When considering a Counselling Course…

For people drawn to learn counselling, wishing to become a therapist, there are a confusing number of options, starting with which theory you choose to learn. Here I will readily admit I had no knowledge when I enrolled for my diploma, I took the closest, most affordable course, with my primary focus on the end result of a qualification.

Of course, after more than 20 years in practice, and as a tutor, I can tell you many reasons why that is not a good way to start your learning. Still, it does highlight a thought process that many students start their course with. This writing is to encourage you to consider other aspects and criteria when choosing which course is right for you, because it will undoubtedly change you and your perspective on the life you currently live.

Am I exaggerating? As my year two students prepare for their Viva and to leave their learning with me, I ask them, What would you tell people thinking of joining this course? The answers are varied, but predominantly they amount to, you can’t put into words what this course does for you, or to you. I’ve frequently heard comments like “buckle up and enjoy the ride”. And there is an element of bumpiness as students manage their personal and professional development.

However, I can assure you that by the end of the course, I will also hear comments like “this course should be taught in school,” and to some extent, I agree. The self-reflection required would benefit society if everyone had the same opportunities to develop their self-awareness and to understand how their close relationships shape them as children and adults.

This is, of course, why consideration of the course you pick is so important. You are committing your growth as a person and professional to a modality, a theory or approach, if you prefer, that will shape your way of being as a therapist and as a person.

As someone trained in the Person-centred approach, when I qualified, I believed in a person's uniqueness, in their ability to be self-directive, and to seek to self-actualise. 20+ years ago, it was not thought necessary to explain that many cultures, for example, put family before themselves and therefore find being self-directive alien to their culture and often disrespectful to other members of their family or social circle.

No one highlighted to me that most of the modalities being taught at the time were created by middle to upper class white men, and sometimes women (of the top of my head thinking Mary Ainsworth, Laura Perls), whose views, back in the 40s, 50s, 60s, and even 70s, were not necessarily as aligned with equality and diversity as we are now. Most approaches have stood the test of time very well, and yet all should be taught and learnt about with EDI in mind.

My Person-centred training evolved into an Eclectic approach that supported clients more effectively across the cultures where I practiced and lived. I then chose to learn and become an Integrative therapist to understand why certain therapeutic modalities/interventions worked or didn’t work with clients.

My Integrative philosophy now encompasses Person-centred, Gestalt, and Existentialism with a sprinkling of Transpersonal. It's good to be aware that being a therapist is a fluid way of being that continues to evolve as you and society develop.

I can’t tell you which approach or approaches might work for you or your clients, but always keep in mind that it’s the relationship between the therapist and their client that’s the most important life-changing aspect of therapy. What I can encourage you to do is to research the philosophies of some of the most well-known therapies available as courses and see which, if any, attract your interest.

This perhaps sounds light-hearted, yet your character will be attracted to certain aspects of a theory, and it is the case that philosophies that you feel an affinity with will be the ones you find easiest to learn and put into practice.

I would encourage you to take the route that feels right for you, learning to trust your intuition, your gut instinct, is fundamental to developing as a therapist, so let this be your first step. On a practical level, I would suggest you check the content of courses available to you and compare them, picking a course with the right amount of experiential learning vs academic requirements that feels right for you.

Degree courses will have slightly more stringent academic requirements than Diplomas, yet that does not necessarily mean they will be more or less demanding. BACP-accredited courses get the course material approved by BACP and have to include certain taught content, whilst those not registered can follow a more fluid approach.

For those less familiar with the term, experiential learning will be skills practice, creative interventions, case studies, dilemma discussions, etc. While you’re asking about those, don’t forget to ask about assignment pass marks, for example, the course I teach requires a 50% mark to pass.

You might also enquire about resources, for example, access to an in-room or online library, handouts/factsheets, course/lecturer notes, tutorials, recommended reading lists, and creative resources, plus policies on attendance requirements, adverse weather attendance, and deferment, just in case. And, the all-important question, what additional costs might there be? For example, is the end-of-course exam fee included in the course fee?

As a final insight, I would suggest that you request a meeting with your tutor before you start your course. Some institutions will tell you that this is not possible. That students are allotted class tutors as the final students are signing up. However, where possible, I would request a brief online meeting with your tutor; getting on with your tutor, considering you have two years of personal development and learning together, is important.

Therapists often offer potential new clients a free 30-minute assessment session to mutually decide if they can work together. Meeting your tutor in the same way, if nothing else, provides you with an insight into that process.

If you have an introductory day at the beginning of your course, use this as an opportunity to get to know your peers and your tutor. Trust your intuition; if things don’t feel right, talk to someone, and if necessary, ask to change class. This is a life-changing course, you will share intimate details, feel vulnerable, and make life-long friends. It needs to feel right and work for you.