Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy

Commencing in September each year, the four-year MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy is currently the flagship programme for Turning Point™ Institute. At TPI, we believe in the ability of the individual to actualise within a developmental and transpersonal framework and be guided by their own ability to effect change. Our integrative approach is embedded within a humanistic framework and informed by the transpersonal approach of Psychosynthesis and the developmental insights of a psychodynamic approach. This unique synthesis infuses all aspects of the course: through experiential training, clinical practice, supervision and theoretical teaching and research. A key aim of the course is to enable students to develop their own approach to integration, both for themselves and for the practice of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Recognising the co-created nature of the Psychotherapeutic relationship, involving the person of the therapist as well as the client, we place special emphasis on developing self-reflexive practice.

We at Turning Point Institute believe that the qualities and skills required to 'teach' Counselling and Psychotherapy are complex and unique, and that life-long learning and self-development are central to individual and professional development. Graduates of Turning Point™ Institute are respected and welcomed throughout the profession.

The Professional Training Programme is accredited/recognised by the following professional bodies:

• The Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP)

• The Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP)

• The Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)

• The European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP)

• The European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy (EAIP)

Theory
Our integrative approach is embedded within a Humanistic framework and informed by the transpersonal approach of Psychosynthesis and the developmental insights of a Psychodynamic orientation. These main modalities are underpinned with modules in; the Practice of Psychotherapy, Personality and Developmental Psychology, Psychiatry and Research.

Practice
Skills Training takes place mainly in small groups. Once students have successfully passed the Year 2 Modules and are deemed "Fit to Practice", they begin to see clients from May/June, at the end of Year 2. Students cannot begin to see clients until all modules in the year have been passed.

The Institute will make every effort to support students in finding a suitable placement. However they cannot guarantee to provide students with clients. Students are therefore ultimately responsible for finding their own placements/clients.

Clinical Placements and Supervision
Having received their results at the end of Year 2, students are required to begin to practice in suitable clinical placements. They will receive assistance in this regard from the Turning Point™ Institute Placement Coordinator. Turning Point™ Institute will contract with placements in relation to: the screening of potential clients, provision of appropriate clients, development of an appropriate 'termination' plan for student's caseload at the end of the placement, referral of any disciplinary issues with the student/trainee to TPI, and the completion of Referral, Intake and Client/Trainee Therapist Contract forms. Any issues arising for the students in relation to their placement are referred in the first place to the Placement Coordinator. Some placements and agencies have internal case management. This is entirely separate from the students' Clinical Supervision. Payment for clinical supervision is included in the course fees, in Years 3 and 4.

Dissertation Supervision (year 4 students)
During Year 4 students are provided with Academic Supervisors by TPI. Payment for this supervision is included in the course fees.

Personal Therapy
Students are required to undertake their own personal therapy weekly (for a minimum of 40 hours a year) during Years 2, 3 and 4 of the course. To allow students time to find and settle with a therapist, a minimum of 20 hours is required in Year 1 but students are encouraged to attend weekly. Lists of accredited members of the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP), a section of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP) and Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) are available from their offices/websites. Students are responsible for their own personal therapy fees. Personal therapy is mandatory but is not assessed. Students must submit a record of personal therapy hours, signed by their therapist, at the end of each academic year.

Group Process
Students engage in specific group process throughout the four year course. Process work is also incorporated in the Skills Training and some other Modules.

Student/Client Contact and Supervision
Students must have completed a minimum of one hundred supervised client contact hours in Year 3 and a further one hundred hours in Year 4.

On successful completion of the full four-year programme (100 credits), UCC awards candidates an MSc in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy.

Students should consult the following link regarding Marks and Standards: http://www.ucc.ie/admin/registrar/marksandstandards/

Upon completion of the 4 year Professional Training Programme and the passing of 70 credits, students can apply to be conferred with an award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. A student who subsequently applies to continue to Masters level and complete the dissertation must do so within 5 years of receiving the Postgraduate Diploma.

Professional Accreditation
The 4-year professional training course is accredited by the European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP) and recognised by the European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy (EAIP) as having met their training standard requirements. Students who successfully graduate from the four-year course will be eligible to apply for the European Certificate of Psychotherapy (ECP) and the European Certificate of Integrative Psychotherapy (ECIP).

The 4-Year MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy is accredited by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, IACP

The 4-year Diploma in Integrative Clinical Psychotherapy is recognized by the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy, IAHIP (ICP/ EAP). In order to meet their requirements, students must successfully complete all four years.

1 Prospective students should have a Level 8 Honours Degree (at least a 2.2 or equivalent).

2 Prospective students who do not possess a primary degree may gain entry through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). RPL students will be assessed on a case-by-case basis through the presentation of a 3,000 word essay and a 1,000 word book review which will be examined and marked by an external examiner. The fee for this will be €150 and must be borne by the applicant. If they attain a mark of 40% or more they will then be called for interview.

Prospective students will be called for interview, the purpose of which is to ascertain whether the person has the necessary qualities, both academic and personal, to undertake a professional training programme in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Interviews are usually carried out by two members of faculty. The offer of a place on the programme is contingent upon the applicant completing a successful interview. Supporting documentary evidence of qualifications will be required when offered a place on the course

Selection for Interview
Those selected for interview will normally have a minimum of 5 years post-graduate experience. Pre-graduate experience will be considered.

Application Form
Interested prospective students are required to complete a detailed application form, including 300 words on their motivation for applying for this course.

Assessment is based on attendance, course work and clinical requirements and includes written work and skills development. There is no formal written examination. Each student in training is considered as an individual on an individual journey. Students are assessed each year and progress on from year to year only when they have met all the requirements to date, including the clinical requirements. An external examiner is involved in assessment for all years. An appeals procedure operates.

The part-time MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy runs over four academic years from the date of first registration for the programme. Students take modules to a total value of 100 credits. Students take taught modules to the value of 60 credits over three years incorporating approximately 640 hours of structured contact time. Lectures and experiential group learning take place over 8/9 three-day weekends during the academic year. Students take a second Clinical Supervision module ( 10 credits) in year 4. A Research Dissertation (30 credits) is submitted in the Summer of Year 4.

Time Commitment:
One weekend each month for 8 (or 9) months.

September/October to May/June each year.

Year 1
Fridays: 1.30pm - 8.30pm
Saturdays: 10.00am - 6.00pm
Sundays: 10.00am - 6.00pm

Year 2
Fridays: 1.30pm - 8.30pm
Saturdays: 10.00am - 6.00pm
Sundays: 10.00am - 6.00pm

Year 3
Fridays: 1.30pm - 8.30pm
Saturdays: 10.00am - 6.00pm or 8.00pm
Sundays: 10.00am - 6.00pm

Year 4 (subject to change)
Fridays: 2.00pm - 6.00pm or 10.00am - 6.00pm
Saturdays: 10.00am - 6.00pm
Sundays: 10.00am - 6.00pm

In addition to the above, all students are required to:

• Attend fortnightly Clinical Supervision (Years 3 and 4)

• Attend regular Academic Supervision (Year 4)

• Engage in peer Counselling weekly (Year 2) including during the
summer breaks

• Attend a 2 hour study group approximately once a month including
during the summer breaks

• Attend personal therapy weekly during the four years of the course

There is a non-refundable application fee of €150.

For RPL students who are short-listed to the second round of selection there is an additional non-refundable fee of €150.

A non-refundable deposit of €2,000 must be paid on acceptance of a place on the course. The balance of fees must be paid in full before commencement of the first weekend of the course year. A separate annual registration fee of €250 plus vat is payable to UCC.

The fee for Year 1 2019/20 is €6,600 (this does not include the fee for registration). Fees for Years 2, 3 & 4 are available on request.

Fees may increase from year to year.

The course is eligible for tax relief under section 473A, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997. For further information contact your Regional Revenue Office or visit the Revenue's website www.revenue.ie.

Commencing October 2020

On successful completion of the full four-year programme (100 credits), UCC awards candidates an MSc in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy.

Students should consult the following link regarding Marks and Standards: http://www.ucc.ie/admin/registrar/marksandstandards/

Upon completion of the 4 year Professional Training Programme and the passing of 70 credits, students can apply to be conferred with an award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. A student who subsequently applies to continue to Masters level and complete the dissertation must do so within 5 years of receiving the Postgraduate Diploma.

Professional accreditation
The 4-year professional training course is accredited by the European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP) and recognised by the European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy (EAIP) as having met their training standard requirements. Students who successfully graduate from the four-year course will be eligible to apply for the European Certificate of Psychotherapy (ECP) and the European Certificate of Integrative Psychotherapy (ECIP).

The 4-year Diploma in Integrative Clinical Psychotherapy is recognized by the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy, IAHIP (ICP/EAP). In order to meet their requirements, students must successfully complete all four years.