Relationship Mentoring

Adult relationship with self and others lies at the heart of effective family, social, educational and work systems. The core psycho-social unit in society is the family and research consistently shows that the emotions and social maturity of each parent is the main determinant of family well being. The course recognises parenting as a profession and the need for parents to be prepared for this complex and multi-task profession. This two year programme is also designed to enhance other adults’ professional effectiveness and organisational effectiveness by increasing the personal and interpersonal maturity of employees and those in leadership roles. Furthermore the programme is designed to train participants in one-to-one relationship mentoring and in the provision of courses on enhancing relationship for community groups and work organisations. Skills to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse individual and organisational interventions will be developed.

The course is substantially rooted in the theories and practices of psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, sociological theories and experimental psychology.

Year 1 Modules
AP5800: Development Theories and Early Relationships (5 credits)
Jean Piaget's Stage Theory; Erik Erikson's model of Psychosocial Development; John Bowlby's Attachment Theory; Daniel Stern's work on psychological development in infancy; Frank Lake's 'womb as world experience'; D.W. Winnicott's 'good enough parenting'.

AP5821: Young People's Challenging Behaviours (5 credits)
The theories and practices on the origins, creative intentions of and maintenance factors of Children's Challenging Behaviours. Also the development of methods of assessment, intervention and evaluation of intervention strategies.

AP5822: Adults' Challenging Behaviours (5 credits)
The theories and practices on the types, origins and endurance of parents' challenging behaviours; The influence of the unconsciuos and sub-conscious on parents' challenging responses; The creative intentions of parents' defensive reactions; The impact of labelling and medication on the defensive behaviours; the effects of parents' challenging behaviours on their own and on their children's wellbeing; Examination of approaches to parents' challenging responses and the development of problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.

AP5823: The Importance of Play (5 credits)
Psychoanalytic, psychotherapeutic and behavioural understandings of play, types of play, Partan's stages of play and playful parenting.

AP5824: The Teenage Years (5 credits)
The nature of adolescent development; Peer pressure; Communication and adolescence; 'Persistent' versus 'new' problems in living; Adolescent depression and anxiety; Understanding the nature of adolescent inner turmoil; What it takes to guide adolescents towards self-reliance; Key issues in adolescence.

AP5825: Parent Mentoring and Facilitation of Parenting Courses (5 credits)
All mentoring/training starts with self; All parenting starts with how a parent parents self; Mentoring skills; The art of public speaking; Group dynamics; Evaluation methods; The importance of supervision.

Year 2 Modules

AP5801: The Contribution of Psychoanalysis to Adult Relationships (5 credits)
The Oedipal Relationship (Freud); Projection and Introjection (Klein); The Process of Individuation (Carl Jung); The Holding Environment (Winnicott); Current Thinking (Adam Phillips, Neville Symington).

AP5803: Personal and Interpersonal Relationships - The Knowledge Base (5 credits)
Relevant books from reading list for course and the published works of Tony Humphreys along with material prepared by him specifically for this course. Students will be encouraged to source relevant materials for the provision of courses in relationships.

AP5808: Relationships within Work Organisations (5 credits)
Types of organisations; organisational cultures; power within organisations; change theories; the process of change; resistance to change; organisational conflict; methods of conflict resolution; the art of negotiation; types of management; staff relationships.

AP5809: Personal and Interpersonal Relationships - Professional training in Presentation and Facilitation Skills (5 credits)
Group dynamics, conflict assessment and resolution, active listening; listening to inner experience and using it to communicate and facilitate communication; facilitation and presentation practice and feedback.

AP5810: Evaluation of Relationships with different Social Contexts, Observational and Research Skills (5 credits)
Assessment interviews and tools; Observation - objectivity and intersubjectivity, Methodology in the Human Sciences; Staying up to date with current thinking, accessing information.

AP5820: Professional Development Workshops (5 credits)
Case studies, theoretical input and practice of relationship mentoring interventions in different work/social settings.

Applicants should normally hold the Certificate in Interpersonal Communication NFQ Level 7 or equivalent, for example, Foundation in Counselling, Degree in Psychology or Sociology and other allied disciplines.

Applicants will also be interviewed in order to assess suitability for participation in the programme.

Closing Date
18 September 2023

2 years part-time

Start Date: September 2023