11 ECVET/ECTS / EQF Level 7 / 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th year of study – IP
Module Description:
This module focuses on the process of personal growth and development of the therapist, emphasising the importance of self-exploration, reflection, and the continuous development of emotional maturity, as well as a deepened understanding of one’s own emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal processes, which are essential for building the professional identity of a psychotherapist. Through experiential methods, personal psychotherapy, group processes, and reflective practices, participants work on becoming aware of their patterns, boundaries, and emotional responses in both private and therapeutic settings. Future psychotherapists undergo an intensive process of personal therapy, group experiences, and supervised reflections, enabling them to develop a professional identity, authenticity, and the capacity to lead therapeutic processes with empathy.
The module includes:
- Personal Growth and Development – individual and group therapy as a fundamental segment of professional growth.
- Group processes – working on interpersonal dynamics and understanding group interaction (working on one’s own communication and relationship patterns through interaction with colleagues).
- Individual psychotherapy – experiential learning through the personal therapeutic process
- Self-reflection and introspective work – developing awareness of one’s own emotional reactions and understanding the therapist’s internal processes and their impact on working with clients.
- Boundaries and therapist responsibility – understanding professional boundaries and personal capacities for working in the sensitive areas of child and adolescent psychotherapy.
- Development of professional identity and authenticity – integration of personal experiences into the therapist’s professional style.
- Empathy and emotional regulation – understanding and managing one’s own emotions in a professional context.
- Building resilience and preventing burnout and empathic burnout– strategies for self-care, balancing professional and private life, and strengthening internal resources.
- Ethics and personal boundaries – understanding professional boundaries and responsibilities in the therapeutic role.
Learning Outcomes:
Competencies
By the end of the module, students will be able to:
a) Engage in continuous work on their own emotional and professional development through individual and group reflection.
b) Recognise and manage personal emotional reactions in the therapeutic context.
c) Develop an authentic therapeutic style in accordance with professional and ethical standards.
Knowledge
By the end of the module, students will have gained:
a) An understanding of the process of personal development and its role in the professional competence of the therapist.
b) Knowledge of strategies for preventing burnout and emotional exhaustion in psychotherapy.
c) Awareness of boundaries in therapeutic work and the importance of self-care as a therapist.
Skills
By the end of the module, students will have developed:
a) The ability for reflective thinking and analysis of their own behaviour patterns in professional interactions.
b) The skill of emotional regulation when working with children, adolescents, and their families.
c) The competence to build a safe, empathetic, and authentic therapeutic relationship with clients.
Assessment of Knowledge and Competencies:
The module is assessed through:
– Self-reflective essays and professional development journals
– Group discussions on processes of personal growth and professional identity
– Evaluation of participation in individual and group therapeutic processes
Total Learning Hours:
| Total learning hours: 330 hours | Independent study and reflection: 20 hours |
| Contact hours (individual and group therapy): 260 hours | Knowledge assessment (essays, evaluations, reflective journal): 50 hours |