Certificate in Counselling Skills (Level 3 Equivalent)

Aim

Our Certificate in Counselling Skills is designed to empower trainees to become competent, confident, and ethical listeners; we aim to provide trainees with more in-depth knowledge of the use of counselling skills in everyday life and work, and the approaches and theories that underpin the use of these skills.

While this qualification does not qualify trainees to practice as counsellors independently, it does provide the foundation for progressing towards a professional qualification accredited by recognised counselling professional accrediting bodies such as NCPS and BACP.

Objectives

The objectives of this course are to help trainees:

Build and apply counselling skills within everyday life and work. We aim to empower trainees through practical, hands-on experience, including group and peer discussions and weekly triad practice.

Explore and understand the theoretical foundations and approaches involved in the use of counselling skills.

Develop and appreciate the importance of self-awareness by engaging in reflective practice and feedback to support personal development.

Understand the importance of and embed ethical practice, including maintaining confidentiality, contracting, and understanding the limits of one’s competence.

Provide and receive peer feedback when offering constructive observations and feedback to other trainees, fostering development and growth.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course is delivered by a qualified and experienced counselling practitioner who also holds a teaching qualification. Learning involves taught sessions, large and small group activities, discussion and independent research and reflection tasks.

Additional Info

• involves taught sessions, small and large group activities, discussion, and independent reflection tasks.
• involves weekly written work that is internally assessed
• is a necessary part of training to become a qualified counsellor (Advanced Professional Diploma).
• develops additional transferable skills that can be applied across a range of helping and support roles.

For our counselling courses, to promote a cohesive learning group and to ensure that all students get the most from the course, we ask all applicants to complete a short, written statement to accompany their application form.

Our expert course tutors carefully review all applications, and in some cases, they may reach out for further discussion.

To succeed in the written elements of this course, applicants must have an English Level 2 qualification (GCSE or equivalent).

Please note this is a very popular course, places are limited! We prioritize applicants who successfully complete the application process and confirm their spot with payment.

Students often benefit from having completed an introductory counselling course or from having comparable learning or work experience. The Introduction to Counselling Skills course at Exeter College is an informative lead-in to the counselling training journey as well as a beneficial standalone course in effective listening and self-awareness. It is an unassessed course, with no prior learning or experience required.

The Certificate in Counselling Course is internally assessed.

Trainees are required to complete a weekly reflective learning journal and assignments based on taught sessions and experiences.

Funding Availability 

This is a Self-Financed course. No funding is available for this course. For fee’s over £150, you can set up an instalment plan to pay over 3 months (50% on the first month, and 25% for the following 2 months)

Additional Costs

All course textbooks are available in the College Learning Resource Centres (LRCs), though students sometimes wish to buy their own textbooks during the course.