How to become a counsellor in the UK
The qualifications you need to work as a counsellor.
An updated version of this article is available here.
Back in April 2018 I wrote what turned out to be a very popular piece on how to qualify as a counsellor. I’ve now completed my Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and been offered a training contract with the NHS, so I thought it might be useful to produce an updated version.
It may shock you to learn that in the UK anyone can legally claim to be a counsellor, even if they are not actually qualified. Terms like counsellor, cognitive behavioural therapist and psychotherapist aren’t on the list of protected titles so anyone can call themselves one. It also means there is no official definition of any of them! Similar titles like counselling psychologist, arts therapist and sports and exercise psychologist are all legally protected and require specific qualifications.
Most (but not all) safe and ethical counsellors get themselves registered with a professional body. Each body sets its own standards which counsellors are expected to adhere to. This generally includes a requirement for continuing professional development (CPD), so even when you’re qualified you’ll still be learning.
There are lots of different ways to become a counsellor, so none of this is gospel, but this is one of the most common routes. Depending on your circumstances, the best place to start is probably with the CPCAB’s Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills. You’ll need to take this even if you already have other Level 2 qualifications (such as GCSEs) or above, because the important thing here is learning the basic skills, not the academic level. It’s a short course which I’d actually recommend to pretty much anyone, whether you want to become a counsellor or not. It will teach you useful skills and empathic ways of communicating which can enhance your everyday relationships, and it should give you a good idea as to whether it’s the right career for you. The Level 2 certificate is available at colleges and private providers all over the UK. I took mine with Devon and Cornwall Counselling Hub which offers the course as a weekly evening class in various locations including Plymouth, Exeter and Saltash. It only lasts a few months, coming in at 90 hours in total.
The next step is the Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies which introduces a lot more theory. You may already know which type of counsellor you’d like to become — in which case you’ll want to pick a provider focusing on that modality. If you don’t know, or if you already know you want to be integrative, then it may be best to choose somewhere offering training in integrative counselling. Integrative does what it says on the tin — you literally integrate concepts from different modes of working and schools of thought. This recognises that different clients will have different problems and different preferences, so different approaches will be needed. At Devon and Cornwall Counselling Hub, we focused mainly on person-centred, gestalt and CBT but we also touched on transpersonal and psychoanalysis. The course is another 90 hours, again usually taken as an evening class. Once you’ve completed it you should be prepared for the Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling which is the level where you actually qualify as a counsellor.
Level 4 is a much bigger commitment, taking place one day a week for two years. At Devon and Cornwall Counselling Hub we worked with the connections model which integrates person-centred, gestalt, CBT and transpersonal theories. You’ll also be required to do 100 hours of one-to-one work with clients, undertake supervision, and have your own personal counselling. It’s perfectly possible to do it while working and having other demands in your life, but you will need to be prepared to spend a lot of time and money. When you come out the other end you will be able to take a certificate of proficiency and join the BACP as a full registered member and work as a counsellor in a counselling agency. Alternatively you might like to look at the other professional bodies and choose the one that suits you.
Although you’ll be qualified, Level 4 is really just the start. The diploma also forms part of the Open University’s Foundation Degree in Counselling, so you can do more modules and gain that qualification too through distance learning if you like. You might then choose to top up to a full bachelor’s degree with another institution. You can go on to complete higher level qualifications with the CPCAB or another awarding body, and/or you may wish to go down the psychology and mental health route and look for work in the NHS. In the UK, the British Psychological Society (BPS) charters individuals and accredits qualifications. If you don’t have a degree then you’ll need to do one of their accredited psychology degrees which are available across the country or via distance learning. If you already have an undergraduate degree in a different subject, or you have a non-accredited psychology degree, then you can do a conversion course at master’s level. Again, these are available at universities across the country or via distance learning. I completed my MSc Psychology online with Manchester Met over two years alongside my diploma.
With a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and an MSc in Psychology you’ve got a huge range of options available to you and it would be impossible to run through every choice in one blog post. Two of the most popular are likely to be applying for a professional doctorate, either in clinical psychology or counselling psychology, and gaining chartered membership of the BPS. Click on the links to find out more about what they involve.
Once qualified as a counsellor, a lot of people choose to set up in private practice. There are not a lot of full time jobs advertised for “counsellors” and there is still a culture of volunteering and part time work. However, there are lots of jobs in the wider mental health field, and a Level 4 Diploma will help you to get one of these, particularly if you choose to do your diploma somewhere that includes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as it’s a treatment that is recommended by the NHS. This puts off a lot of counsellors who prefer a person-centred approach and don’t want to work with more directive modalities.
I completed my 100-hour clinical placement with young people and decided to apply for jobs with the NHS, charities, and third sector organisations that would allow me to keep working with this age group. The government is currently focused on creating a new mental health workforce for young people, and Education Mental Health Practitioner roles are being introduced across the UK. You spend a year as a trainee being paid at Band 4 while they pay for and put you through a Postgraduate Diploma (like a master’s minus the dissertation) and you start working in schools. That’s not to be sniffed at, as a Postgraduate Diploma would cost many thousands of pounds if you were paying for it yourself. Once qualified your pay will be increased to Band 5. The training incorporates the Postgraduate Certificate you would do while training as a Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner, so you’re qualified for both roles. Competition for these roles is fierce. I understand that 300 people went for 30 training places for the role I secured, meaning only one in ten of those who applied were successful. If you want to work in the NHS it’s therefore important to keep applying and not be put off by initial rejections due to a high volume of applicants.
To recap:
Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills + Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies + Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling = Qualified to work as a counsellor. But that’s only the start of the journey!
Good luck!
I offer counselling sessions online and in Launceston, Cornwall. If you’re a counselling student then please contact me for a discounted rate.
Update: I have been contacted by readers who have found this article invaluable in gaining an understanding of a complicated field. As a result I have been asked to run one-to-one Zoom sessions where I go into more depth about the counselling and psychology field and explain different titles, training routes and accreditations, as well as answering any questions. If you are interested in an hour-long personalised Zoom discussion based on your current CV, qualifications and career aspirations then please get in touch.
