BACP Accredited
Diploma in Counselling

The course aims to provide a training so that, on successful completion, participants will be able to work competently with a range of clients at a professional level.

There are four central components within the course:

• the evaluation and teaching of skills involved in creating and developing a counselling relationship
• the development of awareness of self and self in relation to others both personally and professionally
• the presentation of sound theoretical concepts from relevant established disciplines
• the provision of supervision, both individual and in small groups, for discussion and evaluation of counselling practice.

Who is the course for?

The course is for people who are using counselling in their work such as those in

• management
• personnel
• social work
• complementary medicine e.g. acupuncturists, homeopaths
• health, education and pastoral care
• voluntary counsellors who want further training plus qualifications, and who are intending to make counselling a career

Format of the Training

The Diploma is a two-year intensive part time course meeting weekly on Mondays 4.00pm-9.OOpm for three terms each year, totalling thirty-six weeks commencing annually in September. In addition, there will be two non-residential weekends in the Autumn and Summer terms and one residential event in the Easter term. There will be a minimum of three tutorials each year at times suitable for both tutors and students.

Additional time will be required by students for reading, writing assignments, counselling practice, supervision and personal work.

Entry Requirements
Applicants will be expected to have:

• experience of using counselling skills, either in a paid or voluntary capacity
• evidence of ability to study at the level required for the course
• some training in counselling e.g. a certificate in counselling skills
• opportunities for sustained counselling practice during the course
• an appropriate personality i.e. the ability to respond sensitively and flexibly to a wide range of people, feelings and ideas
• a willingness to enter counselling/ therapy for the duration of the course.

Graduates may be eligible for entry to the Gestalt Psychotherapy Programme at Post Graduate Certificate or Post Graduate Diploma level.

Accreditation
This course has been accredited by BACP and graduates will be eligible to apply for individual accreditation by BACP on completion of the required number of client and supervision hours.

To successfully complete this course you will have:

• shown appropriate participation in all areas of the course
• kept a Personal Learning Journal which gives an account of your reflections on the course material and its impact on you as a person and your relationships
• written two Essays, one on a theoretical topic relating to counselling and the other on an aspect of Gestalt theory that has interested you.

Selection

Applications for the course are welcomed from interested people regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual preference or educational qualification. The Gestalt Centre will attempt to accommodate those with physical disabilities.

Candidates who from their application forms seem to meet the entry criteria will be invited to a group interview to discuss the course and meet other applicants and the staff.

After this, candidates may be invited to an individual interview or selection may be made without this further interview.
Consideration will be given to the nature and balance of the groups, as well as individual appropriateness.

Description of the Course

First Year

In this year students will:

1. Gain a solid grounding in the philosophy and practice of Gestalt as a core model.

2. Review and evaluate the fundamental principles of counselling and relate these to the core method.

3. Address major areas such as:

• cross-cultural counselling
• race, sexuality and gender issues
• loss and bereavement
• others relevant to student needs.

4. Develop one-to-one counselling skills.

5. Learn to review counselling sessions with peers.

6. Integrate this theoretical, practical and experiential learning into current counselling practice with the support of supervision.

Second Year

In the second year students will:

1. Deepen their understanding of Gestalt theory and methodology with reference to subjects like transference, diagnosis, and developmental theories.

2. Focus on groupwork theory, skills and practice.

3. Explore other theoretical perspectives e.g. psychodynamic.

4. Cover topics including counselling with:

• ethnic minority groups
• incest/abuse survivors
• substance addicts
• eating disorder clients
• others relevant to student needs.

5. Introduction to psychiatric diagnosis, treatment and drugs.

6. Ethical and professional issues.

7. Focus primarily on integrating this learning into individual and group counselling practice through case discussions, group and individual supervision and peer feedback.

The weekly components of both years are:

• peer learning groups for study, skills practice, professional exchange and support
• seminars on theory, professional and ethical issues
• personal and professional groups to address and explore individual concerns, develop the group, integrate learning skills practice and attention to group process.

Written Assignments

Students are required to:

• keep a personal learning journal, which should contain details of individual learning contracts and accounts of key learning experiences
• in Year 1 write two essays on aspects of counselling theory
• provide two audio tapes of a counselling session with critical commentary: one at the end of Year 1, another by mid-way through term 3 of Year 2
• write a case study in term 3 of Year 2
• write an extended essay in term 2 of Year 2 on a topic of special interest to the student.

Assessment

Students will be assessed by a variety of methods. Staff will consider the progress of students at the end of each year based on tutor, peer and self-assessment. In addition it will be based on:

• satisfactory completion of written assignments and tapes
• satisfactory attendance on the course
• a minimum of 120 hours counselling work with clients

Staff

The teaching staff are qualified and experienced psychotherapists, counsellors and trainers with backgrounds in social work, education and the health service.

Counselling Skills Certificate

Back to Training Courses Page Short Courses Psychotherapy Training Experiential Groups If you have any queries and would like to discuss your options further, please feel welcome to contact Centre Co-ordinator: Jacqueline Wearn. e-mail: mail@gestaltcentre.co.uk tel: (020 7613 4480 fax: (020) 7613 4737.