What qualifications do I need to become a fully qualified counsellor?
You need to complete the following courses:
- Level 2 – Introduction to counselling – Counselling Concepts.
- Level 3 – Certificate in Counselling Skills.
- Level 4 – Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling.*
Once you’ve completed Level 4 successfully, you will be a fully qualified therapist, able to become a member of an ethical body and practice counselling…
*As part of Level 4, you’ll register as a student member of BACP, and source and attend your own counselling and supervision. This enables you to complete your 100 hours placement, ethically. See Level 4 for full details.
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How long does it take to become a counsellor?
The academic process of becoming a counsellor can take between 3-4 years.
Course lengths at the Training Academy are as follows:
| Level 2* | 10 weeks (11 weeks including half-term) |
| Level 3* | 1 academic year |
| Level 4* | 2 academic years |
3-4 years may feel like a long time.
Our advice to you is…
“trust the process…”
It’s necessary for you to gain knowledge and nurture your resilience so you can offer the most effective, ethical support for both you and your clients.
*We currently offer multiple course intakes per academic year for Level 2 and Level 3 courses.
What does counselling training involve?
Each course will include skills practice, academic work, and personal development.
Skills practice
- As a listener, you’ll practice your listening skills and verbal contracting regularly and get a feel for the realities of being a counsellor, in a safe environment with fellow students.
- As an observer, you have the chance to observe others’ practice and techniques, providing constructive feedback on the skills used within the session.
- As a speaker, you’re given time for self-reflection, experiencing counselling from a client’s perspective.
You’ll work your way up from 5 minutes to 50 minutes throughout the courses.
Academic work
You’ll complete classroom-based learning of integrated course content, which includes theory and assignments. See course pages for more details.
Personal development
Each course offers the opportunity for self-reflection, in class, in skills sessions and whilst completing your assignments. You and your classmates will also benefit from residential weekends and personal development days, which we provide in addition to the curriculum.
What do I need to consider before starting my training?
You’ll need to consider logistical and financial commitments, reflect on how you learn best and decide whether now is the right time for you.
Everyone learns differently
If you have questions about our teaching methods, course content or have specific needs to help you learn your way, please tell us and we’ll do what we can to accommodate you.
We’re here for you
- We offer dedicated support to our students.
- Small class sizes allow for 1-2-1 support.
- Our courses are designed specifically for those returning to education.
Learning methods and environment
Reflecting on how you learn best, where you feel comfortable learning, and what support you need is important; having the right learning environment impacts your learning experience both academically and emotionally.
We believe in small class sizes and in-person learning, so you’ll learn in a classroom environment and practice skills in a real-life therapeutic space. Allowing room for true personal development, enhancing your learning possibilities. We offer additional experiences to further enhance your personal development, and build self-confidence, self-awareness and resilience.
Logistical commitments
What time to do you have?
Commuting, class attendance and the hours of study outside class, are commitments of your time, so understanding the realities of this can help you make adjustments and plan.
We base classes from Shaw Therapy Centre, and our course pages detail class lengths and estimated study time.
Working around your life.
Take a look at our course dates and times and see which work best for you.
We have multiple course dates for each course level, with day and evening, weekday and weekend classes available.
Payment plans and associated costs
Will the course you choose be funded or self-funded, and how does that work for you?
We offer self-funded courses, each require a deposit to secure your place, and a payment plan that stems the length of your course.
When completing your Level 4 qualification, you’ll fund your own counselling, supervision, and student BACP membership.
Course details are available here.
Is now the right time for you?
Your emotional stability is of paramount importance and the process of becoming a counsellor can be taxing.
Wherever you choose to complete your qualification, the work requires a deep level of personal development to gain the self-awareness required to counsel ethically and effectively. Considering whether you have the emotional capacity to commit to the course right now is important.