You may be tempted to purchase courses through social media that range between £30 – £500 that are worded very carefully to imply that once complete you are qualified to practice. In truth, students often end up disappointed and out of pocket.

In the currently unregulated world of counselling, there is a wide range of training available, some of better quality than others and there is undoubtedly a place for distance learning as ‘continued professional development’ (CPD) AFTER becoming qualified or when combined with high-quality classroom based learning, however these initial and VITAL interpersonal skills can only be learned in the presence of other individuals and a fully qualified and experienced counselling tutor.

Good counselling training has at its core a solid relational foundation and it is Adept’s and CPCAB’s professional view that this cannot be fully achieved via online or distance learning. All our qualifications are classroom-based (even if delivered via zoom on occasion) and use the benefits of an experiential shared environment to build counselling competence which is refined at every subsequent level.

Professional Associations for counselling registered as Approved Voluntary Registers by the Professional Standards Authority insist on a proportion of the applicant’s training being classroom-based, although some membership associations accept distance learning equivalents. BACP’s own website states that …

“We believe that practising counselling skills under supervision, and with feedback from staff and fellow students, is an important aspect of training. Online and distant learning courses can offer an introduction to the use of counselling skills and theory, but do not have this relationship with staff and other students.

Therefore, any courses you take through online or distance learning will not count towards the training hours you require for BACP membership/accreditation or similar Professional Associations.”

Here’s a video from the CPCAB about why there are so many counselling qualifications:

The minimum entry level to be recognised as a counsellor within the profession is a level 4 diploma.

Generally, counsellors should complete the following stages of training:

1. An introductory ‘taster’ course to introduce students to the basic ideas and skills behind listening/counselling; and/or
2. A certificate in counselling skills to introduce students to counselling theories and ethics, practical counselling skills and self-awareness; followed by
3. A Level 4 Diploma in counselling to provide an in-depth study of counselling theory and ethics (with a minimum of 400 hours therapy training in a classroom), and a supervised practice placement. Online self-study courses do not count.

Some professional bodies require higher level qualifications.

In 2012 the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) introduced a system of ‘Accredited Voluntary Registers’. The PSA’s role is to host ‘approved’ registers so that the public and employers can be confident that the counsellors on the register have met the necessary standards for safe practice. Organisations are not obliged to set the same entry qualifications but they are obliged to take account of what is generally accepted in the field.

The FREE taster course is designed for those who are considering counselling training or have an interest in pursuing a career as a counsellor. The taster gives insight into the counselling landscape, the route to achieving your career goal, and an understanding of the knowledge and skills required to become a counsellor. We hope this short introduction will give you confidence in choosing the best training pathway for you and encourage you to begin your journey to becoming a counsellor. Adept Central require all students to have completed this free training before moving on to the Level 2 Certificate. Find out more here:

https://taster.cpcab.co.uk?utm_source=Adept%20Central%20Ltd&utm_medium=centre&utm_campaign=tasterlaunch&utm_content=3069

We have a responsibility to ensure that all potential candidates are made aware of the nature of the course, and in particular that it involves experiential elements which will involve some personal disclosure and associated personal developmental activities. Therefore, only candidates who can cope with the course content will be able to join the course.

Yes and no. If someone decides to become a psychiatrist or psychologist, they are regulated statutorily, which means the actual title is protected by law. So, no one can call themselves a
psychiatrist or a psychologist unless they are appropriately trained as to do so would be illegal and that person would be breaking the law. The title ‘counsellor’ or ‘psychotherapist’ is not protected by law, so anyone, even without the proper training and qualifications, can call themselves a counsellor or psychotherapist.

Obviously to call yourself a counsellor without the necessary training and qualifications is dangerous, unethical and highly immoral. But the counselling profession is VOLUNTARILY REGULATED and the government set up a voluntary register to protect the general public from scams and bad practice and ensure that counselling practitioners meet the minimum professional standards to access the voluntary register. Although the title ‘counsellor’ isn’t protected by law, the profession still enjoys the majority of the statutory registrants’ requirements.

The Accredited Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists is a public record of therapists who meet specific registration standards. Through the register, professional bodies set and enforce high standards for their members, both for initial registration and maintaining their registered status. The Accredited Register’s primary purpose is to protect the public and help them find therapists they can trust. It aims to reassure clients, employers, and the general public that the registered practitioner adheres to high proficiency, professionalism, and good practice standards. You can find out more here.

https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/what-we-do/accredited-registers

Counselling courses will differ significantly even between universities themselves. Colleges sometimes partner with universities, and sometimes will work with an independent awarding body.
Private training providers such as Adept choose an awarding body to be affiliated to.

The type of counselling course between all 3 settings in terms of the content may also differ significantly as all choose different ‘core theories’ to teach. The most important thing to remember is that a good solid well taught counselling qualification is only as good as the delivery, tutors, and additional services that the establishment provide. In terms of recognition, all reputable training providers right across the sector are the same as they are all subject to the same quality checks regarding the level taught.

For example, let’s say a student enrols on an undergraduate degree in counselling with a university, and another student enrols on a level 6 Diploma in counselling practice which is on the regulatory credit framework, both courses in terms of recognition are EXACTLY THE SAME. Both courses are level six courses. What’s important to remember is that it is not the title of a course that defines its status; instead, it’s the LEVEL the qualification is taught. This, again, is what employers consider when choosing candidates for positions.

No because the quality, level and reputation of any counselling course should always be taken into consideration. The more transparent, ethical and professional an educational institute is, the more reputable and coherent the counselling training will be, irrespective of who delivers the training.

Awarding bodies are organisations that set the standards for your counselling training.

All coursework exams and qualifications are written by and marked by a mixture of internal marking (the training institute itself) and external marking (the awarding bodies). The tutor and training establishments the awarding body also checks internal marking; this is called external verification. Once the awarding body is satisfied, you have met all the requirements through internal and external assignments and exams, and they process your certificate or qualification in counselling. There are many awarding body’s that promote counselling courses
and qualifications. One such awarding body is CPCAB, which is the one Adept has chosen to work with.

Universities act as their own awarding body, but they too are subject to checks by the framework for higher education qualification by an organisation called The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (FHEQ). You can find out more here:

https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/quality-code/qualifications-frameworks.pdf

The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) is the framework that all counselling courses should be subject to if a student wants to become a professionally trained counsellor or psychotherapist as any counselling course that sits on the RQF is accredited. (This is not the same as professional body course accreditation, which will be explained in a different question).

By being on this framework, all qualifications are subject to Ofqual standards and requirements that are applied to all regulated Awarding Organisations. OFQUAL stands for the Office for Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. You can find out more here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual

Level descriptors are what the name implies: descriptions of the skills and competencies expected at different qualifications levels. Level descriptors state what learners will typically know, understand and be able to do based on a given qualification. You can first find out more here about levels in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland here:

https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels

You can also find out more here on the actual level descriptors themselves and what the levels mean here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_qualifications_frameworks_in_the_United_Kingdom

There is no a simple answer to this question. It takes at least 3-4 years to train as a professional counsellor and this is done by achieving a series of qualifications at each level. CPCAB charges Adept Central a registration fee for each candidate for each qualification however this is only a small part of the overall cost of training.

We set our own scale of charges for the training we deliver. This includes teaching and administrative staff (probably the single most expensive element) but accommodation and resources can also be very expensive. The cost of your training depends on where you train, what courses you take and how long they last. Currently, year long certificate courses cost approximately £1,000 and diploma courses range from £2,200 to £3,000 a year. Foundation degrees can be up to £6,000 a year and master’s degrees between £12,000 and £15,000, depending upon the course provider. You’ll also need to allow for all the other related expenses:

• supervision – when you start seeing clients during year 2 of the Diploma course, you’ll need regular and ongoing supervision. Unless the organisation you are working for provide it, individual supervision costs vary from around £30 to £80 an hour, while group supervision is around £20 an hour.
• personal therapy – on the diploma courses students need to be in therapy themselves. Personal therapy can cost between £30 to £60 per session.
• insurance – if you’re seeing clients, you should be covered by personal indemnity insurance. Some placement providers will cover you under their insurance but you should always check. Insurance can cost around £50 to £80 a year – some insurers offer discounts for BACP members.
• Professional membership –At diploma level, Adept recommend that students join a professional membership organisation such as the BACP or NCS. Student membership is subsidised and usually around £50 per year.
• books and stationery
• conferences and events
• travel and parking
• childcare – as counselling or psychotherapy is often a second career, you may have a family to look after whilst you train

As a small training centre, we are not eligible via the Education and Skills Funding Agency for ‘Level 3 Allocation’ status. However, as our qualifications are recognised by Ofqual, prospective learners can apply directly to the ESFA for individual funding. The types and amounts of student finance you’ll receive will depend on where you live and are ONLY available for Level 3 courses and above.

Here are some organisations that may be able to help you with grants or loans to help fund your training.

• Professional and Career Development Loans 
  Bank loans are available to pay for training that helps with your career or get you into work. You may be able to borrow between £300 and £10,000. Loans are usually offered at a reduced interest rate and the government pays interest while you’re studying.
• Student Loans Company The Student Loans Company is a non-profit making, government-owned, organisation which provides loans and grants to students in universities and colleges in the UK.