Our Counselling Courses are written by the Central School for Counselling Training (CSCT) and are validated by the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB). Students who successfully complete each course receive a certificate. These courses are recognised as components towards meeting the criteria for professional accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Whilst the content of CSCT courses is not exclusively faith-based, they are delivered at Spurgeon's College by Christians providing a unique opportunity to study professionally recognised secular courses in a Christian environment. Students often find this a stimulating and rewarding experience.

Open days

These are held on Saturdays in March, May and November and will give you the opportunity to meet the tutors and find out more about the courses. You can then discuss your situation without commitment and obtain a good understanding of student life and of the financial implications of coming to Spurgeon's College.

Tricia McIlroy DipTh, DipSup, MSc (Couns and Psych), MBACP (Snr Accred)

Tricia has twenty years experience in the counselling field. As well as teaching at Spurgeon’s, she is in private practice offering counselling and supervision. She is a Senior Accredited Counsellor with BACP and a member of ACC (The Association of Christian Counsellors).

Jill Parnham BA MSc (Therapeutic Couns) MBACP (Accred)

Jill works as a counsellor in a primary care setting and runs a private practice in South East London.  She has been involved in leadership, pastoral care and counselling for over twenty years in a local church setting.  She is passionate about promoting and developing emotional and relational health in church and community.  Married with two daughters, Jill enjoys Italian coffee and roller skating!

This is a 25 hour part-time course. It is not a validated course but it is a useful Level 1 course for those who want to progress to the Level 2 Intermediate Certificate courses, for those involved in helping others within their churches, and for those who use counselling skills within their work or daily lives.

Aims

• To enable students to learn basic counselling skills
• To raise awareness of key ethical issues
• To encourage students to see whether counselling is something they want to pursue further

• An introduction to counselling skills
• A brief look at the three main approaches to counselling
• Opportunities to practise counselling skills
• A consideration of some Christian Counselling models
• A look at some of the boundary issues of counselling particularly in a church setting
• An opportunity to explore further counselling training

Each session runs on a Wednesday evening from 7.00 - 9.45pm.  The dates for 2013 are as follows:

February: 27^th
March: 6^th, 13^th, 20^th
April: 17^th, 24^th  
May: 1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd 

The cost for this Introduction Course is a mere £175.

Applying

This course is open to all. To apply contact the Admissions Administrator, Rosie Holley on 020 8683 8462 or email r.holley@spurgeons.ac.uk

THE CERTIFICATE IN COUNSELLING SKILLS (CSK-L2)

CPCAB validated at Level 2 (17 credits)

Who is the course for?

This course has been developed for people who intend to use counselling skills in their work or envisage incorporating them into their work, and is the starting point for people who may want to work towards a full qualification in counselling. It is also suitable for people who may wish to gain skills for use in everyday life.

The course focuses on the interpersonal skills needed to form and sustain a helping relationship. The first part of the course explores the task of beginning a new relationship. This is a very practical course with an emphasis on learning through doing, which will introduce trainees to the basic skills of active listening and other helping skills. The course will enable trainees to develop their ability to communicate with people more effectively and will allow trainees to develop more awareness of themselves, others and their interaction with people.

CSK-L2 Qualification units and elements

The learning outcomes are:

• To be able to use counselling skills ethically & safely
• To establish and sustain a boundaried helping interaction
• To apply understanding of diversity issues to helping interactions
• To manage an active listening space
• To use self-awareness in the helping role
• To use a range of counselling skills
• To use self-reflection to facilitate counselling skills

• Look at how counselling differs from other helping strategies.
• Learn how to conduct an informal interview showing the application of good interpersonal skills.
• Learn how to form and sustain an informal helping relationship.
•  Develop a greater understanding of self and others.

Student applications are welcomed from all sections of the adult population. Although trainees do not need any previous educational qualifications or professional training, you will need to be fairly confident about your ability to work with others in pairs and small groups. The main requirement is an interest in people and a desire to work with change, growth and development. However, if English is not your first language you need to give evidence of having reached a score of 7 on the IELTS scale. (Many colleges and other places in London and Croydon offer ESOL courses.)

CPCAB Certificate in Counselling Skills

Course structure

The course is structured as 15 x 6 hour sessions, over two terms.  Students are required to attend College every Wednesday between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. during term time. (Click here for details of the costs.)  In addition students would need approximately 4-6 hours per week to complete work outside of College hours.

This course will begin next in September 2013.  (Starting on the 18th September, Half term on the 30th October, Christmas break and last lesson on 22nd January)

Assessment procedures

See below for CPCAB assessment procedures.

THE CERTIFICATE IN COUNSELLING STUDIES (CST-L3)

CPCAB validated at Level 3 (20 credits)

Who is the course for?

This course provides a transition from using counselling skills at an informal level to counsellor practitioner training. The course is an entry requirement for the two-year Advanced Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, and prepares trainees for working within an agency setting as counsellors.

The course focuses on the theoretical concepts and skills needed as the foundation for beginning client work experience within a counselling agency setting. This is a very practical course with an emphasis on learning through doing, which will give trainees the opportunity to practise counselling skills, and to prepare for supervised work with clients. The course will also enable trainees to develop more awareness of themselves, others and their interaction with people.

CST-L2 Qualification units and elements

• To develop a professional framework of the counsellor
• To establish an understand the counselling relationship
• To gain an understanding of client diversity
• To establish a user-centred approach        
• To develop a personal awareness in counselling
• To develop an understanding of counselling concepts and skills
• To understand the concept of supervision and self-reflection

• Prepare to use a professional framework within a counselling setting.
• Develop an understanding of the counselling relationship.
• Prepare to use diversity understanding and skills in a counselling relationship.
• Prepare to manage the counselling process within a user-centred contract.
• Develop personal awareness and understanding in preparation for counselling work.
• Develop understanding of the counselling process.
• Prepare to use supervision as a self-reflective counsellor.

Course structure

The course is structured as 15 x 6 hour sessions, over two terms. Students are required to attend College every Wednesday between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. during term time.  (Click here for details of the costs.)  In addition students would need approximately 4-6 hours per week to complete work outside of College hours.

This course will begin next in January 2013.  (Starting on the 30th january, Half term on the 20th February and 29th May, Easter break and last lesson on 12th June)

Entry requirements

Students applying for the Certificate in Counselling Studies need to provide evidence of having previously completed a Counselling Skills course equivalent to CST-L2. If English is not your first language you need to give evidence of having reached a score of 7 on the IELTS scale. (Many colleges and other places in London and Croydon offer ESOL courses.)

Assessment procedures

See below for CPCAB assessment procedures.

THE DIPLOMA IN THERAPEUTIC COUNSELLING (TC-L4)

Integrative Route (2 Year) CPCAB validated at NQF Level 4 (120 credits)

Who is the course for?

• Trainees seeking an advanced counselling practitioner training course

        and/or

• Trainees who seek a further stage in the CPCAB progression route.

Entry to TC-L4 requires completion of both the Certificate in Counselling Skills (CSK-L2) and the Certificate in Counselling Studies (CST-L3) or equivalent prior learning.

This is a two-year programme which prepares trainees to work as capable counselling practitioners within agency settings. Trainees will study a theoretical model, ethical practice, professional issues relevant to working as a counsellor within an agency, group training supervision, counselling skills practice, and ongoing process group. There will be workshops on cultural diversity, difference and anti-discriminatory practice.

TC-L4 Qualification units and elements

The learning outcomes are:

• To work ethically and safely as an agency counsellor
• To work within a counselling relationship
• To work with client diversity
• To work within a user-centred agency approach
• To work with self-awareness in the counselling process
• To work within a framework of counselling theory and skills
• To work self-reflectively as an agency counsellor

The course provides an opportunity to:

• Develop ethical and safe practice as an agency counsellor
• Learn how to develop and sustain a therapeutic counselling relationship
• Understand and work with client diversity
• Become a capable practitioner within a user-centred agency approach
• Develop self-awareness within the counselling process
• Work within a core model of counselling theory and skills
• Work self-reflectively as an agency counsellor making effective use of supervision

Course structure

Each year of the course is designed to be run as 35 x 6 hour sessions.  Students are required to attend College every Friday between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. during term time. They are also required to attend on 6 Saturdays during the academic year (8.30 a.m. - 4.15 p.m.).  (Click here for details of the costs.)  In addition students would need approximately 6-9 hours per week to complete work outside of College hours. 

• The trainee must complete 100 counselling hours within an approved agency.
• The trainee must complete a minimum of 14 hours individual (or equivalent) supervision.
• The trainee must complete 30 hours personal counselling with an approved counsellor.

Students applying for the Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling need to have completed both the Certificate in Counselling Skills and the Certificate in Counselling Studies. If English is not your first language you need to give evidence of having reached a score of 7 on the IELTS scale. (Many colleges and other places in London and Croydon offer ESOL courses.)

APL or APEL

Candidates wishing to join at Diploma level need to provide proof, in the form of certificates, of previous counselling training along with a reference from a former tutor and/or proof of substantial counselling experience in order to qualify for direct entry on to the course of study TC-L4.

CPCAB assessment procedures

Internal assessment

Internal assessment of all courses is evidenced-based and carried out within the College throughout the course by the College's tutor-assessors. Internal assessment is via a portfolio and candidates must pass this and the external assessment to gain each qualification. Additional time will be required outside of college in order to fulfil these learning requirements.

Personal and professional learning review

Trainees at all levels will be expected to write a review of their personal and professional development as their course progresses, with an entry after each training session of up to a maximum of 800 words. As each day includes 2 sessions this amounts to 1600 words per week. The learning review will be assessed regularly and will provide a valuable source of evidence for the trainees' portfolio.

Essays

One essay is required for CSK-L2 and CST-L2 and several for TC-L4.

The portfolio

Trainees are responsible for developing a portfolio of their learning achievements whilst training. In the portfolio, trainees will be required to provide evidence to show that they have met the assessment criteria for each qualification unit through the successful completion of course assignments.

The candidate learning record

Trainees will complete a 'Candidate learning record' at the end their course. This record points to a variety of evidence sources in the portfolio, appropriate to the level of training that demonstrates where trainees have met all of the qualification units and assessment criteria. Evidence will include:

• Written assignments
• Class presentations
• Peer and tutor feedback
• Self-evaluation and review of learning
• Case studies
• Witness testimony
• Supervisors' and agency managers feedback
• Audio tapes with transcripts and evaluations

The candidate learning record is intended to help trainees develop as evidence-based, reflective practitioners at every level of training. It includes guidance for trainees on all the qualifications units, elements and criteria. Through the candidate learning record, trainees identify their capability to practise at the relevant service level.

External assessment

Candidates on all courses are externally assessed by CPCAB. CPCAB's external assessment and verification procedure ensures consistency of standards across course programmes.

TC-L4 will be externally assessed through an audio-taped session, undertaken at the College, followed by a written paper. Duration: 2 hours.

Course dates and times

Introduction to Counselling for Christians

The Certificate in Counselling Skills (90 Hours)

Wednesday mornings 8.30am to 12.30pm. and afternoons 1.15pm to 4.30pm.

September to January each year (half term in October). 
This course will next begin in September 2013.

Wednesday mornings 8.30am to 12.30pm and afternoons 1.15pm to 4.30pm

This course will next begin on the 30th January 2013 and finish on the 12th June. 
(Half term breaks will be on the 20th February and the 29th May).

The Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (420 hours; Years 1 & 2)

January to March with Saturdays in January and February (half term in February)

April to June with Saturdays in May (half term in April)

This makes a total of 210 contact hours per year. 

This course will next begin in September 2013.

For details of the costs please click here