92167 Foundations of Helping and Caring

Handbook description

Part 1: Interpersonal and Counselling Skills.

Part 2: Psychosocial Foundations of Health, Illness and Disability.

This subject facilitates the development of essential interpersonal and helping skills required for the practice of TCM. The subject introduces students to approaches to understanding people and models of health and health care from the Western perspectives. Particular focus is given to the psychosocial factors that contribute to and maintain illness and disability and to therapeutic approaches and strategies to restore and facilitate wellbeing and coping. The meeting places between Western and Eastern philosophies, understandings, practices and influences are explored.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. appreciate the contributions of western psychology theories to understanding human behaviour
2. examine therapeutic approaches and modalities derived from the western traditions
3. identify the helping process and provide an overview of effective interpersonal communication, counselling skills and relationship building
4. incorporate effective communication skills, exploratory skills and structuring skills into the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
5. examine the nature of stress and the relationship between the individual's perception of illness and the ability to cope with stress
6. examine the psychological nature of pain and discuss various approaches to pain management
7. examine the psychological effects of chronic illness on the individual and family.

Content

Major theoretical foundations

The subject begins with an introduction to the discipline of psychology and some of the major schools of psychological thought: psychoanalytic, behaviourist, cognitive, humanist, transpersonal and Jungian. Concepts of psychological health, illness and illness behaviour will be discussed and selected therapeutic modalities and psychotherapies introduced.

The helping process

Health professionals need to employ effective communication and relationship building skills to facilitate the well-being of their clients. Counselling and micro skills required for the development of a therapeutic client/therapist relationship will be introduced.

Application of selected therapeutic modalities

Health and illness are often finely balanced and influenced by a person's health beliefs, lifestyle and health behaviours. Therapeutic modalities from western psychology provide another approach for the treatment of some conditions seen by TCM practitioners, such as chronic pain, stress management, and long-term illness. Consideration is given to the impact of distress and disease on the person and on the family and family functioning, the promotion of individual coping mechanisms and to the incorporation of western modalities into TCM practice.