Adult & Higher Education

This course is open to anyone over the age of 20 who has completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and is considering pursuing a career in Counselling. 

The course will build upon previous learning and will further develop and enhance counselling skills and self awareness. The course is useful for those who use counselling skills in a variety of settings, working in areas like education, health and social care, the voluntary sector and in industry and commerce. Please note that this course does not qualify you as a counsellor.

Please note that this course involves some weekend attendance. Contact reception or email us for a full list of weekend dates for the year.

Students will study the following five units: 

• developing counselling skills
• theoretical approaches in the use of counselling skills
• counselling skills and diversity
• working ethically with counselling skills 
• counselling skills and personal development.

This course will allow students to develop a repertoire of interpersonal and counselling skills. They will be introduced to experiential learning processes that will include a high element of personal growth work, developing further self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience.

Students will underpin counselling skills with an understanding of key elements of the main theoretical approaches in counselling and increase the self-awareness of the person and their awareness of the impact that they have on people. They will develop an understanding of what counselling training entails, assisting them to make a more informed choice as to whether they are suited to undertaking vocational counselling training.

Students must have completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (16 credits at Level 2) or equivalent. Some students can go straight to Level 3 and each student is considered individually. If, for example, you have worked for an organization such as the Samaritans for a period, or if you have worked as a SENCo (or similar) in a school, then you might be eligible to go straight to Level 3. Please contact the Head of Counselling to discuss further.

Ring binder and paper. You will also need to purchase a recording device.

The course prepares learners to progress onto further qualifications, such as Counselling degree courses. Many of our students progress on to our Foundation Degree in Humanistic Counselling based on Transactional Analysis (BACP accredited).