Frequently Asked Questions
General
Is Counsellor training right for me?
Before signing up for counsellor training, it’s important to assess whether it’s the right path for you. Counsellor training demands a significant commitment of time, emotional energy, and resources. It’s essential to consider if you have the emotional readiness to engage in the training, as well as the capacity to manage the emotional demands of the role. This training, especially at the core diploma level is challenging and requires you to engage in academic study, critical thought and debate.
Due to the nature of the training, role-play is mandatory.
Additionally, you will need to commit to high professional standards and be punctual, engaged and respectful throughout.
Why is there an age recommendation on some of your courses?
Age recommendations for counselling training in the UK are in place due to the nature of the profession. Counselling requires a certain level of maturity, life experience, and emotional intelligence, which are often associated with age. Counselling training can take three to four years, and involves a significant amount of independent study and self-awareness.
We believe that including a minimum age can be objectivly justified: for example, the nature of counselling work, which often involves dealing with complex and sensitive issues, may require a certain level of emotional maturity and life experience that is generally associated with being older. Additionally, opportunities to progress (for example, gaining a placement / employment) are likely to be hindered if the applicant is younger than 21 years of age; it would therefore be exploitative to encourage anyone younger than this age to enroll on our courses.
In summary, the age recommendations for counselling training in the UK are established in consideration of the unique demands of the profession and the need for a certain level of maturity and life experience. These recommendations are in line with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010, as they can be objectively justified based on the nature of the counselling profession and the associated ethical considerations.
What is SCoPEd and why do I need to know about it?
Like all proficient training providers, we are currently tracking the progress of the SCoPEd (Scope of Practice and Education) framework, an initiative by the UK professional Counselling and Psychotherapy bodies. This framework aims to standardise and clarify the professional identities, training requirements, and practice standards for counsellors and psychotherapists across the UK.
Key Pillars of SCoPEd
The SCoPEd framework is built around three key pillars: competencies, training requirements, and practice standards. These pillars are designed to ensure that our learners, as future practitioners, are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes to provide effective counselling and psychotherapy services.
We believe that this will soon influence professionals across the sector and therfore we are committed to providing you training that not only meets with a high standard you would expect, but also training that adheres to SCoPEd standards and is therefore recognised moving foward.
You can find out more about SCoPEd by visiting the NCPS archives
Impact of SCoPEd on Our Training
Our curriculum is being meticulously examined and aligned with the standards set by the framework, ensuring that our course content, teaching methods, and assessment procedures meet the competencies outlined in the SCoPEd framework.
Placement Hours – Our current programme requires trainees to complete a minimum 100 hour professional placement. This meets the standards for SCoPEd column A and is therefore sufficient.
Personal Therapy Requirements – Our Counselling Diploma already requires that our trainees engage in no less that 60 hours of personal therapy. This is more than sufficient to meet the requirements of SCoPEd.
Guided Learning Hours – The guided learning hours (time actually spent in lesson) required by SCoPEd for column A recognition is between 300 – 400 hours. Our two-year Diploma offers 341 hours and is therfore sufficient.
Why stop there? – All of our students, once qualified, will meet column A requirements of the SCoPEd Framework… but why stop there? We are currently devloping a third (optional) year for anyone who is seeking a structured, supportive route into column B.
Are your courses academic?
Counsellor training in the UK is delivered at a certain academic level to ensure that practitioners are equipped with the necessary theoretical knowledge, critical thinking skills, and ethical competence. The training process, which typically includes obtaining a minimum Level 4 Diploma or its equivalent, is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical foundations of counselling and the development of practical skills.
This academic standard is essential to ensure that counsellors are capable of critically evaluating different therapeutic approaches, understanding the ethical implications of their work, and engaging in reflective practice to maintain high standards of professional conduct. By requiring a specific academic level, the training process aims to uphold the quality and integrity of counselling practice, ultimately safeguarding the well-being of clients and the professionalism of the field.
Our courses are delivered at the following academic equivalence:
Entry level: Level 3
Core Diploma Training: Level 5
Supervision Training: Level 6
Entry Level Training
Does this qualify me as a Counsellor?
In the UK, a Level 3 programme in counsellor training, such as this one, does not qualify an individual to practice as a counsellor. While these courses provide foundational knowledge of counselling approaches and skills within an ethical framework, they are designed as pre-practitioner training for professional counselling qualifications. To register as a counsellor in the UK, a minimum of a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling is required. The Level 3 courses, although valuable for enhancing employability in related roles and providing a solid understanding of counselling skills, do not confer the necessary qualification to practice as a fully trained counsellor or join recognised professional bodies in the field.
Adv. Diploma in Counselling
Does this training meet the membership requirements of professional bodies?
Yes, this training has been designed to meet the membership requirements for both the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) AND the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
During training, you are required to be a student member of the NCPS
Please not that membership acceptance is at their discretion regardless of where you train.
Can I use historic personal therapy to count towards my hours?
During their training, students are typically required to engage in 60 hours of personal therapy as part of their professional development. However, using historic personal therapy to meet this requirement is not permitted due to several reasons. Firstly, the purpose of personal therapy during training is to provide students with an opportunity for self-exploration, reflection, and growth in real-time, allowing them to address any personal issues that may impact their ability to effectively work with others. Historic personal therapy, by its nature, does not fulfill this purpose as it does not align with the current stage of the student’s professional development. Additionally, the training requirements are designed to ensure that students receive relevant and up-to-date support that is specifically tailored to their needs as they progress through their training. Therefore, while historic personal therapy may have been beneficial to the individual in the past, it does not fulfill the specific objectives of personal therapy within the context of professional training.
Is this programme accredited?
We are pleased to announce that our counselling diploma programme is currently in the process of seeking accreditation from the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). As part of this rigorous accreditation process, the course has been run once in its entirety, demonstrating our commitment to upholding the highest standards of counselling education.
Upon a successful application, we anticipate that the programme will be fully accredited by September 2024, in time for the new intake. This accreditation will serve as a testament to the quality and rigor of our curriculum, ensuring that our students receive the best possible training in the field of counselling.
We are dedicated to providing an exceptional learning experience, and we are confident that the accreditation will further enhance the reputation and credibility of our programme within the industry. We look forward to the positive outcome of this process and the continued success of our counselling diploma.
What happens if I don’t complete my placement hours before the end of the training?
We want to reassure all students that if, for any reason, they are unable to complete the required 100 placement hours by the end of the course, they will have an additional year to fulfill this requirement.
This one-year extension serves as an absolute cutoff point, providing students with the necessary flexibility to ensure they can successfully meet the placement hour requirement. We understand that various circumstances may arise during the course of your studies, and we are committed to supporting your professional development by offering this extension.
It is important to note that is your miss this final deadline, your will not be able to achieve the qualification.
Supervision Training
Am I ready for Supervision Training?
In the UK, there are no strict requirements for training as a clinical supervisor; however, there is a general consensus regarding the amount of experience a practitioner should have.
Potential learners must meet the following intake requirements:
– Hold at least a level 4 Diploma in Counselling
– Have accrued no less than three years of continuous post-qualifying experience AND/OR at least 450 supervised counselling hours
– Be a member of a PSA voluntary register (NCPS, BACP etc.)
– Provide a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor.
The opportunity to formally enrol is subject to interview.
Does my placement need to be with an agency?
In short, no, this is not a requirement. All of our trainee supervisors are highly experienced professionals and often have a track record of being an independent service provider. We only place two requirements on our trainees: firstly that they be fully transparent with potential supervisee about their own training status. Additionally, we do not allow our supervisors to work with trainee counsellors.
The choice as to whether or not to charge for their time is a decsion that we leave to our students.
