Certificate in Counselling Skills

The Certificate in Counselling Skills will provide you with a professional qualification and is independently accredited by the National Council of Psychotherapists (NCP). The course is also recognized by the NCP for CPD points.

Wellness for Life is a recognized and authorized course provider of the Complementary Medical Association (CMA). As a Wellness for Life student, enrolment on the Certificate in Counselling Skills will enable you to directly join the CMA as a student member. Upon successful completion of the Certificate in Counselling Skills, you can upgrade your membership and obtain insurance with the CMA to practice.

The Certificate in Counselling Skills begins September 2010 and runs until June 2011 in Brighton, Sussex for 30 weeks, on Tuesday evenings 7pm - 9pm. The group is kept to a maximum of 6 students to facilitate individual learning.

SYLLABUS

MODULE 1: Defining counselling: the helping process, different helping modalities, counselling approaches, working within a code of ethics, defining basic counselling skills, using counselling skills in context, Johari Window

MODULE 2: Core conditions of counselling: empathy, unconditional positive regard, genuineness, confidentiality, valuing diversity

MODULE 3: Showing attention and interest: verbal and non-verbal language

MODULE 4: Exploration skills: attention giving, active listening, creating space, managing silence, effective questioning, permissions to talk, structuring the beginning, middle and end

MODULE 5: Understanding skills: paraphrasing, reflecting feelings, understanding the clients internal frame of reference, offering challenge and feedback, managing resistance, self disclosure, summarizing

MODULE 6: Action skills: negotiating tasks, goal setting, creative thinking, problem solving, action planning, evaluation

MODULE 7: Improving clients self talk: cognitive reframing, rules, perceptions

MODULE 8: Coaching, demonstrating and rehearsing. Coaching clients in relaxation

MODULE 9: Ending the helping process: making referrals

MODULE 10: Evaluating and developing your own work. Supervision. CPD

The sessions aim to introduce the fundamental aspects of counselling skills. A theoretical base is offered together with experiential exercises which complement the academic learning. In addition students are given the opportunity to practice counselling skills and give constructive feedback to their peers.