Self-care in Helping Professions

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:1.00

Study Course Accepted:16.11.2023 11:51:02

Study Course Information
Course Code:		VPUPK_347		LQF level:		All Levels
Credit Points:		2.00		ECTS:		3.00
Branch of Science:		Psychology		Target Audience:		Psychology; Medicine; Pedagogy; Nursing Science; Rehabilitation
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Aija Ozola
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:		Department of Health Psychology and Paedagogy
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:		Riga, 5 J. Asara Street, vppkrsu[pnkts]lv, +37167061587
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		8	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		16
Classes (count)		8	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		16
Total Contact Hours								32
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Not necessary.
Objective:
To deepen students' knowledge of self-care in the context of psychology and health care, its role in the helping professions, and the possibilities of arts- and technology-based self-care. To promote self-observation and self-reflection ability and the skills to identify one's own self-care needs, use theory-informed self-care strategies, plan and implement self-care behaviour change for psychological resilience and self-growth.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	The concept of self-care and its theoretical concepts in health care and psychology. Self-care as an imperative, health and well-being risks in helping professions: stress, professional burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatism.			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
				Classes		2.00	auditorium
2	Self-care in personal and professional contexts: classification and characteristics of strategies. Stages and processes of behaviour change for self-care development.			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
				Classes		2.00	auditorium
3	Digital transformation in health care. The impact of arts on health and well-being. Arts as a resource for self-care. Arts- and technology-based interventions for self-care.			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
				Classes		2.00	auditorium
4	Self-care needs, importance and attainability of strategies. The role of self-monitoring and self-reflection in implementing behaviour change for self-care development.			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
				Classes		2.00	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Systematic, independent study of the specified literature, self-assessment tasks at the end of the course topics, analysis of self-care research, writing a self-care diary reflecting on the planning and implementation of self-care behaviour change and reflecting on the individual and group tasks carried out in class, development and presentation of a final essay - self-reflection. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.
Assessment Criteria:
Performance in self-assessment tasks at the end of each course topic (25%), active participation in discussions, individual and group tasks in classes (25%), analysis of self-care research according to given criteria (25%), final essay and presentation - self-reflection according to given criteria on self-care behaviour change planning and implementation, self-care diary writing (25%).
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam
Final Examination (Part-Time):
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		Knows, analyses and compares theoretical concepts of self-care in psychology and health care, and understands the role of self-care in the helping professions. Analyses the development of self-care in the context of theories of behaviour change. Understands the content of self-care strategies, the concepts of importance and attainability. Understands the role of the arts for health and well-being. Analyses and critically assesses research on arts- and technology-based self-care. Understands the role of self-monitoring and self-reflection in identifying self-care needs, implementing and enhancing self-care.
Skills:		Carries out self-monitoring and self-reflection of personal and professional self-care. Selects and uses personal and professional self-care strategies for psychological resilience and self-development. Plans and implements self-care behaviour change. Engages in arts- and technology-based self-care practice.
Competencies:		Based on theoretical knowledge of self-care, identifies own self-care needs, use theory-informed personal and professional self-care strategies. Plans and implements personal and professional self-care development. Self-monitors own self-care, is able to reflect.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Gengoux, G. W., et al. 2020. Enhancing wellness among psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health clinicians. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
2	Oliver, J., and Bennett, R. 2020. The mindfulness and acceptance workbook for self-esteem. New Harbinger Publications.
3	Seaward, B. L. 2022. Managing stress: Skills for self-care, personal resiliency and work-life balance in a rapidly changing world. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Additional Reading
1	Mordue, S. J., Watson, L., and Hunter, S. 2020. How to thrive in professional practice: A self-care handbook. Critical Publishing.
2	Parry, S. (Ed.) 2017. Effective self-care and resilience in clinical practice: Dealing with stress, compassion fatigue and burnout. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Other Information Sources
1	psychologytoday.com
2	selfcarepsychology.com