(c) gadgetdude, Flickr

Interested in our three year diploma in psychotherapeutic counselling that qualifies you to work as a counsellor? Please click here for further information.

For improved communication and interpersonal skills or access to a Diploma.

“….now I listen better…………..am more aware of my patient…………..beyond just their physical symptoms……………it doesn’t take any longer……………….now my patients leave smiling”  -  Quote: A medical professional recently taking  the Certificate course.

CCS’s Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Theory and Skills is a one-year, part time, course providing access to our Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, for those who have little or no prior counselling training. This course may also be taken as a stand-alone qualification for those in other professions wishing to improve their inter-personal and communication skills. Formal qualifications are not essential and there are no age limits. Selection is by interview soon after receipt your application and is concerned with qualities, rather than qualifications, of the applicant. In considering your suitability for the training, we pay particular attention to life experience and motivation. We are also interested in your willingness to participate fully in the training experiences and your commitment to personal development.

Recommended Reading

Is Counsellor Training for You? – Val potter (Sheldon Insight)

Psychodynamic Counselling in Action – Michael Jacobs (Sage Publications)

Overview of the training.

CCS is committed to an equal opportunities policy, we aim to deal with all applications without discrimination.

We hope that the information below enables you to get a flavour of both the training course and the organisation as a whole. We hope that you find this information useful in making your decision. If you have any further enquiries you can contact us by telephone, e-mail or fax.

About Chichester Counselling Services.

Chichester Counselling Services is an independent charity founded in 1979 offering affordable counselling to adults in the local community. We are affiliated to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Our Diploma course has been accredited with the BACP since 1994, making it a nationally recognised qualification. We also offer a programme of short courses and workshops in counselling related issues. The training and most client work take place in our building in the heart of Chichester.

The certificate training.

For those students who wish to learn basic counselling theory and skills, perhaps to enhance your competence in your present employment, the first year of our BACP-accredited Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling course may be undertaken on its own to receive our Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Skills & Theory.

This opportunity also offers you the ability to explore counselling, for those students who are unsure about actually practising therapy with clients, unsure about investing the time to complete a diploma or perhaps unsure about making a career change into counselling.

Successful completion of the year leads to the award of a Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Skills & Theory. The certificate is not a British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy-accredited qualification, but it would be transferable for those wishing to complete our BACP-accredited diploma (an additional 2 years part-time) with us at a later date, or perhaps elsewhere.

Part-time training takes place each year beginning either in October (lasting for three terms) or January (lasting for two terms – with the same material as offered in the three-term training).

Related posts:

1. Certificate in Theory and Skills
2. Introduction to CCS’s Psychodynamic/Psychotherapeutic Training
3. Diploma & Certificate in Couples Counselling

(c) gadgetdude, Flickr

Interested in our one year Certificate in Psychodynamic ounselling Theory and Skills? Please click here for further information.

CCS’s diploma is a three-year, part time, BACP-accredited training course for aspiring professional counsellors. Formal qualifications are not essential and there are no age limits. Selection is by interview, either through CCS’s Certificate in Psychodynamic Theory and Skills, or, for those with suitable prior training, by Direct Entry to Module 2. In considering your suitability for the training, we pay particular attention to life experience and motivation. We are also interested in your willingness to participate fully in the training experiences and your commitment to personal development.

Overview of the training.

CCS is committed to an equal opportunities policy, we aim to deal with all applications without discrimination.

We hope that the information below enables you to get a flavour of both the training course and the organisation as a whole. We hope that you find this information useful in making your decision. If you have any further enquiries you can contact us by telephone, e-mail or fax.

About Chichester Counselling Services.

Chichester Counselling Services is an independent charity founded in 1979 offering affordable counselling to adults in the local community. We are an organisational member British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Our Diploma course has been accredited with the BACP since 1994, making it a nationally recognised qualification. We also offer a programme of short courses and workshops in counselling related issues. The training and most client work take place in our building in the heart of Chichester.

Life as a Student.

Our training is exciting and challenging: it is more than an academic course. As a student at CCS you will belong to a professional counselling organisation. This offers you the opportunity to work alongside a mutually supportive group of counsellors who are at different stages of their career development. The CCS training package includes theory, skills, supervision and client work. You won’t have to go elsewhere to find clients or supervision. CCS will select and assess your clients for you and you will be supported by BACP approved supervision. CCS provides a safe secure environment for you to be introduced into the fascinating and demanding world of client work.

After Qualifying.

After achieving your diploma you can continue to belong to and counsel at CCS as you move into the next phase of your professional development. As a qualified counsellor you are eligible to further your career at CCS. Former students may work towards BACP accreditation in dedicated accreditation groups. CCS offers workshops that meet the BACP personal and professional development criteria necessary for the individual maintained accredited status.

Aims.

The course will teach you the essential knowledge and skills of psychodynamic counselling. It will help you to establish an understanding of the theory and the technical processes of counselling, while also developing personal and professional awareness required for effective practice as defined by the BACP.

The Training.

Within counselling there are various theoretical models underpinning the work. At CCS we work to the psychodynamic model. Based on the profound belief that the past influences the present, student counsellors learn to help clients explore their experiences, become aware of hidden feelings and discover new insights and perspectives.

Training for the Diploma takes place over three years part-time. Whilst each year is a separate module, there are three main elements to the training:

• Theory and Skills
• Personal Development
• Client work and Supervision

The course includes, over 3 years:

• 180 hours of seminars
• 90 hours personal and professional development group.
• 32* hours individual tutorials
• 45 hours Saturday workshops
• 100* hours client work
• 129* hours group casework supervision

*minimum

As students develop, the notion of three clearly defined elements recedes and the links between the three elements become apparent. This is called integration. However, in order to understand the components that comprise the course it is helpful to think of them in terms of three separate elements.

Theory and Skills.

This mainly takes place in weekly seminars comprising psychodynamic theory and skills. There are also Saturday workshops each term.

Learning takes place through reading, discussion, written assignments and skills practice. Over time your knowledge of the richness and complexities of psychodynamic theory is deepened and enhanced as you progress through the course.

Skills are developed in tandem with the theory, using role plays with your peers to bring the theoretical concepts to life.

Personal Development.

Self-awareness is given a high priority throughout the training and is developed through:

• Group work - part of the weekly training sessions from the summer term of the first year to the end of the third year.
• Personal counselling - ongoing, weekly throughout the course. We provide a list of recommended psychodynamic counsellors for our students to work with. This is the only part of the course that takes place outside CCS
• Journal - a chance to express and reflect on thoughts and feelings and to incorporate your learning with personal experiences.
• Project - a long essay started in the second year, giving you an opportunity to make a study of an area of particular personal interest, linking the personal with the theoretical.
• Tutorials - one to one with your course tutor, supervisor, project tutor and personal tutor. A chance to focus on your individual needs.

Client work and Supervision.

We consider it a real strength of our training that we are able to provide both the clients for our trainees and specially tailored psychodynamic supervision within our organisation. You will begin to work in a training supervision group with your peers at the end of the first year. When you are ready you can begin to work with clients who are specially selected as being suitable for an inexperienced counsellor. Weekly supervision and client work then continues throughout the training.

Following successful completion of the training, counsellors are asked to continue counselling on a voluntary basis at CCS for one year, to consolidate their learning in a secure, supervised setting.

Assessment.

Continuous assessment by all members of staff involved in your learning takes place throughout each year. This is planned to be supportive so that you have an opportunity to identify and work on areas you find more difficult. Progress from one year to the next is based on satisfactory completion of the previous module. A final assessment takes place at the end of the third year and students receive a diploma on successful completion of course requirements, including one hundred supervised counselling hours.

In cases where a student has been unable, for whatever reason, to successfully complete a module, the staff concerned meet to discuss the best course of action for the student. This may include taking a sabbatical year to work on personal issues, or deferring the final assessment for a year while continuing studies and client work, the latter is known as Module Four. We consider Module Four to be an asset of the course because it is tailored to meet the needs of each student concerned. It focuses on appropriate aspects of the individual’s work rather than a blind repetition of an academic year.

Pastoral Care & Support Systems.

Each student is allocated a personal tutor. The personal tutor monitors and encourages personal development, but is also there to provide you with support and guidance if difficulties arise. Regular tutorials are provided, but you can also contact your personal tutor as the need arises.

After Qualifying.

After qualifying former students have the opportunity to consolidate their training and client work. You will be eligible to attend workshops, reading seminars and short courses. Many counsellors also begin to take on additional client work and work towards personal BACP accreditation at CCS. Qualified counsellors may continue voluntary counselling and supervision at CCS for as long as they like and many people enjoy this opportunity to belong to a counselling community. After leaving it is also possible to keep in touch with CCS as a member, giving you access to our ongoing programme of further development.

Time Commitment.

There are three modules – one module per year.

Module One:

• Basic training: 3 x ten week terms (total thirty weeks, one evening per week) and 3 x Saturday workshops.
• Personal counselling: 50 minutes weekly, ongoing from January (Diploma students only).

Module Two:

• Basic training and group work: 3 x ten week terms (total thirty weeks, one evening per week) and 3 x Saturday workshops.
• Personal counselling: 50 minutes weekly, ongoing.
• Supervision: weekly, 90 minutes.
• Client work: building to two clients per week.
• Project: research begins March, deadline for completion December.

Module Three:

• As for Module two but with increased client work if necessary.
• Hand in project.

Fees and Payment.

Please contact us for latest fees and methods of payment.

Fees will cover all your training and group work, Saturday workshops, individual tutorials, rooms for client work, insurance and course materials.  All fees are revised annually.

Students paying privately may arrange to pay in three termly payments or monthly by standing order incurring a 5% handling charge. Students who are sponsored by an employer are asked to pay each full year’s fees in advance.

CCS is presently unable to offer direct financial support to students in the form of loans or grants. Some students have obtained such support from external sources, such as employers or other sympathetic organisations, in which cases, CCS is willing to provide the necessary references, after acceptance on the course.

As an accredited professional training, the Diploma is registered with the Learning and Skills Council. Students may be eligible for a Professional and Career Development Loan, usually for years 2 and 3 of the course.

Direct Entry.

If you have already successfully completed basic Psychodynamic training of at least 90 hours and had at least six months personal counselling, you may be eligible to join the CCS Diploma course at the beginning of the second year. Please note the special requirements set out for direct applicants on the application form.

Related posts:

1. Introduction to CCS’s Psychodynamic/Psychotherapeutic Training
2. More about the Diploma

(c) UCT Summer School SS60, Flickr

The decision to train as a counsellor and on which course is a very important one which needs careful deliberation.

If you haven’t already done so, you need to investigate what counselling is all about and a good way of finding out more is to obtain the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)’s leaflet entitled “Training in Counselling” – from British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. BACP aims to promote high standards in both counselling training and practice.

Which Approach?

The next aspect to consider is which approach to counselling appeals to you most. BACP recommends that courses provide a “core theoretical model” and ours offers a psychodynamic approach. It can be said that the psychodynamic model is an excellent base for all counselling and one to which skills from other models can be added later if desired.

You also need to know that BACP implemented a Course Recognition scheme in 1988. (This has since become known as a Course Accreditation scheme). Courses which have gained “Accreditation” meet rigorous standards and “participants” on such courses “might reasonably expect to function as counsellors on satisfactory completion of the course”. Chichester Counselling Services’ training courses are BACP Accredited.

Accreditation.

There is an increasing demand for counsellors both in the public and private sector and you will find that it is expected that counsellors will either have or be working towards Individual Accreditation by BACP. “Those BACP members applying for accreditation who have completed an accredited course after the date of accreditation are deemed to have fulfilled the training requirements for individual accreditation and will not be required to complete that section of the accreditation application form.” If you do not attend an “Accredited” training course “the applicant will be expected to have completed a course which is substantial enough to be regarded as a ‘core training’”. Proving this involves a lot of complicated form filling without the assurance that BACP will accept the training that you have done. (BACP asks other courses not to include in their publicity material the fact that they intend to apply or are applying for accreditation as hopes can be raised inappropriately as occasionally applications are withdrawn, rejected or encounter delays while conditions are met.)

CCS gained “Accredited” status in June 1994 being only one of twenty-two such courses nationwide outside London.

Our courses.

The Web site provides information about the courses available at CCS. These courses provide students with a broad conceptual background in counselling using a combined academic, practical and experiential focus based on the psychodynamic model. The specific aims of the course are:

a) to provide a high quality counselling course so as to ensure a sound theoretical base of all the stages of human growth and development, as well as the relevant ideas and models associated with psychodynamic counselling, social behaviour and personal change.

b) to provide basic skills training and those additional skills particularly related to a psychodynamic approach.

c) to promote the growth of individual student’s self awareness through group work and personal therapy.

Most courses ask you to have achieved at least 100 counselling sessions before a Diploma can be awarded. It can be very difficult to find clients, a suitable setting (rooms) and supervision of your work (an ethical and training requirement). At CCS all the worry is taken out of this for you as from the second year onwards we provide suitable clients, counselling rooms, good administrative back-up and first class supervision. All our supervisors have undertaken additional training in supervision and work in a way that reflects the “core” psychodynamic model. Do not underestimate how difficult it might be to find clients, a place to work and supervision with a supervisor with an approach compatible with your training. At CCS the anxiety is taken out of this for you in the fully integrated package we offer.

How much of your time?

You may also be wondering about the amount of time to allow. Participating in a professional training as part of a career whether paid or voluntary can be demanding. It requires time and commitment and, to use a cliché, “the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.” However, most trainees become fascinated by the work and eager to know more.

Pre-qualifications?

Though we do not ask for academic qualifications, you will need the capacity to understand and apply theory. We have found some of our most naturally gifted counsellors are not always those with the highest academic qualifications.

In addition to the guiding concepts and assumptions reflected in an Accredited course ( listed in the BACP pamphlet previously mentioned ) we also offer pastoral care and tutorial support throughout the training to help you meet the challenges and rewards inherent in achieving your potential as a counsellor, in this way your development is encouraged and a very professional service is offered to our clients.

Which Training Course?

If you have never trained as a counsellor before, you will start with our Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Skills/Theory. This is one year’s training, awards you a certificate and (optionally) leads onto our diploma course.

If you have received previous counselling skills training, you may consider starting with our Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling. This is two years’ training awards you a diploma and (optionally) leads onto our MA.

If you have received our diploma in counselling, you may go onto our MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice.  This is a minimum of two years and awards you a Master of Arts.

To summarise – our training courses are:-

• Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Skills/Theory
• Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
• MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice

Apply to Train as a Counsellor with Chichester Counselling Services.

Your next step is to complete and submit an application form. Download the application form from the Downloadable Leaflets Section (right hand side column).

If you feel you are eligible for entry into the second year of the diploma course (see the criteria) please complete the relevant parts in the application form.

All applicants will hear by letter whether or not you have been successful in reaching the interview stage.

Paul Smith
Training Manager

Related posts:

1. Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Skills/Theory
2. Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling