Want to choose a good counselling course but aren’t sure where to start? You’re in the right place!
Our expert team have a combined counselling experience of 50 years and have been teaching counselling for 10 years. We know that finding a good counselling course can feel a bit like the Wild West, so here are our tips:
- Get clear on why you want to do a counselling course
- Choose the right level of counselling course for your needs
- Find an accredited course
- Check the course content
- Check the course provider
- Consider logistics like timings, costs, and how the course is delivered
- Work out what support you will receive
- Ask for help from a qualified and experienced counsellor
Get clear on why you want to do a counselling course
Spend a few minutes considering why you want to do a counselling course. This might seem like an obvious step. But answering this question will help you find the best counselling course for you.
There are many different reasons why you might want to do a counselling course. Maybe you are:
- Considering a career change
- Wanting to become a counsellor
- Already a counsellor, and want to deepen your skills
- Wanting to learn counselling skills like active listening to help you at home or at work
Choose the right level of course for your needs
The next step to choosing a good counselling course is to work out what qualification level of counselling course is best for your needs.
There are nine qualification levels in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland – all the way from entry level (the most basic) to Level 8 (equivalent to a doctorate). You can find counselling courses at all of these levels. But that can make it confusing to know where to start! So here is a handy guide:
If you currently have no training or qualification in counselling skills, you could start with our Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and Theory. This course is ideal if you are looking for an accessible and comprehensive introduction to counselling.
If you currently hold a Level 2 introductory course in counselling skills, you could take our Level 3 Award in Counselling Skills and Theory. This course builds on your Level 2 to deepen your knowledge and further practice core counselling skills. It is particularly ideal if you want to progress to being a counsellor.
If you have completed a Level 3 Award in Counselling Skills and Theory, you are eligible to apply to do a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling to become a fully qualified counsellor.
Find an accredited course
Make sure the counselling course is accredited. Accreditation is when an awarding body recognises the course or the course provider for its standards and quality.
If a course is accredited, you can be assured that the course meets required standards and the course content is relevant and appropriate for the qualification you get on completion. Basically, you can have more peace of mind about choosing that counselling course.
Our counselling courses are accredited by NCFE/CACHE, which is a trusted awarding body for courses in counselling skills. NCFE is the national awarding organisation; CACHE (Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education) is a specialist awarding scheme under NCFE for the care and education sector.
We are also rated as a Centre of Excellence for Counselling Training by NCFE. Since 2020, we have had Direct Claims Status (DSC), the highest distinction.
You can also check if the course is recognised and regulated by independent qualifications regulators. Independent qualifications regulators in the UK are:
- Ofqual in England
- SQA in Scotland
- Qualifications Wales in Wales
- CCEA in Northern Ireland
Our counselling courses are recognised and regulated by Ofqual, the Government’s exams and qualifications ‘watchdog’.
Check the course content
If you have chosen the right level of counselling course, and the counselling course is delivered by an accredited provider, the course content should suit your needs. Still, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the course content first.
If you are doing a counselling course for a specific purpose at work, for example, you could check with your line manager if there are any specific modules or course requirements you should be looking for.
Check the course provider
Do some research on the organisation providing the counselling course. In particular:
Check accreditation and affiliations. Ensure that the course provider is accredited by recognised educational bodies or affiliated with reputable institutions.
Read reviews and testimonials. What have other learners said about the course or the course provider? Look for feedback on the course content, tutor support, and overall satisfaction.
Evaluate the provider’s experience. How experienced are their trainers? How long have they been teaching counselling? How much counselling experience do they have?
Our team has a combined counselling experience of 50 years, and has been teaching counselling for more than 10 years. Liz (our centre manager) and Valerie (our course tutor) are qualified counsellors who also work for Life, the parent organisation of our training centre. Life is one of the UK’s largest pregnancy support charities and counsels 6,000-8,000 people every year dealing with difficult pregnancy or pregnancy loss.
Consider logistics like timings, costs, and how the course is delivered
Make sure that the course’s logistics make sense for you. Think about:
Timings: When does the course start? How long does it last? What is the time commitment?
Cost: How much does the course cost? What is the value of the course to you personally?
Location: Where is the course held? How many classmates will you have, if any?
Delivery: If it is an online course, is it self-paced, tutor-led, or blended?
- Self-paced means you will have access to a learner platform with pre-recorded lessons and online content. Students work through these at their own pace, completing and uploading assignments at their convenience. If you are looking for greatest flexibility to fit your studies around your current commitments, this is a good option.
- Tutor-led courses have scheduled virtual classes led by a tutor on Zoom or similar. Students might need to stick to a set timeline to complete units and submit assignments. This option is less flexible, but you benefit from real-time interaction and a more structured schedule.
- Blended learning courses give a mix of self-paced and tutor-led sessions. Students may have the option to watch recordings of sessions in their own time but are likely to have specific deadlines for assignments to complete the course in the required time frame.
Our counselling courses are self-paced and online, with instant access once you have purchased. For an additional fee, we can also give one-on-one remote classroom learning. You can find out more about the course logistics and options on the Level 2 course page and the Level 3 course page.
Work out what support you will receive
Different counselling courses offer different kinds of support. Some are better for people who like to learn alone, others are better for those who learn best in groups. Some are assessed by exam, others are assessed by coursework. Make sure to find a course you feel that will best meet your needs.
Our Level 2 and Level 3 courses all have ongoing telephone and email support from your tutor. For an additional fee, we can also give one-on-one remote classroom learning to help you get the most out of your course. We assess based on coursework; there are no exams.
Make sure your course includes support for Skills Practice. Skills Practice is an important part of counselling skills training. This is where you put your learning into practice in the form of skills practice sessions. For online courses, you can submit as evidence of these:
- Audio or video recordings along with an observation sheet, and/or
- Remote or face-to-face sessions with a tutor
Ask for help from a qualified and experienced counsellor
As we said, choosing a counselling course can feel a bit like the Wild West. If you still have questions, please contact us – we would love to help you out. And that is even if your questions are about courses that we do not currently offer! We are passionate about high-quality counselling training and would be delighted to assist, whatever your question.