Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy Studies

Summary

The Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy Studies is your first step. It can prepare you for further study in the Master of Psychotherapy.

The Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy Studies is designed for health professionals and volunteers, as well as individuals interested in becoming a psychotherapist and focused on a detailed understanding of human experience and behaviour. It’s the first stage of AUT’s integrated psychotherapy programme that leads to qualification as a beginning psychotherapist.

Graduates who go on to complete the Master of Psychotherapy can apply for provisional membership of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists and under an interim scope of practice with the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand.

What you study:

Psychotherapy Studies papers

Explore the theory and foundation skills of psychotherapy, and develop an understanding of human experience and human behaviour.
There’s an emphasis on self-awareness and experiential learning, so you learn to understand your own processes of interaction and develop effective communication skills.

Complete the following papers

MENH602 Mental Health and Psychopathology
PSYT701 Psychosocial Life Review
PSYT702 Social and Cultural Analysis
PSYT706 Psychotherapy Practice Skills
PSYT707 Relational Psychotherapy
PSYT712 Reflexivity and Relational Skills

There is also a requirement that you engage in your own personal psychotherapy during the course of study.

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Studies papers

The Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy papers are designed for health professionals, teachers, youth workers and individuals who have extensive experience of working with children and who have a strong interest in becoming a specialist child and adolescent psychotherapist. Papers provide you with in-depth knowledge of observational studies, infant and child development and a strong theoretical framework from which to progress towards the clinical component of this training.

Currently this is the only specialist child and adolescent psychotherapy training on offer in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Offered in Semester 1 only (starts February).

Graduates who go on to further postgraduate clinical study with children and adolescents will be expected to apply for student membership of the New Zealand Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists, and under an interim scope of practice (working with children) with the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Papers you can study

Choose eight 15-point papers including at least four of the five listed below, with the rest from a related programme, subject to the approval of the programme leader.

PSYT701 Psychosocial Life Review
PSYT702 Social and Cultural Analysis
PSYT708 Infant Observation
PSYT709 Child and Adolescent Work Discussion
PSYT710 Psychoanalytic Concepts
PSYT711 Psychoanalytic Theory
PSYT712 Reflexivity and Relational Skills

This includes the requirement that you engage in your own weekly personal psychotherapy for the duration of this course of study.