Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy

Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy
(Certificate in Counselling Skills)

This course enables people to practice counselling skills in a variety of settings.

The Certificate Course has a July, October and January intake.

The Certificate Course (or its equivalent elsewhere) is complete in itself, or can act as one of the requirements for those who wish to train as counsellors on the Postgraduate Diploma / MA in Psychodynamic Theory and Practice. Counselling Skills training is also a pre-requisite for many other counselling training courses.

There are three modes:

Mode 1 (October start)
By attendance at 30 once weekly sessions, in three terms of 10 weeks. Each term includes a mid-term reading week. This year long, part-time option starts each October and individuals have a choice of morning, afternoon or evening sessions. The current choices are:

Monday Evening 06.30 pm - 09.30 pm
Wednesday Morning 09.30 am - 12.45 pm
Wednesday Afternoon 02.00pm - 05.30pm
Wednesday Evening 06.30 pm - 09.30 pm

Mode 2 (July start)
By attendance at the two week summer full time programme, which takes place in July, plus four weekend modules taking place over one academic year. The dates for 2007 - 2008 are as follows:

Two weeks full-time, Monday to Friday from 13th - 24th July 2009.
Followed by four weekends: 3rd & 4th October 2009
16th & 17th January 2010
24th & 25th April 2010
3rd & 4th July 2010

Mode 3 (January start)
In response to growing demand we have revised our January start option and converted it to a seven month accelerated version. This will enable participants who are keen to start on a training leading to a license to practice to embark on their studies in September or October of the same year, instead of having to wait from December until the start of the next academic year.
So that all the required course elements can be covered the timetable for this route includes three weekend modules.

Term dates are:
Term 1: Week commencing 5 January - 20 March 2009
Reading Week: 9th February - 13th February 2009
Term 2: 20th April - 6th July 2009
Reading Week: 25th May - 29th May 2009

The weekend modules are as follows:
10th & 11th January 2009
14th & 15th March 2009
27th & 28th June 2009

Participants must choose whether to attend on Wednesday (6.30 pm - 9.30 pm) or Friday (9.30am - 12.45pm) from January until July.

Please note there is an administration fee charged for all interviews.

Assessment

* Evaluation is continuous throughout the course with elements of self, peer and staff evaluation.
* There are two written assignments required (approximately 1,000 words each). One on the use of counselling skills and one on self-development.

Qualification

* For the award of the certificate, demonstration of a level of competence in counselling skills and theory is required, as well as participation in, and an expected 100% attendance at, both the seminar and groups.