Utterly confused - retraining as CBT therapist

[planningpartyfreak]

Who is it I want to be accredited by? BACP or BABCP?

Do I do a foundation degree or a diploma?

Ultimately I'd like to be employable by the NHS...

Bacp has strict guidelines about the training of counsellors and therapists who are registered with them. They are seen as THE counselling accreditation body ( with UKCP for psychotherapists).
I don't know about babcp nor working in the NHS, yet, as have just started training...
Have a look at the criteria for babcp accreditation, and if it seems like it is easier to meet that standard than the bacp one then it won't be as highly regarded as a professional body.

Several professional bodies, as already mentioned. Worth researching before training. BACP UKCP and BABCP.

Lots of courses but not all equal content & respectability ime

Thanks

From what I could see it appeared BABCP was more for CBT

BACP was more overall

But I'm not certain... looking on NHS jobs a few seemed to ask for BABCP but maybe they accept equivalent with BACP??

BABCP
Pg dip or msc

You want a BABCP accredited course ideally. I would look for an IAPT recruit to train post if possible. Do you have a core profession? I am not sure how IAPT (Improving access to psychological therapies) courses work, but generally to apply for accreditation you need to be a psychologist, doctor, ot, mental health nurse or I think there is a counselling psychologist route. All the info you need is on the babcp website, though it is confusing.

There is basically not ‘one qualification’ to be a cbt therapist, but if you pass an accredited course you will automatically qualify for provisional accreditation. If you do another course, you will have to supply a lot of extra information about your course, as well as your training case hours, supervision records etc, but can still get accredited.

And NHS posts will want you to be at least ‘working towards’ or ‘eligible’ for accreditation.

No core profession. Support worker

Where would you look for a BABCP accredited course as a starter in SE London?

As far as I know you would need to qualify in a core profession first. Sorry.

Yes I'm starting from scratch... wanting to become a CBT therapist and unsure if I need to do a degree to begin for what I want as I know you don't have to have a degree. And trying to find out if it's BACP or BABCP that's considered the "better" accreditation to have as that will affect which route I take

Hi op.
I’m currently on a bacp accredited course.
I’m on level 2 which is counselling skills.
This equates to 75 hours plus an exam in June. I also do a skills assessment.
Next year I can do level 3 which will look into the different areas of counselling which includes CBT. This course is 150hours.
If I pass I will be interviewed to go onto level 4 which is at that point I can specialise and choose CBT if I want to.

It’s a long road but it’s all accredited to the BACP and I can become a member of the organisation.

Thanks. I think it looks like I should begin with a level 2 course and go up to level 4 with the diploma and then at that point I can decide to either continue studying and get a degree and do post graduate study to get BABCP or go via BACP without the degree and extra studying?

Can you try an intro course first? I did an 8 week one that ran on Saturday mornings.
That started last September.
I then started a fast track level 2 in January that finishes in June.
It runs one eve a week plus some Saturdays so not too much involvement.

Sorry to hijack OP but can I just ask as @ihatethecold seems to know a thing or two bout this, are there any level three evening courses in the SE?

Have a look on the bacp website.
Ideally the course should be accredited to them.
I’m in East Anglia so don’t know about the SE.

Not to confuse things but I did an msc. that was nhs funded in Scotland (fees paid and salaried) which qualifies you as a clinical associate psychologist. The course is cbt focussed and is not accredited but I'm working in the nhs in Scotland and know of people working in England so accreditation isn't always essential. Pretty much everyone in my year works in the NHS and quite a lot to on to the doctorate because you get accelerated entry.

Thank you @ihatethecold. I have another question if you don't mind. How does the BACP Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling compare to the CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies ? Would you say they're equivalents?

Are you in Scotland? There's a new BACP Diploma, I was reading about it just yesterday. 2 years full time or 4 years part time and there's funding available.

No I am in the SE

Sorry. I can’t help you. Do you have any open days you could attend to find out?

I am currently a Psychological Well-being practitioner working (PWP) in IAPT so thought I’d offer my knowledge.

In terms of the NHS, the standard route of training working as a CBT therapist is by completing an BABCP accredited course. This course is usually the IAPT HI PgDip in CBT.

You would typically be training alongside working for an NHS site at the same time. In order to get on this course, you would need to have a core proffession (psychologist,nursing etc)

If you do not have a core profession you would need to work as a PWP for a minimum of two years and can then apply to get onto this course. Although bare in mind you would need an undergraduate in psychology to get onto PWP training.

If you have any questions feel free to ask! Psychology career routes can be confusing.

Thanks what is PWP?

I think I probably need to begin right from level 2 and work out my routes after I reach level 4 by the sound of it.

I was considering doing MH nursing as a possibility so maybe I will consider persuing that before... then I'd have a core profession

Www.prospects.ac.uk

You do not need a core profession op

Don’t you need to do a Counselling Psychology professional doctorate?

Not to be a cbt therapist no