You’ll be taught five different counselling approaches:
- Person-centred
- Cognitive behavioural
- Psychodynamic
- Attachment
- Systemic
You’ll also be encouraged to reflect on your own integrative approach as it develops over the course.
You’ll need to undertake a counselling placement of at least 100 hours and at least 30 hours of approved personal therapy.
You’ll attend a compulsory residential weekend at the start of the course which offers space to focus on personal development and group dynamics. We also host other compulsory events such as conferences and workshops.
The philosophy of the suite of counselling courses takes a holistic view of the person, incorporating aspects of phenomenological experience, emotional and thought processes, developmental aspects, and family context with an emphasis on social and cultural influences. The overall objective is to facilitate development of reflexive counsellors who value the significance of the therapeutic relationship, who can engage with flexibility in response to a diverse range of client issues and facilitate client change.
A unique aspect of the course is the offering of diversity groups designed to explore aspects of difference and diversity such as gender or privilege and the impact of this on the therapeutic relationship. We also offer ‘safer spaces’ groups to support students who are members of marginalised or minority groups.
As this course incorporates an element of online learning and skills practice, it is important that you have suitable technology, good internet connection, the technical ability to work online, and access to a private space to attend online taught sessions. This is also a crucial requirement for any remote client work undertaken as part of your practice learning. Consideration and understanding must be given to the BACP Online and Telephone Competence Framework Online and phone therapy (OPT) competence framework and user guide (bacp.co.uk)).