Plan your Journey
There are many training routes to become a qualified counsellor. To help you plan your training we've created an infographic to show our training compared to the popular academic study route.
What you'll gain from each of our qualifications
Each of our qualifications offers something unique to support your personal development, expand your employment options or enable you to become a qualified counsellor.
This is the first step on your journey to become a qualified counsellor. With this qualification you'll practise helping skills and explore basic counselling theory and ethics. Personal development will play a big part as you reflect on your life experience and your place in the learning community. You'll consider: What is important about difference and diversity? How are we different and how does it affect us? This qualification can help in a wide range of jobs such as working with individuals and groups, advocacy roles, colleagues, as well as friends and family. If you want to continue training as a counsellor, it’s preparation to move on to Level 3 and beyond.
It's time to take the next step on your journey to become a qualified counsellor. On this qualification you'll start to look at a range of counselling theories and continue to practise your skills with your fellow learners. As you prepare to move on to practitioner training at Level 4, you’ll be increasing your skills and knowledge, building on the learning you gained at Level 2. This qualification can enhance your employability and support you in roles such as mentoring, advocacy, health and social care or any role where you are helping people.
This is the final step on your journey to become a fully qualified counsellor. You’ll spend two years part-time immersed in a learning community. On successful completion, you’ll be a trained and qualified counsellor and you’ll be eligible to join a recognised professional membership body such as BACP, NCPS or ACC. You’ll become experienced in working with clients within a counselling agency, gaining 100 ‘client’ hours of this work as part of the course. The in-depth study at this level will support your personal development and professional skills, getting you ready to move into a career as a professional counsellor. You might choose to seek employment as a counsellor or support a wide range of health and social care roles, including management, mentoring and support, advocacy and work in the mental health sector.