I want to train as a counsellor

[kindnessandfarts]

Asking for advice as others may know - I have previously done the D171 introduction to counselling course and want to enrol on a level 3 CPCAB counselling skills course however the college I was hoping for is fully booked the coming year. I'm searching for other providers and may have found one (possibly) but the hours are evening so unless I can get childcare funding for the evenings this will limit me being able to do this one.

I don't want to sit around for a year though doing nothing... can anyone recommend similar types of educational courses that may be relevant if I have to wait? I was wondering about doing an access to nursing qualification as ideally I would have loved to be a mental health nurse (very different to counselling I know, but I would like to work in mental health) would it be a complete waste of time though if I later decided to go ahead with the counselling course next year or could it still help further down the line?

I don't have any GCSES or A levels although I can prove I have done level 3 courses and passed- I have an NVQ level 3 in health and social care and done a few mental health awareness courses etc

Also was wondering about applying to the samaritans for experience... would this help with my chosen career? I've heard their training is very good but selfishly I suppose I am wondering if you are allowed to use your hours towards your counselling practical hours later on as I'd need childcare to do this

Many thanks if anyone has any useful advice for me

Hi,

Samaritans would be excellent experience and training, but no you won't be able to use the hours towards counselling practice as it is a listening service and therefore quite different to actual counselling.

Have you looked at Cruse? I believe they run a bereavement counselling training which those who have completed it recommend, and once you are in with them you can possibly use a placement with them to get your practical hours.

When I trained one of the course requirements was for everyone to have 40 hours of personal counselling. You could start to have this now, to spread the cost a bit - although your course may not require this.

Thank you, I will look at Cruse. I was aware of the personal hours and annoyingly have done about 3 years of counselling already personally if I had only started it sooner. That said, I think I'm in a better place now to do the course due to it

At level 3 my group had all sorts of educational experience. Might be worth considering doing something, purely to get in to the swing of learning, writing assignments and organising homework - that was quite a learning curve for most people.

Samaritans would be a good option, or anything which takes you out of your comfort zone. One real challenge with both training and practice is how to respond to people very different to you, who have had experiences you haven't. That could be prison volunteering, domestic abuse services, food banks. Don't worry too much about it being something counselling related.

Lovestonap my college require the 40 hours to be completed at some point after the start of level 4 - so worth checking OP, as it's not cheap!

That's handy to know @PoliticalRookery re when to start the personal counselling, I will ask the college if I get into the course at enrolment about that thank you

I've studied fairly recently so I think I'm okay to be in the swing of things thankfully... just hope I can sort something rather than wait a year now

I know a few people who did Cruse training before counselling level 2, it's definitely complimentary. Check when the training centre allows refunds up until - I got a place 2 weeks before the course started as someone obviously changed their mind and a place became available.

I would bother as it’s ridiculously competitive and very expensive

I have a degree in counselling and psychotherapy unless you have an MA it’s very hard to get a paid role and still the money isn’t great. Yes it has helped me get the position I have now but so could work experience

I am now retraining as a mental health nurse far more job prospects and you are not constantly having to hand over money to the BACP or UKCP

But I would get some experience before in this area as you might find it just isn’t for you

I don't think you're going to get paid work as a counsellor without a much higher level of qualifications, are you? The standard where I am is a good degree in Psychology or a relevant discipline, and a Masters in counselling or psychotherapy.
What do the relevant accreditation bodies say about qualifications?

Nursing you need GCSE C and about in maths and English

There are lots of different access courses and it’s really good preparation for university but you will still need GCSE

If you still intent on doing counselling I would advise Psychology and Counselling courses it just might open a few more doors for you in the future

Only one person from my counselling degree course works as a full time therapist now most have moved into MH and are in retraining

Well you can get a degree in counselling? I have. I then did a post-grad -in a specialist subject. I have a paid job in it. No, it's not super well-paying but I don't think many people go into counselling thinking they'll make a bomb - in my experience it's usually people who have had experience of counselling from the other side, found it valuable and think they would like to work in that field.

It's a strange situation, someone wants to go into counselling and is advised not to bother, but anything remotely difficult or traumatic happens (on MN or elsewhere) and the first response is usually 'have some counselling'.

Good luck OP in whatever you decide.

It's a strange situation, someone wants to go into counselling and is advised not to bother, but anything remotely difficult or traumatic happens (on MN or elsewhere) and the first response is usually 'have some counselling'.

Not really. The market is glutted already. Receiving counselling is very valuable but it doesn't make a great career choice unless you basically don't need an income, because you will have to fund your own master's or higher qualifications plus work for free or very little for years.

It's a strange situation, someone wants to go into counselling and is advised not to bother, but anything remotely difficult or traumatic happens (on MN or elsewhere) and the first response is usually 'have some counselling'

I don't think thats strange at all. Yes, we need more counsellors, but highly trained professional ones.

Hmmm I definitely want to work in MH and I'm not expecting to get there fast or make a fortune. I have an illness myself and single mum without any family support nearby to help with childcare so realistically the chance of me earning much without some income being supplemented by working tax credits is a few years away and I also have a small business I'm trying to get started too so I'm kind of expecting to work a few jobs and not be rolling in money.

Now wondering about doing a hypnotherapy course - I know it's not the same, but I have found it useful myself with anxiety. Perhaps it's more likely to find work that would support my tiny family down that route sooner?

There's not really any quick and easy route to profitability in this space, OP, tbh. Counselling is a complex, subtle and difficult skill and there is no shortage of people interested in doing it. Even established and experienced practitioners often don't earn that much. A hypnotherapy course is also more of a skills add-on for an experienced counsellor imo. I don't think it would give you very much without the underlay of basic skills or be very marketable. I mean, if you're very good at hustling and self-promotion by all means hang out your shingle and have at it, but both private clients and institutions want to hire people with solid qualifications and significant experience. The best way to make a solid family-supporting income in this space would be to go down the mental health route and get a clinical job e.g. MH nurse, but if I'm not mistaken that's a full-time degree type path. In my experience? Counselling psychology makes a great career for many people later in life when they have the time and money to invest in training and upskilling and relatively lower outgoings. I don't see many people supporting a family on it.

It was me who said don’t bother as you need to train further and jobs are few and far between there is better options to train in where you support people

Counselling is often referred to as being the middle class house wives profession and it’s easy to understand why. It’s expensive to train and to then become accredited and so many hours you will work even when qualified for nothing. It’s a real shame that the profession lets so many good people go simply because they can’t afford to keep up with the costs and it really lacks the diversity it should have

Luckily MH services doesn’t

The advice is often to have counselling if you go through your GP many therapists will be training or working through their accreditation you might get counselling through private healthcare they will be fully qualified and accredited and if you can afford to pay you will have more choice

MH nurses do A LOT of counselling with their patients, and they do it very well, too. Might be worth another look?