Counselling on the side

[Themadcatparade]

I have a full time job in a different expertise but I’ve been thinking lately to use my degree to some use for a sideline job.

I have seen that I can do an intense course and eventually a pgdip/masters part time in counselling and after I’m qualified I could potentially do this privately. I don’t have any experience in counselling which I know is needed but I did have a sideline years ago which specialised in mental health advocacy and helping people is a passion of mine. I know I possess the personal qualities to be successful in this line of work alongside any training. I have experience of being on the other side of this also, I spent much of my childhood and early adulthood in the hands of many therapists enough to get involved with CBT, art therapy, talking therapy and other methods.

These are just fleeting thoughts at the moment but it’s growing on me.

Has anyone here gotten in to this line of work especially if you use it as a secondary job and is the training worth it in the terms of job prospects?

I'm going to be doing this soon. I've got a MH qualification already and work in a related field, but going to do a cbt diploma while I work full time.
It will take 2 years, as most of these courses do. Plan to volunteer afterwards. I did an initial counselling certification that took 9 months as well. You would need to do that first. You might also waste a bit of time finding the right course. Hopefully not!
There isn't really an intensive course / approach. Unless you do an unregulated online thing that takes 6 weeks and you learn to reflect back (repeat!) to clients what they said, under the guise of 'counselling', but you would need to be morally bankrupt to call yourself a counsellor after that Or you could do a full time 1 year masters. You need something with a 100/150 hours placement for the course to be credible. It's obviously great to have the people and advocacy skills but counselling or therapy is a much deeper role and different responsibility. You could also look at coaching? some of these courses are quicker and they are non regulated. Good luck x

I originally trained as a counsellor then went the psychologist route. Counselling training was part time and I nearly lost my shit as I was working F/T while doing that and a placement. So yes it’s doable (and really rewarding, I love therapeutic work even though it’s been tough this past year and a bit) but it’s hard to fit in everything the course requires while working full time.

Thank you both!
I have talked to my partner and we are looking in to options financially. There might be an option for me to drop a day at work to fit in the initial certificate training, after that it would be the longer approach I think with the Msc part time if I can make that work. It will require some saving, I found a pgdip/MSc course that is integrated but I’ve just found out the student finance only dish out postgrad funding for MSc courses only so it won’t be eligible! A lot of planning it seems might be needed to find the best route in to it.

For the time being I might look in to volunteering a few hours a week to get my head in to it and obviously give me some background experience.

It all sounds really intense but it’s nice to see that other people have managed to make it work. I fell pregnant the 2nd year of my undergrad so if I can birth and child in the middle of exams and still ace my degree I’m certain I have it in me to take on a challenge like this!

The training is intensive and you have to be 100% committed to it. It's a life-changing experience really and you will be looking at yourself very deeply.

I would say it's going to be difficult to do it "on the side" if you also have another job which is very different, because it requires so much emotional energy.

It's definitely not an easy option, many people drop out of the courses because they are not expecting the amount of personal development work that they have to do.

If you are prepared for all that then yes I would go and get some voluntary work experience to see how you find it and talk to some people who are qualified. It's a rewarding profession.

I will sin be starting level 4 ,I've already completed levels 2 and 3.
I will need to go to a college part time to have counselling and also to gain clinical hours .
It is best that you look into bcap or equivalent approved courses I found these in the bcap website.

*soon .

I managed to do the initial certification - counselling skills certificate - on a course than ran one weekend a month over 9 month.

I have done some counselling training (though not working as a counsellor currently). I don't think this is viable to work as a counsellor part time as well as working full time in your current job (is that what you meant ?). In practical terms I just don't think you'd have enough time to do both unless you can commit working 12 hr days ?

I also would expect that you'd have to commit to some time volunteering / being supervised etc if you were to go into counselling training fully - how would that work out practically with your availability if you are already working full time ?

For people that I know who've gone into counselling, they've only managed it if not working full time.

No, I’d be fully prepared to drop a day or two in my current role to have a bit of variety in my working life for sure. Luckily my current work is quite flexible really, I can work from home or office based and there’s not much requirement to work set hours, there will certainly be potential to work less and add that in. I just need to make sure my wage is made up and job prospects are good for newly qualified?

I’ve been in counselling myself most of my life until the last few years so I have somewhat of an understanding how taxing emotionally this could be.

I will look in to the bcap accredited courses! It’s just finding the best route in to it.
I have just booked an online meeting with nspcc to apply for being a volunteer counsellor for childline, which is only 4 hours a week and full training and supervision. hopefully if my application is successful I’ll get a bit of a taste about committing my time to that line of work.

Useful link here www.bacp.co.uk/careers/careers-in-counselling/training/

BACP accreditation normally required for any counselling jobs I've seen

Also the BACP comment "The opportunities for paid employment in counselling field is increasing, but there are still not enough jobs for everyone who is professionally trained. Many roles are part-time or voluntary."

So could be tough but also wishing you all the best with considering this as an option