counselling offers a model for understanding the human personality and how it develops, our network of relationships and how we interact with others, how psychological problems may originate and the repetitive patterns that maintain them, and how personal change takes place.

Our MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy establishes an understanding of psychoanalytic-based theory and covers the technical processes of counselling, while developing the personal and professional awareness required for effective practice as defined by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

By the end of the course, you will have the ability to work as a psychodynamic counsellor or psychotherapist at an appropriate professional standard. You will understand, and know how to use, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic principles to increase knowledge of theory and practice, of personality development, and of the institutional and group influences on personal development.

You will possess high-level skills in thinking psychodynamically about counselling issues, and making professional communications about counselling work, and display a capacity for self-reflection, especially knowledge of your inner world and how it impacts on counselling work, and your role in groups and institutions.

This course benefits from group relations conferences as a way to explore the impact of group and organisational dynamics on individual behaviour and experience.

CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY

Graduates can pursue career paths in counselling, human resources or education. Possible professions include:

counsellor

psychotherapist

careers adviser

human resources officer

market researcher.