At Long Valley Therapy Training, we are a team of dedicated professionals who are passionate about providing excellent counsellor training. We believe that high-quality, inclusive counsellor education is essential for the future of the counselling profession.

Our training is designed to be experiential, blending theory, practical skills, and personal development. We focus on building a strong theoretical foundation while also exploring the fundamental ideas of counselling. This comprehensive approach ensures that our trainees gain a deep understanding of the theory, philosophy, and practical application of counselling skills.

Our tutors are not only qualified counsellors but also experienced, qualified teachers who bring a wealth of real-world knowledge to the training room. By ensuring that our staff have diverse skills and backgrounds, we are able to provide high-quality instruction and support throughout our trainees’ journeys.

Our team’s interests and additional qualifications include:

• Group process and facilitation
• Equine facilitated therapy
• Adapting counselling to support Autistic, ADHD and AuDHD clients
• Integrating holistic therapy
• Ecotherapy (outdoor, nature-informed therapy)
• Anarchist inspired approaches to psychotherapy
• Narrative approaches
• Existential Therapy

At Long Valley Therapy Training, we believe in a horizontal hierarchy, which means that everyone involved in our training network is valued equally. This includes our tutors, process group leads, teaching assistants, trainees, and other stakeholders. In a horizontal hierarchy, there are no traditional ‘top-down’ power structures. Instead, we foster an environment where everyone’s voice is heard and respected and authority must meet a burden of proof.

In practical terms, this means:

• Collaborative Decision-Making: Big decisions are made collectively, with input from all members of our community. This ensures that our policies and practices reflect the needs and perspectives of everyone involved.
• Shared Responsibility: Everyone has a role to play in the success of our training programmes. Whether you are a tutor, a trainee, or a support staff member, your contributions are valued and essential.
• Open Communication: We encourage open and honest communication. This helps us to address any issues promptly and to continuously improve our training programmes.
• Mutual Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, recognising the unique contributions that each person brings to our community.
• Finite authority: Our goal is to empower each trainee to become self-sufficient and innovative, fostering a sustainable community where our authority as teachers becomes redundant; we want you to grow beyond what we are able to offer!

By embracing this approach, we believe that we create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. This approach not only enhances the training experience but also prepares our trainees to work effectively in diverse and collaborative settings.

We are committed to shaping the future of counselling by providing a comprehensive, experiential, and forward-thinking training experience. Our approach allows us to be responsive to the evolving needs of the counselling profession and deeply connected to the communities we serve. We emphasise critical, divergent thinking, which sets our graduates up well for higher education should they choose to pursue further training after qualification.

Our strong links with local placement providers offer our trainees valuable opportunities to apply their learning in real-world settings, bridging the gap between theory and practice. Additionally, we offer clinical supervision training, recognising its vital role in the ongoing development and support of practising counsellors.