Many people go through times when they find their lives overwhelming or distressing. They may find it hard to cope or not have the resources to deal with the problem. Counselling can help them to retain their self-sufficiency, build better relationships and help them to make and act on their choices.
This course provides the student with a strong foundation in Counselling and Psychology, so they can support people through a therapeutic counselling relationship.
Through your studies you will learn practical techniques and strategies to work with people, so when you are finished you are ready to get started.
COURSE CONTENTS
Module 1. Introduction to Psychology
This course will help you to analyse aspects of a person's psychological state and apply derived knowledge to motivate that person. There are seven lessons in this course:
1. The Nature and Scope of Psychology
2. Neurological basis of behaviour
3. Environmental effects on behaviour
4. Consciousness and perception
5. Personality
6. Psychological development
7. Needs, drives and motivation
Module 2. Psychology and Counselling
A course that develops your ability to analyse psychological conditions and to apply that 
knowledge in counselling or advisory situations. There are seven lessons in this course:
1. Stress
2. Abnormal Behaviour
3. Individual Behaviour
4. Group Behaviour
5. Methods of Dealing with Abnormalities
6. Conflict Resolution
7. Interpersonal Communication Skills
Module 3. Counselling Skills I
This course involves 8 lessons:
- Learning Specific Skills - Learning methods; the counselling world
- Listening and Bonding - Meeting and greeting; helping the client relax; listening with intent
- Reflection: Paraphrasing - Reflection of feeling; client responses to reflection of feelings; reflection of content and feeling
- Questioning - Open and closed questions; other types of questions; goals of questioning
- Interview Techniques - Summarising; confrontation; reframing
- Changing Beliefs and Normalising - Changing self-destructive beliefs; irrational beliefs; normalising
- Finding Solutions - Making choices; facilitating actions; gestalt awareness; psychological blocks
- Ending the Counselling - Terminating the session; closure; further meetings; dependency, confronting dependency.
Module 4. Life Coaching
This course is aimed at students with experience or training in health, counselling, social work, natural therapies etc. It will develop your skills in setting and achieving goals, for yourself or for those who seek your assistance. There are ten lessons:
1. Introduction: Nature and scope of life coaching
2. Individual perceptions
3. A well-balanced life
4. Coaching skills
5. Coaching models
6. Coaching and physical well-being
7. Coaching and psychological well-being
8. Coaching success
9. Goal-setting
10. Review and adjustment
Modules 5 & 6.
Choose any 2 modules from the following :
- Counselling Skills II
- Crisis Counselling
- Career Counselling
- Stress Management
- Counselling Techniques
- Grief Counselling
- Professional Practice in Counselling
- Biopsychology I
Starting Your Career as a Care Professional
Obtaining a qualification such as this is certainly a big part of getting started on a new career path; but it is only a part of what is needed. Finding gainful employment (either in self employment, or working for an organisation or institution), will depend upon:
- Developing some useful knowledge and skills (These studies will so that)
- Networking -developing contacts so the right people know and appreciate you; and you have an insight into trends, developments and opportunities in the industry.
- Attitude -do not under rate this. Often an employer would rather engage a less qualified person with the right attitude, than a better qualified one with the wrong attitude.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do I Need for a Successful Career?
Accreditations are rarely any guarantee for a successful career. Qualifications don't guarantee success either. Many highly qualified people find it hard to get work, while others who are poorly qualified, will often find full time employment as a counsellor.
Success comes through having the ability to do a good job as a counsellor. People who do the best job, get the best reputations and in due course, attract the most work opportunities.
Your studies are important, of course; but if you are not suited to a career in counselling; or not prepared to modify your ambitions according to opportunities that arise; you are possibly better considering a different career path.
Do I need some form of "accreditation"?
Many people work in counselling without formally being accredited with or recognised by a professional body. There are advantages to being a member of a professional body such as the Complimentary Medicine Association or Australian Counselling Association; but there are literally dozens of bodies like this in the UK, dozens more in Australia, and hundreds of others around the world. Accreditation systems are often tied up with "politics" or "unnecessary costs" which is a reason why some counsellors simply don't worry.
Use our Free Career and Course Counselling Service. We can put you in touch with an experienced and qualified professional who can help you decide whether click here
WORKING AS A COUNSELLOR
Many people go through times when they find their lives overwhelming or distressing. This may be due to bereavement, illness, family crisis, relationship breakdown and so on. They may find it hard to cope or not have the resources to deal with the problem. Counselling can help them to retain their self-sufficiency, build better relationships and help them to make and act on their choices.
Counselling means different things to different people. It is not a get well quick option, offering quick answers, but is asking the person to engage in a process and an exploration. Counselling is a working relationship where the client is helped to manage what is happening in their life and to explore their life. It is a form of psychological
or talking therapy that offers people the ability to change how they live and feel. The aim of counselling is to provide the client with a more satisfying experience of life. Everyone has different needs, so counselling can be concerned with many different aspects of a person’s life.
Counsellors do not usually offer advice, but instead give insight into the client’s feelings and behaviour and help the client change their behaviour if necessary. They do this by listening to what the client has to say and commenting on it from a professional perspective.
Counsellors provide guidance for clients and a support system, rather than working with the deeper levels of the psyche.
Opportunities
Counselling covers a wide spectrum from the highly trained counsellor to some one who uses counselling skills as part of their role, for example, a nurse or teacher. So you may work specifically as a counsellor, or you may use counselling skills and techniques within a different job role.
There are many job opportunities for a counsellor including:
- Private practice
- Self-employment
- Employed by a school or government institution
- Employed by an HR department
- Working at a premise with other health practitioners ... and more
There is also the opportunity for counsellors to specialise in a range of different areas. For example:
- Relationship counselling
- Grief counselling
- Careers counselling
- Life Coaching
- Body image counselling
- Stress management
- Child and youth counselling ... and more
Risks and challenges
Like any business, starting your own counselling business can be challenging and, at least in the short term, you may struggle financially.
As a counsellor you will be dealing with clients who are overcoming struggles. Counselling people through these situations can be emotionally draining. You will need to be careful to draw clear boundaries with your client and not take on their emotional burdens. It is advised to receive counselling, debriefs, or supervision yourself to help prevent burnout.
How to become a Counsellor
Some counsellors will study counselling through a college or university, and others evolve into the job from a related profession such as welfare, teaching or the clergy. It is important to make sure that the course is a quality course that will help you to develop the counselling skills that you need.
Through your studies you may decide on an area to specialise in. This may lead you to further studies, or work experience with a counsellor who specialises in this area. Like any industry, experience is necessary to be able to gain work and also to work effectively. It is advised to initially work supervised by an experienced counsellor so you can learn from them. This may be in a volunteer or paid capacity.
The more work experience or volunteer work you can do while you are studying the better equipped you will be to work as a counsellor when you finish. Places like Lifeline offer training, as well as experience in a counselling type role.
Other related jobs:
- Horticultural therapist
- Life Coach
- Psychologist
- Play therapist
- Teacher
- Youth Worker
- Welfare Worker
- Social Worker
