Course Overview

This course is for those who:

• Work in care, health, management and/or education related occupations/voluntary placements
• Have their Counselling Skills Intermediate Certificate or equivalent with at least 100 hours
• Want to extend their counselling knowledge and skills while working within a specific vocational or voluntary work setting
• Wish to continue to higher level professional counselling training

The primary goals for participants are that they will:

• Build on previous counselling skills training and theoretical learning
• Acquire a comprehensive knowledge of counselling skills and theory
• Develop the capacity to apply knowledge of theory and skills to counselling practice
• Be able to continue professional training on successful completion of the course
• Identify and explore personal process and developmental needs

The qualification is intended to contribute to career development in participants’ own fields and/or as a part of their own personal development and as a progressive route to higher level counselling training.

Counselling Theory

Theory will be an ongoing element of the course. Candidates will be introduced to and explore in some depth three of the main core theories, which underpin counselling practice:

• Humanistic
• Psychodynamic
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Developing Counselling Skills

Developing Counselling Skills enables students to enhance their counselling skills whilst working in a social care/health/education setting, and prepares students progressing to Level 4/5 to work with clients in supervised placements.

Personal Development

Students will work to develop self-awareness and further their learning through experiential exercises, weekly entries in learning journals and self-exploration in skills work, exercises and group time. Students are encouraged to use theory to think about personal experience and, through personal development, begin to explore personal values and how these impact upon the counselling process.

Counselling: Towards Reflective Practice

Offers the opportunity for students to reflect upon theories of human development, difference and diversity in the contexts of self-awareness and practice in preparation towards a supervised placement (Level 4). This unit explores the main theories at more depth, as well as introducing the basic premises of Gestalt theory and techniques.

Please note, the level 2 distance learning counselling course that the College offers is not a suitable pre-requite for this course because it develops your knowledge but does not focus on skills development although is an excellent introduction to the area. Our level 3 is primarily assessed through skills work and development which is why we ask you to undertake a classroom based level 2 to ensure that you are well prepared for the skills aspect of the course which is 2/3rd s of the assessed content at level 3 with the knowledge based exam making the final 3rd.

Assessment Methods

• Counselling theory is assessed by an externally set written examination and an internally assessed essay of 2,000 – 2,500 words
• Developing Counselling Skills is assessed by observed practical assessment
• Counselling: Towards Reflective Practice is assessed through written coursework comprising a reflective course journal

Progression Options

On successful completion of the Counselling Advanced Certificate, the student will qualify for progression onto the Counselling Practice Level 4 Diploma.

BTC provides a range of professional qualifications which can be achieved at different stages throughout your career, and at varying levels, providing clear progression routes.

See the progression routes available: https://visit.btc.ac.uk/en/counselling-courses