Diploma in Counselling

Diploma in Counselling Our Diploma in Counselling Courses are three-year (450 hours) part-time courses (3 hours a week, daytime and evening classes are available).
The course is a balanced composition of counselling skills, personal development and counselling research. We believe that the students' development in any of these components requires development in the other components. For example, the personal development component enhances the competence in using various counselling skills, while development in counselling research encourages controlled generalisation of professional counselling experiences. We expect our students to perform well in each of these areas to meet the awarding requirements.
Apart from the main theoretical framework of the course (person-centred counselling), students will be introduced to the key concepts of Gestalt Therapy and Transactional Analysis, as well as the contribution of Virginia Satir to counselling theory. In the last two terms, time is set aside for introducing students to the conceptual frameworks of child development.
Some of the sessions are delivered by guest speakers.
We believe that the learning support that we provide on this course is unique in the sector and facilitates very high quality training. We guarantee the following:
The maximum number of students in any one course will not exceed 12.
There will be two tutors for each course.
There will be two individual tutorials a month for every student.
Although students are encouraged to seek their own placement, we guarantee that all of our students will have their placement by the middle of the second year.
Our special sessions and theme-workshops will be delivered by our guest speakers who are experts in the subject concerned.
We provide all the necessary equipment for tutor and student works and presentations. Students will have access to all the refereed counselling journals.
Our residential weekends will take place in an environment that facilitates maximum learning experience (including the third year residential weekend abroad)
Life-long e-mail address and discussion forum. Our Diploma in Counselling courses have the following aims:
To raise students' awareness of how their own particular experience of life may influence the counselling process both positively and negatively.
To develop the use of counselling skills and to expand the range of skills, working as a person having explored and worked through some of the painful roots and difficulties of no go areas in themselves, their personal history and interpersonal relationships
To understand the theoretical backgrounds to the different counselling models and to acquire an in-depth understanding of at least one model.
To develop and deepen students' understanding of anti-oppressive and non-discriminatory counselling and their commitment to a recognised code of practice and ethics for counsellors.
To understand the legal issues involved when working and practising as a counsellor. This may incorporate working within a multi-disciplinary environment and recognising the implications of specific legislation, e.g. Children Act and Mental Health Legislation.
To understand, accept and be committed to regular supervision of their counselling practice.
To recognise the need for and be committed to ongoing professional and personal development and learning.
By the end of our Diploma in Counselling course students should be able to demonstrate:
An ability and commitment to be a competent professional counsellor. Working safely to provide a safe and supported setting and who values and uses regular structured supervision.
That they have worked sufficiently on their own personal history and interpersonal relating, to be aware of its possible influence on their own counselling practice and be committed to continued personal and professional growth through the appropriate use of supervision and training.
An ability to conceptualise case material arising in the counselling process, i.e. they should not work in a purely intuitive fashion.
An ability to use the counselling relationship itself as a vehicle for change. Working with the client in a therapeutic relationship to explore and work through no-go areas.
An ability to use consistently a predetermined set of skills.
An ability to respect and accept other people's views, attitudes, belief structures and cultures. Working with people who have different assumptions, beliefs, and views. Working with people with difference and diversity.
An in-depth understanding of Carl Rogers's Person-Centred Counselling (The main theoretical model to be delivered on this course is Carl Rogers's Person-Centred Counselling.)
An understanding of other counselling approaches to inform, contrast and complement the in-depth understanding of the main model.
An understanding of the role of research in counselling and an ability to design and carry out a research project.
Content of Diploma in Counselling Courses
Taught element
Our Diploma in Counselling courses consist of three parts.
Part 1 is 150 hours and contains three units, each with five modules (10 hours each), including a residential weekend.
Unit 1: Foundations of the counselling relationship, such as ethical boundaries, confidentiality, equal opportunities, values and beliefs. The main method of assessment is tutor and peer observation.
Unit 2: An introduction to the dominant schools of counselling as well as such approaches as the Inner Child.
Unit 3: This unit demonstrates the use of counselling for particular problems, such as stress, mental distress, bereavement and HIV/AIDS. Part 2 is 150 hours and contains three units and a residential weekend.
Unit 1: Professional and Organisational Issues
Unit 2: Counselling in a Multicultural Society
Unit 3: Counselling Theory Residential weekend
The first and second year residential weekend takes place at Cressbrook Hall in Derbyshire. Students are expected to make their own arrangements for the journey. The environment is peaceful and serene. The Residential weekend will build on the learning experience acquired during the course.
Part 3 is 150 hours and contains three units and a residential weekend.
Unit 1: Advanced Counselling Skills
Unit 2: Self Awareness
Unit 3: Counselling Specialisms, including child development Residential Weekend
The third year residential weekend takes place abroad. The experience during this weekend is an integral part of the learning outcomes.
Supervised counselling practice
Students are required to undertake a 100/150 hours of supervised counselling practice. While we encourage our students to seek their own placement, we guarantee that by the middle of the second year, all students will have their placement. Our responsibility to our students is to ensure they are working in a safe environment and within a contracted and boundaried therapeutic counselling relationship, therefore, a contract will be drawn up between CTPDC and the placement organisation/agency. The role of the student's supervisor is an integral part of the students' counselling practice. CTPDC recognises this and to ensure safe practices are taking place, CTPDC will draw up a contract between CTPDC and supervisors and supervisors and students.
Personal therapy
CTPDC requires a minimum of 20 hours of personal therapy.
Duration of the courses
The courses are delivered during three years. Year 1 includes 40 three-hour sessions (once a week), a two-day residential weekend and two 6-hour workshops. Year 2 includes 40 three-hour sessions (once a week), a two-day residential weekend and two 6-hour workshops. Year 3 includes 34 three-hour sessions (once a week), a three-day residential weekend and six 6-hour workshops. Accreditation of Diploma in Counselling Courses
The course is accredited by ABC Awards (Centra). To achieve accreditation, students must meet the following requirements:
80% attendance
100 hours of supervised counselling practice placement
20 hours of personal counselling therapy
Attendance of the residential weekends
Completion of the following assignments:

Year 1
Maintain a weekly learning journal
A 2,500-word assignment on 'Transition in my life' applying an appropriate model
Two 500-word reflective assignments (one on the residential weekend, one on bereavement - using the 'tasks in mourning' model)
A 2,500-word assignment on self-evaluation and the counselling process (using the taught three approaches to counselling)
A group presentation on a pre-assigned subject
A video-taped counselling session (with a fellow student)
An audio-taped counselling session (with a fellow student) Year 2
Three 500-word summaries of the weekly learning journals
A 3,000-word assignment on comparing and contrasting two approaches to counselling
A 3,000-word assignment on group dynamics (drawing on theoretical frameworks and individual experiences)
Three group presentations
An audio-taped counselling session (with a fellow student)
A videoed group work Year 3
A 2,000-word research proposal
A 4,000-word literature review
A 2,000-word pilot study
Three 1,500-word clinical case studies
A 13,000-word dissertation
Two audio-taped counselling sessions with fellow students
One video-taped counselling session
Fee
The fee for our Diploma in Counselling courses is:
£1,000.00 for the first year
£2,000.00 for the second year
£2,000.00 for the third year This includes all tuition cost (including audio and video recording), cost of all scheduled workshops, cost of all the three residential weekends, cost of acceditation, the one main textbook for each year, access to all library material (all the refereed counselling journals), access to broadband access to the internet, access to CTPDC's internet-based discussion forum, life-long e-mail address as well as entry to all CTPDC's social events.
The fee is payable as follows:
Places on the course can be reserved by a £100.00 non-refundable deposit. The remaining fee is payable in the following way:
Year 1:
By 15 September: £300.00
By 15 January: £300.00
By 1 May: £300.00 Year 2:
By 15 September: £500.00
By 15 January: £500.00
By 15 April: £500.00
By 1 July: £500.00 Year 3:
By 15 September: £500.00
By 15 January: £500.00
By 15 April: £500.00
By 1 July: £500,00 Students will also have to meet the following costs:
Cost of supervision (the counselling practice placement organisation may cover this)
Personal counselling
Professional insurance (the counselling practice placement organisation may cover this)
Stationary and books