This unit will assist students to build skills, knowledge and attitudes in research methods in psychotherapy, mental health and trauma-informed care. This learning will provide a foundation for appraisal and design of psychosocial research and further scholarship in the area. The student will gain an understanding of a range of research approaches including the case study, qualitative and quantitative methods, mixed methods approaches, linguistic and dyadic research and the applications of these methods to epidemiological, process and outcome research. The student will also develop and demonstrate critical thinking that considers philosophical approaches, analytic investigation and reflective practice in psychotherapy. The student will be able to describe the research cycle and its use in developing a research project. The student will apply the concepts to critical appraisal of journal articles and synthesise learning by proposing a research project. This unit provides the initial foundation for the treatise that students need to complete as part of their training in the Conversational Model of Psychotherapy. It will assist students from a wide range of disciplines who wish to conduct research on psychotherapy, mental health and trauma-informed care.

This unit provides an opportunity, when followed by Critiquing Contemporary Practice B (PSTY5212) for the development of critical thinking in relation to psychotherapy theory, research and practice. It is the first of 2 sequential units, each of one semester, and is intended to be followed up by Critiquing Contemporary Practice B (PSTY5212) to critically review historical and contemporary psychodynamic practice and compare and contrast other approaches with that of the Conversational Model. Psychodynamic practice has in the past been accused of being a closed theory, not open to being disproved or to new evidence. Contemporary practice needs to be highly responsive to information from neuroscience, developmental research, linguistics and other psychosocial research and mental health research. However, research needs to be thoughtfully applied to practice. The history, philosophy and conceptual underpinning of 20th century psychoanalytical and psychodynamic thought will be reviewed in a seminar format, requiring the student to pre-read and pre-view material and come ready to discuss the implications for their own practice, the questions raised by their own practice and the broader questions that challenge the field. This unit will help scaffold the student in their capstone experience to critique and synthesise the scholarly literature to prepare a draft publication in the field in an area of interest.

This unit builds on Critiquing Contemporary Practice A (PSTY5211) in critically reviewing historical and contemporary psychodynamic practice, comparing and contrasting other approaches with that of the Conversational Model in a capstone experience. Psychodynamic practice has in the past been accused of being a closed theory, not open to being disproved or to new evidence. Contemporary practice needs to be highly responsive to information from neuroscience, developmental research, linguistics and other psychosocial research and mental health research. However, research needs to be thoughtfully applied to practice. The history, philosophy and conceptual underpinning of 20th century psychoanalytical and psychodynamic thought will be reviewed in a seminar format, requiring the student to pre-read and pre-view material and come ready to discuss the implications for their own practice, the questions raised by their own practice and the broader questions that challenge the field. This unit will help scaffold the student in their capstone experience to critique and synthesise the scholarly literature to prepare a draft publication in the field in an area of interest.

This unit will assist students to build skills, knowledge and attitudes in research methods in psychotherapy, mental health and trauma-informed care. This learning will provide a foundation for appraisal and design of psychosocial research and further scholarship in the area. The student will gain an understanding of a range of research approaches including the case study, qualitative and quantitative methods, mixed methods approaches, linguistic and dyadic research and the applications of these methods to epidemiological, process and outcome research. The student will also develop and demonstrate critical thinking that considers philosophical approaches, analytic investigation and reflective practice in psychotherapy. The student will be able to describe the research cycle and its use in developing a research project. The student will apply the concepts to critical appraisal of journal articles and synthesise learning by proposing a research project. This unit provides the initial foundation for the treatise that students need to complete as part of their training in the Conversational Model of Psychotherapy. It will assist students from a wide range of disciplines who wish to conduct research on psychotherapy, mental health and trauma-informed care.

This unit provides an introduction to psychodynamic psychotherapy principles, the psychodynamic model of care and how to apply these to setting up a therapeutic framework in a model of health delivery that is person-centred, recoveryfocussed and trauma-informed. This unit is suitable for graduate students studying psychology, mental health nursing, psychiatry and for interested clinicians from general medicine and allied health Students will be introduced to basic concepts in the development of self, reflective capacity, attachment theory, trauma theory and trauma-informed care and the basics of interpersonal neurobiology that underlie contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy. Students will gain a basic understanding of the psychodynamic approach to assessment and treatment and its evidence-based applications. Students will gain a basic understanding of the Conversational Model and its application to psychotherapy interventions across the continuum of care in mental health.

This unit offers an introduction to ultra-brief psychodynamic psychotherapy using the evidence-based approach of Psychodynamic -Interpersonal Therapy (PIT) suitable for acute and general medical and mental health practice, including as an approach to Project Air clinics, emergency department presentations, self-harm and psychosomatics. This unit is suitable for interested clinicians from a variety of backgrounds, including counselling, nursing, social work, medicine, psychiatry and psychology. The techniques generalize well to developing the therapeutic relationship. Over the semester students will be able to communicate the strong theory and RCT evidence base of this model and how this model can offer a person-centred and recovery-based approach to trauma-informed care and stepped care. Students will attend some initial training and then group supervision to support their acquisition of knowledge, attitudes and clinical skills in the clinical experience of running 2 brief psychodynamic therapies of 4-8 sessions. Students will bring cases from their workplace or allocated from an affiliated clinical program. Students will apply the basics of assessment and engagement and feeling language, using statements and developing formulations. They will demonstrate the PIT structure including the writing of a good bye letter and collaborative future planning, whether for maintenance, onreferral or further treatment.

This unit provides an initial clinical experience supported by small group supervision and is followed by the unit PSTY5204, structured learning in short term psychodynamic practice. The initial focus is on assessment and dynamic formulation, followed by the priciples of intervention in initial, middle and ending phases. Students will bring a suitable case with audio-taped sessional material from their work setting or an affiliated psychotherapy program with whom they will do an assessment and formulation and make a contract after which they will begin therapy with a second patient, similarly. They will thus have 2 short term therapy patients at different phases, each contracted for a particular number of sessions, not exceeding 15 sessions each, thus one case continues into PSTY5204. Supervision will focus on the micro-skills of engagement and attunement and use of language, assessment of states of mind and formulation, development of a frame and contract, and if necessary a safety plan in some cases. Students will gain skills in: developing the therapeutic relationship; the psychodynamic formulation, identification of coping mechanisms, facilitation of affect/emotional experiences, transference and countertransference; the use of feeling/affective language and metaphor; managing the vicissitudes of therapy; and construction of a goodbye letter. Students will gain a grounding in reflective practice, ethical conduct and self-care.

The unit provides an extended subsequent clinical experience supported by small group supervision, begun in the unit PSTY5203, structuring learning in psychodynamic practice. The focus is on the structured conduct of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapywhich comprises assessment, initial, middle and end phases with a patient sourced from their own workplace, or another recommended institution. The therapy will consist of weekly sessions for between 10 and 20 sessions, and audio-recorded sessions will be used for supervision which will focus on the process including the micro skills of engagement and formation of the therapeutic relationship, assessment and psychodynamic formulation, identifying of affects, and emotions and facilitation of affect expression, coping strategies and habitual ways of dealing with situations and people, transference and countertransference, with trauma in mind, the use of affective language, maintenance of the frame and contract, Development in reflective practice, incorporating ethical conduct and diligent self-care is aimed for.

This unit explores the way human beings grow in sensitive and responsive relationships but are broken down by trauma - acute, chronic and complex. We begin by exploring the way early relational experiences develop personal organization and stress regulation in the infant and set up patterns of how a person rests, loves, plays and works, sometimes for a lifetime. Students will study research in human development to examine early development and healthy adaptation as the dyadic interaction known as the proto-conversation repeats thousands of times to establish of attachment states of mind and relational schemas. Patterns that foster a sense of self and those traumatic experiences that lead to dissociation and consequent disruption and constriction of the self will be described, including child sexual abuse. Students will reflect on personal and clinical experience to consider the way people adapt to stress and trauma and the ways the therapeutic relationship might mirror early relationships. We will describe the traumatic range of experience in acute and complex trauma and consider the hierarchical nature of consciousness, regulation and protection and the consequent need for a phase-based approach to trauma treatment. Students will apply the concepts to case studies within their area of practice.

This unit provides teaching and supervision to support the clinical experience of running an intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy of 2 sessions per week in the Conversational Model. It is the first of 2 sequential units and is intended to be followed up by PSTY5208. Small group supervision will center on listening to audio-taped sessions of the psychotherapy of a patient brought from the student's workplace or allocated from an associated psychotherapy program, discussing the assessment and formulation and the establishment of the frame and contract, including a safety plan. Ongoing supervision will focus on the micro-processes of the interaction including attunement, affect, differentiate flowing from traumatic states of mind, language, transference, countertransference and cotransference and separation anxiety. The student will learn to identify initial, middle and ending phases of therapy. The aim is to develop student's skills in sensitive and responsive practice that will foster the conversational flow of the therapy, the development of the therapeutic relationship and the patient's self, facilitating higher levels of reflective capacity and coherence to allow the integration of trauma. The way the difficult past repeats itself in the therapy, known as working in the co-transference, will be explored and addressed. Formative assessments will scaffold learning towards the final assessments.

This unit provides teaching and supervision for a second semester following The Long Conversation 1A (PSTY5207) to support the clinical experience of running an initial intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy of 2 sessions per week in the Conversational Model. Supervision will centre on listening to audiotaped sessions of the psychotherapy of a patient brought from the student's workplace or allocated from the Westmead Psychotherapy Program, discussing the ongoing developmental and relational formulation and maintenance of the frame, developing work on the middle and ending phases of therapy. Ongoing supervision will focus on the micro-processes of the interaction including attunement, affect, language, states of mind, transference, countertransference and co-transference and separation anxiety. The student will deepen their capacity to work with traumatic states of mind. The aim is to further develop student's skills in sensitive and responsive practice that will foster the conversational flow of the therapy, the development of the therapeutic relationship and the patient's self, facilitating higher levels of reflective capacity and coherence, allowing the integration of trauma. The way the difficult past repeats itself in the therapy is then addressed and work in the co-transference will be explored.

This unit builds on the Long Conversation 1A and 1B (PSTY5207 and 5208), providing supervision, continuing in semester 2 with The Long Conversation 2B (PSTY5210) to support the clinical experience of running a second intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy of 2 sessions per week in the Conversational Model, while continuing supervision of a first case. Individual and small group supervision will centre on listening to audiotaped sessions of the psychotherapies of patients brought from the student's workplace or allocated from the Westmead Psychotherapy Program, discussing assessment, formulation and the establishment of frame and contract, and the relevant initial, middle and ending phases of therapy. Supervision will focus on the microprocesses of the interaction including attunement, affect, transference, countertransference and co-transference, states of mind and language. The student will develop and refine skills in sensitive, responsive and reflective practice to foster the conversational flow of the therapy, the development of the therapeutic relationship and the patient's self, and higher levels of reflective capacity and coherence to allow the processing of trauma and the integration of traumatic experience. The way the difficult past repeats itself in the therapy and is then addressed therapeutically will be explored. This unit represents a higher order of knowledge, skills and attitudes in psychotherapy, preparing the student for specialist psychotherapy practice.

This unit builds on the Long Conversation 2A (PSTY5209), providing supervision, intending to continue in semester 2 and support the clinical experience of running a second intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy of 2 sessions per week in the Conversational Model, while continuing supervision of a first case. Individual and small group supervision will centre on listening to audiotaped sessions of the psychotherapies of patients brought from the student's workplace or allocated from an associated psychotherapy program, discussing assessment, formulation and the establishment of the frame and contract, and the relevant initial, middle and ending phases of therapy. Supervision will focus on the microprocesses of the interaction including attunement, affect, transference, countertransference and co-transference, states of mind and language. The student will develop and refine skills in sensitive, responsive and reflective practice to foster the conversational flow of the therapy, the development of the therapeutic relationship and the patient's self, and higher levels of reflective capacity and coherence to allow the processing of trauma and the integration of traumatic experience. Repetitions and enactments will be addressed. Supervised case ending will be encouraged. This unit represents a higher order of knowledge, skills and attitudes in psychotherapy, preparing the student for specialist psychotherapy practice.

This unit provides teaching and supervision to support the clinical experience of running an intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy of 2 sessions per week in the Conversational Model. It is the first of 2 sequential units and is intended to be followed up by PSTY5208. Small group supervision will center on listening to audio-taped sessions of the psychotherapy of a patient brought from the student's workplace or allocated from an associated psychotherapy program, discussing the assessment and formulation and the establishment of the frame and contract, including a safety plan. Ongoing supervision will focus on the micro-processes of the interaction including attunement, affect, differentiate flowing from traumatic states of mind, language, transference, countertransference and cotransference and separation anxiety. The student will learn to identify initial, middle and ending phases of therapy. The aim is to develop student's skills in sensitive and responsive practice that will foster the conversational flow of the therapy, the development of the therapeutic relationship and the patient's self, facilitating higher levels of reflective capacity and coherence to allow the integration of trauma. The way the difficult past repeats itself in the therapy, known as working in the co-transference, will be explored and addressed. Formative assessments will scaffold learning towards the final assessments.

This unit provides teaching and supervision for a second semester following The Long Conversation 1A (PSTY5207) to support the clinical experience of running an initial intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy of 2 sessions per week in the Conversational Model. Supervision will centre on listening to audiotaped sessions of the psychotherapy of a patient brought from the student's workplace or allocated from the Westmead Psychotherapy Program, discussing the ongoing developmental and relational formulation and maintenance of the frame, developing work on the middle and ending phases of therapy. Ongoing supervision will focus on the micro-processes of the interaction including attunement, affect, language, states of mind, transference, countertransference and co-transference and separation anxiety. The student will deepen their capacity to work with traumatic states of mind. The aim is to further develop student's skills in sensitive and responsive practice that will foster the conversational flow of the therapy, the development of the therapeutic relationship and the patient's self, facilitating higher levels of reflective capacity and coherence, allowing the integration of trauma. The way the difficult past repeats itself in the therapy is then addressed and work in the co-transference will be explored.

Candidates will work on an independent research project in an area of specific interest relevant to their master's degree. The project may take the form of analysis of an existing data set, a systematic or integrative review of the literature, a case series, survey or other project acceptable to the project supervisor. In some streams, projects may be available for students to select. It is essential, where there is the use of patient information or recruitment of patient study subjects, that appropriate ethics approval is gained from the governing body where the project will take place. The candidate will enter into a learning contract and will be guided through the steps required to plan and execute a substantial research project and prepare a scholarly work which may be a paper for publication. A candidate must enrol in a minimum of 12 credit points of project units of study in order to submit their final written work. Approval of the project and supervisor by the Program Director must be confirmed prior to commencing the project.

Candidates will work on an independent research project in an area of specific interest relevant to their master's degree. The project may take the form of analysis of an existing data set, a systematic or integrative review of the literature, a case series, survey or other project acceptable to the project supervisor. In some streams, projects may be available for students to select. It is essential, where there is the use of patient information or recruitment of patient study subjects, that appropriate ethics approval is gained from the governing body where the project will take place. The candidate will enter into a learning contract and will be guided through the steps required to plan and execute a substantial research project and prepare a scholarly work which may be a paper for publication. Where appropriate students will prepare a work suitable for publication. A candidate must enrol in a minimum of 12 credit points of project units of study in order to submit their final written work. Approval of the project and supervisor by the Program Director must be confirmed prior to commencing the project.

Candidates will work on an independent research project in an area of specific interest relevant to their master's degree. The project may take the form of analysis of an existing data set, a systematic or integrative review of the literature, a case series, survey or other project acceptable to the project supervisor. In some streams, projects may be available for students to select. It is essential where there is the use of patient information or recruitment of patient study subjects that appropriate ethics approval is gained from the governing body where the project will take place. The candidate will enter into a learning contract and will be guided through the steps required to plan and execute a substantial research project and prepare a scholarly work which may be a paper for publication. A candidate must enrol in a minimum of 12 credit points of project units of study in order to submit their final written work. Approval of the project and supervisor by the Program Director must be confirmed prior to commencing the project.