Working out how to become a qualified Counsellor or Psychotherapist can be very confusing as there are so many training routes and qualification options out there. In this post I will outline some of the common training routes for people based in England; other parts of the UK have other professional bodies and options that are outside the scope of what I have space to talk about here. I will also provide links to examples of training providers and professional bodies here; I am not endorsing any of these specific providers, but have included them for illustration purposes so that you can see the ways that different providers structure their courses.
How do I know if it is for me?
Starting with a short ‘introduction to counselling’ course can be a great way to get a better understanding of what counselling is and what it might be like to work as one. It can also be useful for developing some basic listening skills, which are a great asset even if you decide not to go any further with the training. There are many of these available online or in person, sometimes at local Adult Education or further education colleges, or specialist counselling centres (search for ‘introductory counselling course’ and your area and it’ll likely throw up some results). This is one example:
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/counselling-an-introduction
What experience do I need?
Any experience in a ‘helping’ or ‘people facing’ role can be useful. If you really want to build up some practical experience first, volunteering or working in any kind of support role for a local charity, school or similar could be worthwhile. However, what is also really important is your lived experience; your identities, the challenges you’ve faced in life, and how you’ve worked through these. Being a ‘good’ therapist can be just as much about who you are personally as what you’ve done professionally, so don’t be put off from applying if you don’t have loads of professional experience, or if volunteering at this stage isn’t viable for you.
What next?
The pathway into counselling depends on what provider you go with, and what qualification you want to come out with.
The degree route
If you don’t already have an undergraduate degree and fancy studying for one, this might be the route for you. A degree will usually take 3-5 years depending on whether you study full-time or part-time. Tuition fees are costly but you may be eligible for a student loan. You can find counselling degrees listed on UCAS: http://www.ucas.com
The college/counselling institution route
This route usually takes around 3 years part-time. It is often the cheapest way to train and qualify as a counsellor, though there is no student finance available for these courses, so you’ll have to fund it yourself.
Some places offer ‘levels’ that you study through, usually starting with level 2, which is a basic introductory qualification, through to level 4, which is a 2-year course qualifying you to work as a counsellor. This route is offered by CPCAB, one of the biggest counselling awarding bodies. More information on their routes and course providers can be found here: https://www.cpcab.co.uk/qualifications/
Other colleges do not follow the ‘levels’ route in the same way. They may offer a certificate in counselling skills or similar qualification, which usually takes one year, and then a Diploma in Counselling, which usually takes two years. Some examples of course providers offering this kind of route are:
https://www.inter-psyche.co.uk/
Master’s degree
This route is suitable if you’re looking for some really in-depth training over 4-5 years, and would like to come up with a master’s degree. This may be best for you if you already have a degree, or significant relevant professional experience. This can be one of the most expensive and longest training routes, though there may be some finance support available for some courses. People that train specifically in Psychotherapy and want to gain UKCP membership when they qualify (more on that later) often need to take this route. This is one example of this type of course:
https://www.regents.ac.uk/postgraduate/psychotherapy-psychology/mprof-psychotherapy
What is involved in these courses?
Courses are usually a mix of academic work (lots of reading and essay writing), self-reflection and personal development, and skills development. On an average day, you might learn about and reflect on some theory; work in small groups exploring aspects of your past, your identity or experiences, and think about how they might impact you as a counsellor; and practice counselling skills on your training colleagues.
Most courses will require you to complete at least 100 hours of counselling practice with real clients in your final year; this is usually unpaid voluntary work. You may also need to pay for supervision of this work. Many courses also require you to have a certain number of hours of personal therapy as part of the course. These are additional time and financial costs that you will need to be prepared to cover.
NHS training routes
This route might be best if you’d specifically like to work within the NHS. The NHS does sometimes recruit people who have studied in the pathways already mentioned, but this often varies from trust to trust and it is not guaranteed that qualifying as a counsellor would mean you would automatically be eligible to work as a counsellor within the NHS in your area. If you are passionate about specifically working within the NHS, it might be best to explore their training routes, some of which are fully funded. They have more information on roles and pathways here:
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-therapies/roles-psychological-therapies
Membership Bodies
Counselling and Psychotherapy are unregulated professions in the UK. However, there are professional membership bodies available to join during training and once you have qualified, and most employers will expect you to be a member of one of these professional bodies. You will also need to be a member of one of these bodies to advertise on any directories. These bodies will have an Ethical Framework to which you will need to adhere. The three biggest in England currently are:
BACP: https://www.bacp.co.uk/
NCPS: https://ncps.com/
UKCP: https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/
Once you have qualified, you have the option of progressing through different membership categories with these membership bodies, based on your experience. Many employers currently ask for BACP membership. Some people therefore choose to study a course that is already accredited and recognised by one of these membership bodies, in order to make progressing into membership a little easier. You can find lists of the courses already approved/accredited by these membership bodies below:
https://www.bacp.co.uk/search/Courses
https://ncps.com/counselling-courses
https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/psychotherapy-training
If you’d like to talk more about routes into counselling, get support around working out the right path for you or reflect more on whether you might like to train as a counsellor, I offer consultation on this. Feel free to get in touch.
Natalie Wood Counselling 