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Course Outline

COU300 Counselling for Crisis, Trauma and Loss

Course Coordinator:Shannon Hodges (jhodges1@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2025Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

UniSC Fraser Coast

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

 Online You can do this course without coming onto campus.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Crisis intervention, trauma counselling, and grief support all require a specific set of counselling skills that span a continuum of therapeutic strategies that are part of this course. After being introduced to evidence-based crisis intervention models and techniques, you will be introduced to common disorders resultant from experiencing trauma, as well as best practice intervention techniques for working with trauma generally, and with diverse populations.  Finally, you will also be introduced to current models and frameworks of working with grief, practicing your grief counselling skills.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Learning materials embedded in the LMS each week that equates to 1 hour of learning. In respect for UDL principles, a number of diverse activities will be included to cater for different learners, as well as encourage peer collaboration. 1hr Week 1 10 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – on campus tutorial to encourage the application of skills and knowledge introduced in the online learning materials for the week, via class activities Week 10 tutorial will be via zoom to demonstrate telehealth principles. 2hrs Week 4 10 times
Seminar – Online learning activity facilitated by tutor. 1hr Refer to Format 3 times
Online
Learning materials – Learning materials embedded in the LMS each week that equates to 1 hour of learning. In respect for UDL principles, a number of diverse activities will be included to cater for different learners, as well as encourage peer collaboration. 1hr Week 1 10 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – online tutorial to encourage the application of skills and knowledge introduced in the online learning materials for the week. Students enrolled in AR375 or SA306 are NOT permitted to enrol in this offering. 2hrs Week 4 10 times
Seminar – Online learning activity facilitated by the tutor 1hr Refer to Format 3 times

Course Topics

Mature content across all course topics:

  • Introduction and Working with People in Crisis
  • Crisis Intervention Models (Hybrid and ABC)
  • Basic Skills of Crisis Intervention
  • Disaster and Psychological First Aid / Risk Assessment
  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Recovery Models & Trauma-Informed Care
  • Evidence based interventiions for Trauma
  • Grief & Loss Models
  • Counselling for Loss and Grief – 1
  • Counselling for Loss and Grief – 2
  • Post Traumatic Growth
  • Culturally Effective Helping for Trauma and Grief
  • Counsellor Self Care

Mature Content

Adult themes

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Demonstrate a sound understanding of the current theories and models that inform trauma work Knowledgeable
2 Compare contemporary models of grief, illustrating a knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of each Creative and critical thinker
3 Effectively role play a contemporary evidence based intervention for trauma or grief, incorporating trauma informed principles to address health and wellbeing of populations served by counsellors. Ethical
4 Demonstrate knowledge of how to work with trauma and grief with diverse populations Ethical
5 Understand the ethical considerations when working with people suffering trauma and/or grief Ethical
6 Effectively demonstrate oral and written communication skills, complying with accepted APA 7th ed. conventions. Creative and critical thinker

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

(COU180 or SCS180) and (COU265 or SCS265 or SWK202) and enrolled in Program SA306, AR375, AR372, AR362, AR303, AR302, AB101.

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

SCS266

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Timely and detailed feedback is provided for each assessment. Feedback is provided both within text and general comments to build scholarly skills. Students are able to seek feedback through face-to-face discussion with the course coordinator. Tutorials will include extended discussion and review of the assessment task requirements and scope.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Activity Participation Individual 10% 
Minimum 16 hours of tutorial participation
 Refer to Format In Class
All 2 Quiz/zes Individual 10% 
20 ques / 30 minutes
 Week 4 Online Test (Quiz)
All 3 Creative Performance, and Written Piece Individual 40% 
Pecha Kucha Presentations are defined as 20 slides, each for 20 seconds, which together satisfy the learning objectives of this assessment.
 Week 7 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 4 Practical / Laboratory Skills, and Written Piece Individual 40% 
15-minute role play/1500 words
 Week 13 Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Participation
Goal: 
Students will participate in a minimum of 80% of their on-campus tutorials. Failure to participate will result in a failed grade for this task.
Product: Activity Participation
Format: 
Participation is assessed across all tutorials
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate professional dispositions through tutorial participation
 5
Generic Skills: 
Organisation
All - Assessment Task 2:Online Quiz
Goal: 
Early assessment to assess students comprehension of crisis theory and skills
Product: Quiz/zes
Format: 
16 x Multiple Choice and 4 x True/False questions
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate a sound understanding of crisis models, and intervention skills appropriate for a mental health professional.
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Trauma and Diversity: A Pecha Kucha Presentation
Goal: 
Students are to orally present the findings of independent research on best practice when working with members of the diverse community who are suffering from trauma and/or associated complications.
Product: Creative Performance, and Written Piece
Format: 
Following approved PechaKucha presentation conventions (www.pechakucha.com), students will prepare and record a standard pecha kucha according to a topic to be prescribed on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate contemporary understanding of trauma
 1
2 
Demonstrate contemporary understanding of evidence based interventions for trauma and its complications
 1
3 
Effectively apply current models and treatments of trauma to diverse population members.
 4
4 
Demonstrate understanding of working with trauma in a trauma-informed manner.
 5
5 
Demonstrate ability to effectively communicate learnings in an accepted pecha kucha format
 6
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 4:Recorded Role Play/Brief Critique
Goal: 
Students to demonstrate their skills when working with people suffering grief and loss, via recorded role play and critical reflection.
Product: Practical / Laboratory Skills, and Written Piece
Format: 
Students are to demonstrate thier understanding and ability to apply foundational counselling skills within an accepted therapeutic framework for working with grief.
This role play will be recorded as an MP4 file to be uploaded into canvas.
Students are to have a signed consent form before recording.
Students to follow assignment guidelines closely, to ensure the role play is set up following trauma-informed principles. 
Students are permitted to use peers, friends or family members as the "role play client" with conditions (outlined in canvas).
Using accepted reflective critique format (incorporating an accepted critical reflection model) and mini-essay structure, students are to critique their own recorded role play on one or two aspects of the recording that did not go so well, why, and their learning from reflecting on this.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate ability to authentically create a safe person-centered informed space for someone experiencing grief, in the first session within a 15-minute timeframe.
 5
2 
Demonstrate understanding of the five components of Grief Support
 3
3 
Demonstrate understanding and authentic application of the most appropriate task of morning for your role play
 3
4 
Ability to demonstrate these skills in a visually and aurally clear recording
 6
5 
Demonstrate knowledge of grief models to diverse populations.
 2
6 
Demonstrate written communication skills using APA Style, 7th Ed.
 6
Generic Skills: 
Problem solving, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Mike Dubi,J. Eric Gentry,Patrick Powell 2017 Trauma, Ptsd, Grief & Loss n/a PESI publishing

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.
The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au
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