Key Findings

The key findings from the project included:

• The most useful aspects of the counsellor development programme identified by the participants were the live and filmed counselling sessions with trainer feedback provided during the on-campus workshops and the cultural and particularly the bi-cultural input.
• Participants wanted more depth on specific approaches and perhaps less of them; more on couple, family and organisational work, particularly the former; and there was some call for greater input from a human development perspective and also more from a medical model mental health view.
• The findings have informed curricula and pedagogical changes in the practicum element of the counsellor education programmes at Massey University. Notably, we have reduced the requirement to engage in intensive therapeutic group work in favour of expanding the focus of developing good, independent, reflective practice. Thus, the teaching model aims more for autonomous self-discovery for life-long professional learning and development.
• The teaching team, while retaining an integrative model as previously taught, are revising the nature of that to a more pluralistic and flexible approach that is likely to better serve graduates in a changing future professional environment. This is being designed to more readily accommodate the key themes indicated by this research.

Key Recommendations

The key recommendations for good practice from the project included:

Programme content | There is a need for educators to consider how programme content can be made more relevant to the requirements of private practice.

Reflective journal writing | An emphasis on reflective journal writing as foundational for professional learning from practice is recommended. This is probably in preference to personal therapy.

Further research | Further research is suggested to establish what aspects of students’ bicultural experience were helpful and how these contributed to their sense of being competent practitioners.