Training in Counselling & Training in Counselling & Psychotherapy Psychotherapy

““Where do I start?”Where do I start?”CounsellingCounselling

► Introductory/Basic skills coursesIntroductory/Basic skills courses

Usually 3 hrs pw . . 10 to 17 weeksUsually 3 hrs pw . . 10 to 17 weeks► Include background in basic theory, Include background in basic theory,

interpersonal/communication skills and some interpersonal/communication skills and some group sharing of personal experiences.group sharing of personal experiences.

► Useful even if you’ve trained already as a Useful even if you’ve trained already as a nurse, social worker or similar as it will give a nurse, social worker or similar as it will give a taste of what is particular to this professional taste of what is particular to this professional fieldfield

► ““What next?”What next?”

Certificate level coursesCertificate level courses►Usually 1 yr , c.4 hrs pw. (N.B. Some Usually 1 yr , c.4 hrs pw. (N.B. Some

places offer a two year Certificate places offer a two year Certificate instead of Introductory + 1yr.Cert.)instead of Introductory + 1yr.Cert.)

►Require trainees to have a regular Require trainees to have a regular setting where can practice skills – setting where can practice skills – may be voluntary work as a may be voluntary work as a befriender or integral to current befriender or integral to current employment (such as personal employment (such as personal tutoring if you are a lecturer or tutoring if you are a lecturer or talking/listening to patients if you talking/listening to patients if you are a nurse).are a nurse).

Certificate level coursesCertificate level courses►More theory; more skills development; More theory; more skills development;

some issues-based teaching; increasing some issues-based teaching; increasing emphasis on developing personal emphasis on developing personal awareness (e.g. impact of self on others, awareness (e.g. impact of self on others, understanding of own emotional understanding of own emotional baggage).baggage).

►FE & HE certificates available. HE level FE & HE certificates available. HE level will usually include more academic will usually include more academic assignments and, if you have no previous assignments and, if you have no previous HE experience, this can be invaluable in HE experience, this can be invaluable in reaching the standard required by most reaching the standard required by most courses at the next level…courses at the next level…““I think I want to become a CounsellorI think I want to become a Counsellor””

Professional Training as a Professional Training as a CounsellorCounsellor

► 2 yrs, 6 – 7 hrs pw2 yrs, 6 – 7 hrs pw►Mandatory placement for 1 to 1 caseworkMandatory placement for 1 to 1 casework►Mandatory supervision of caseworkMandatory supervision of casework►May require personal therapyMay require personal therapy►Will usually include a weekly Personal Will usually include a weekly Personal

Development groupDevelopment group► Require good levels of written English and of Require good levels of written English and of

academic skills.academic skills.► Usually FE or HE institution with some Usually FE or HE institution with some

private training bodies too. In near future a private training bodies too. In near future a switch to university-validated courses will switch to university-validated courses will impact all training providers.impact all training providers.

““How much time should I How much time should I allow ?”allow ?”

► Placements require a serious investment of Placements require a serious investment of time; you will be doing 2-3 client hours per time; you will be doing 2-3 client hours per week plus whatever is required in terms of week plus whatever is required in terms of training meetings/internal supervision. training meetings/internal supervision.

► Supervision will be between 1.5 & 2hrs per Supervision will be between 1.5 & 2hrs per month while you are seeing clients.month while you are seeing clients.

► Personal therapy (if required) will be 1hr. Personal therapy (if required) will be 1hr. per weekper week

► And don’t forget travelling time for all of And don’t forget travelling time for all of these!these!

► It is probably wise to regard this as an It is probably wise to regard this as an additional day’s worth of work to put additional day’s worth of work to put alongside of your alongside of your Diploma/Psychotherapy training. So Diploma/Psychotherapy training. So you will be fitting in two extra days of you will be fitting in two extra days of stuff whilst you are in training. You will stuff whilst you are in training. You will have to plan in advance and be clear have to plan in advance and be clear about what you will give up to about what you will give up to accommodate this.accommodate this.

Post-professional academic Post-professional academic trainingstrainings

►Build on Diploma but are academic Build on Diploma but are academic rather than experientialrather than experiential

►One-year top-up degrees (e.g. BSc at One-year top-up degrees (e.g. BSc at Leedsmet)Leedsmet)

►Masters programmes; can be modular Masters programmes; can be modular (e.g. Leedsmet, Salford) or group-(e.g. Leedsmet, Salford) or group-based (e.g. York St. John)based (e.g. York St. John)

►Doctorates (PhD)Doctorates (PhD)►All are university basedAll are university based

““I want to be a psychotherapist”I want to be a psychotherapist”► For those who wish to specialise in longer For those who wish to specialise in longer

term/in-depth workterm/in-depth work► Usually 4yrs pt, usually in private institution Usually 4yrs pt, usually in private institution

validated by a university validated by a university ►Mandatory placement which will also include Mandatory placement which will also include

a psychiatric placementa psychiatric placement►Mandatory supervision of caseworkMandatory supervision of casework►Mandatory personal therapy usually Mandatory personal therapy usually

throughout the trainingthroughout the training► Usually lead to MA; although some trainings Usually lead to MA; although some trainings

stand outside of this there is an increasing stand outside of this there is an increasing trend for psychotherapy trainings to seek trend for psychotherapy trainings to seek university validationuniversity validation

Cognitive Behavioural Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy Psychotherapy

► NHS Improving Access to Psychological NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) growth in 1 y full time Therapies (IAPT) growth in 1 y full time training at University in CBT/Ptraining at University in CBT/P

► In-post training at post grad level In-post training at post grad level

►For those with a professional qual in For those with a professional qual in social worK – counselling – mental social worK – counselling – mental health nursing. health nursing.

““What about FT undergraduate What about FT undergraduate programmes?”programmes?”

►First appeared during late 1990s as a First appeared during late 1990s as a way of responding to demand at 18+way of responding to demand at 18+

►FT 3yr coursesFT 3yr courses►Not a practitioner training for Not a practitioner training for

counsellors or psychotherapists but a counsellors or psychotherapists but a generic background (hence titles like generic background (hence titles like “Counselling Studies”)“Counselling Studies”)

►Traditional academic entry filter to what Traditional academic entry filter to what is, in effect, a vocational preparation for is, in effect, a vocational preparation for many careers involving ‘people skills’.many careers involving ‘people skills’.

““What personal qualities will I What personal qualities will I need?”need?”. . . .. . . .

► Integrity.Integrity.► Assertiveness.Assertiveness.► Emotional resilience.Emotional resilience.►Good thinking skills and an enquiring mind.Good thinking skills and an enquiring mind.►Organised, punctual and generally well Organised, punctual and generally well

boundaried.boundaried.► Compassion and respectfulnessCompassion and respectfulness► A capacity for experiencing intense A capacity for experiencing intense

emotions without acting them outemotions without acting them out► This is This is notnot a complete list! a complete list!► Useful website for more infoUseful website for more info►www.bacp.co.ukwww.bacp.co.uk or or www.ukcp.org.ukwww.ukcp.org.uk

New course at Leeds Metropolitan New course at Leeds Metropolitan UniversityUniversity

levellevel AwardAward Award post grad Award post grad routeroute

Old newOld new

4/74/7Cert Interpersonal & Cert Interpersonal & Counselling Skills 1 Counselling Skills 1

YY

PG Cert Counselling PG Cert Counselling Skills Skills

1Y 1Y

5/75/7 Diploma Therapeutic Diploma Therapeutic Counselling HE 2YCounselling HE 2Y

2Y P Grad Dip2Y P Grad Dip

Therapeutic Therapeutic CounsellingCounselling

6/76/7 BSc Therapeutic BSc Therapeutic Counselling Counselling

MA PsychotherapyMA PsychotherapyCentred on mental health Centred on mental health

treatment & diagnosis treatment & diagnosis

77 MA Psychological MA Psychological Therapies Therapies

(need 7 modules to (need 7 modules to progress MA progress MA

Psychotherapy)Psychotherapy)

SummerSummer

► art therapy Sheffield NHS 4 days art therapy Sheffield NHS 4 days

MA Mod or stand alone certMA Mod or stand alone cert► 3 day Counselling skills as a taster/CPD3 day Counselling skills as a taster/CPD