Counselling Course


What our learners say

Independent Reviews Click here

“I would highly recommend it. The distance learning aspect of it is brilliant. There are no deadlines which allow you to leave more time between modules to learn more before attempting them. I find the content easy to read.”
Paula, Cheshire, UK
The support system is great. Even if it's been a while between my submitting assignments, I still receive regular emails, articles etc. which reminds me I'm not alone and spurs me on to keep going.
Deborah, Kent, UK
Home study suits my lifestyle, and this is a particularly good course.
Carol, Essex, UK
“If like me you have decided you wish to study counselling, I would recommend this course 100%. It is a great starting point and covers a great deal of info. It's extremely well thought out and great value for money.”
Tracy, London, UK
“I've found the course interesting and thought provoking. I've also been fortunate to have a very good tutor.”
Susan, Merseyside, UK

Accredited Diploma in Counselling Course

The 16 Counselling Course Modules

1. Welcome

  • Why be a counsellor?
  • A place to work
  • Your tools
  • Assessing your strengths and weaknesses
  • Getting prepared

2. Theories of counselling: humanistic theories

  • Client-centred counselling
  • The psychology of Abraham Maslow
  • Gestalt theory
  • Transactional analysis
  • Existential counselling

3. Counselling skills

  • What do counsellors actually do
  • When the client asks for advice
  • Many problems don't have a solution
  • When counselling fails
  • Listening skills
  • Become an expert listener
  • Prompts
  • Questions
  • Challenging the client
  • Body language
  • A note about medical conditions

4. Theories of counselling: psychoanalytic theories

  • The world of the unconscious
  • Defence mechanisms
  • The Id, Ego and the Superego
  • Psychoanalytic counselling interventions

5. Stress and depression

  • Stress
  • Getting the right level of stress
  • Identifying stress
  • Conquering stress
  • Getting in control
  • Physical changes
  • Other ways a client can reduce stress
  • Symptoms of depression
  • Self image
  • Getting more sleep
  • Suicide

6. Theories of counselling - CBT

  • The cognitive-behavioural counselling theory
  • Cognitive re-structuring
  • Skill building interventions
  • Behavioural modification

7. Counselling young people

  • Children’s problems
  • Bedwetting
  • Children who bully or are being bullied
  • Disruptive or attention seeking children
  • Phobias
  • Eating problems
  • Separated parents
  • Child abuse
  • The adult abuse victim
  • Adoption
  • Getting work from schools
  • Your first meeting with the young person
  • Family therapy

8. Substance abuse: alcohol and drugs

  • The counsellor's attitude towards drugs
  • Smoking
  • Smoking and the counsellor
  • Drinking
  • Tranquillisers
  • Solvent abuse
  • Illegal drugs
  • Cocaine
  • Heroin
  • LSD
  • Amphetamines
  • Ecstasy
  • Cannabis
  • Gambling
  • Children's gambling
  • Food
  • Dealing with the addict
  • In an emergency

9. Life and love, sexuality and partnerships

  • Understanding the client’s goals
  • Marriage guidance and divorce
  • Adultery
  • Loss of libido
  • Infertility
  • Sexual difficulty
  • Homosexuality
  • Cross dressing

10. The elderly. Death and bereavement counselling

  • Reminiscence therapy
  • Getting reminiscence therapy work
  • Counselling the dying
  • Talking about pain
  • Talking about death
  • Counselling the bereaved
  • Responding to emotion
  • Physical comforting
  • What you must not do
  • The practical aspects of death
  • About other organisations
  • Getting paid
  • Post-traumatic stress syndrome

11. Counselling at work

  • Getting into a company
  • Watching for signs of stress
  • Get it down on paper
  • Vulnerable people
  • Helping people become more successful at work
  • Becoming independent
  • Improving the relationship with the boss
  • Time management
  • Body language
  • Eight ways to make the right impression
  • Four ways to use body language
  • Getting success away from work
  • A one day course on workplace counselling
  • Structure for a workplace course on counselling

12. Types of clients

  • The types of clients
  • How will you position yourself?
  • Types of counselling
  • Talking about counselling
  • Competition
  • Responding to a client's question about competitors
  • Product-based solutions

13. The counselling process

  • Responding to a prospect’s enquiry
  • The initial session
  • Ending the initial session
  • The client who wants to start straightaway
  • The counselling process
  • Helping the client reach a conclusion
  • Gaining trust
  • Establishing rapport

14. How to find clients

  • Sources of work
  • The internet. Your website.
  • Print advertising
  • Writing an ad
  • Mailshots
  • A leaflet
  • Networking
  • PR
  • Getting referrals from an organisation
  • Client referrals
  • How to find companies and professional organisations
  • Local companies
  • Response rates

15. Finance and legal issues

  • How much should you charge?
  • Payment
  • Terminating the sessions
  • Keeping clients and the bank manager happy
  • Client files
  • The ‘form of business’
  • How to keep financial records in four easy steps
  • Tax
  • Indemnity insurance

16. The advanced counsellor

  • Handling clients you don’t like
  • Liasing with other professionals
  • Using transactional analysis
  • Counselling frameworks
Read more: What you'll find in the pack