Entry requirementsThis is a Level Four course and as such will require students to have a good level of literacy and general education at least up to GCSE C grade. In other respects the course is open to any one with a genuine and positive attitude to the subject, and no prior knowledge is needed. The course could be particularly helpful for anyone working on a day-to-day basis with people such as Prison Officers, Health Workers, Care Workers, Police Officers and so on.
Course description What will I learn on the course?
By taking our Counselling and Psychotherapy course, you will gain a thorough understanding of what is expected of a Counsellor. You will be able to use your newly developed skills to help people in need. It could be people at work, it could be close members of your family, it could be long-time friends. Just think how much they could benefit from your knowledge and experience. Alternatively you could apply for further training or employment in the field of Mental Health.
How does the course work?
The Counselling and Psychotherapy course is from UK Open Learning, one of the UK’s leading distance learning providers. The great thing about distance learning is that you can study from home or work, at your own pace and in your own time. What’s more, you will have your own personal fully qualified tutor offering support via email and post.
How is the course designed?
The Counselling and Psychotherapy course is comprehensive and covers a wide variety of topics such as types of counselling, listening skills, crisis mediation, bereavement, stress problems, depression, eating disorders, alcohol, drug and substance abuse and much more. It is designed in units and you will complete a series of assignments, submitted by post or email and marked by your personal tutor. There is no final exam.
Is there any practical training?
Yes. Even though our course is all distance learning, we can arrange for you to support a client via our unique telephone support service. This is done following an assessment of your skills and suitability and with the client’s consent. You will be monitored carefully by your tutor and feedback sheets submitted as part of your portfolio. If you are currently in employment and find that your day-to-day job involves helping people such as nurses, then we will ask you to complete a record of your "face to face" counselling which will go towards your total hours when you wish to become a member of any professional body.
Extra On-line Support
The tutor for this course has now set up a forum for all of his students studying Abuse and Trauma and related courses. This will assist you with your studies as not only will you get full tutor support from a professional tutor for the duration of the course but you will also get help from other students who are studying at the same time as you and get an insight into other related courses by talking to students studying them. You can ask other students questions about your course or theirs, and they will try to help you.
This is a great community for all those students who wish to interact with others in the same situation as theirs and get friendly advice and share ideas and comments.
You will be able to interact with students studying the following courses:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Understanding Eating Disorders
Introduction to Counselling
Mental Health and Psychiatry
Working with a Diagnosis of Personality Disorder
Your tutor will provide all the details of how to get onto this forum if you decide to order the course.
Will I be able to practise as a counsellor/therapist after taking the course?
At the moment anyone can call themselves a counsellor or therapist but a qualification in Counselling and Psychotherapy will show potential clients, further training organisations and employers a level of learning and knowledge that others may not necessarily have. Our course is accredited which you can put towards further learning.
In the future the government will be introducing regulations for people offering talking treatments. Although at this time we do not know the criteria for being accepted for regulation, we do know that a qualification in counselling and psychotherapy will stand you in good stead. In addition, it would be a good idea to become a member of a professional body.