Counselling Skills

Students

If you want to become a counsellor the Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills forms the foundation of professional counselling practice as well as providing the essential listening and communications skills used by helping professionals. It is the first compulsory qualification on the CPCAB progression route to becoming a counsellor.

The course may be particularly useful to voluntary workers, welfare staff, health authority staff, managers, personnel and training staff, probation and social services staff, teachers and tutors.

By the end of Certificate in Counselling Skills (CSK-L2), students should be able to:

• Use counselling skills ethically and safely
• Manage helping interactions
• Communicate empathic understanding
• Manage an active listening space
• Use self-awareness to facilitate helping work
• Use counselling skills coherently
• Use study skills to help manage learning

Further details can be found at http://www.cpcab.co.uk/qualifications/csk-l2

Learners are required to produce a candidate portfolio and undertake an externally-assessed written paper. In addition to the classroom time, learners should anticipate around 2-3 hours per week of private study time to cover assignments and reading.

Candidate registration fees are payable at enrolment.

And finally - it is important that you realise, and are prepared for, the costs involved in this course - financial, time and emotional. It is a serious course that requires a high degree of commitment and hard work in the areas of theory, personal exploration, self-development and practice. This course is not suitable for those with ongoing mental health problems or with significant changes currently affecting their personal lives (e.g. bereavement, relationship breakdown). Counselling training is not a substitute for counselling or other types of support.

The general progression route for our counselling programme is:

• ICSK-L2 Introduction to Counselling Skills
• CSK-L2 Counselling Skills (Level 2)
• CST-L3 Counselling Studies (Level 3)
• TC-L4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (level 4) –OR-
• Foundation Degree in Therapeutic Counselling (level 5) [validated by the University of Gloucestershire]
• The Foundation Degree can be topped up to a Full Degree with a further year at Level 6, e.g. the BSc Hons Applied Social Sciences with the University of Gloucestershire

Finally, there are a number of options available at GC to help you pay for your course fees:

• Setting up a Direct Debit: You’ll be asked for a 20% deposit when you enrol and this can be paid in cash, or by debit or credit card.  Course fees must be paid in full by the end of your course so the monthly instalments would be adjusted accordingly e.g. for a one year course you would make 8 payments
• Advanced Learner Loan: Contact Student Services to find out more and whether this course is eligible
• Support for those that are unemployed and in receipt of benefits: Contact Student Services to find out if this course is eligible for funding and whether you are eligible

Class times:

30x week duration September - May

     Mondays 9:30am-12:30pm

     OR

     Tuesdays 6-9pm

Intensive 17x weeks duration September - January

     Thursdays 1:15-7:15pm

     OR

     Fridays 9am-3pm