Counselling

Lirin

I've recently decided to re-train as a counsellor. A few things influenced the decision, enough to make me realise this is what I want to do.

My first night back at Uni recently was strange- I love the course- just readjusting to being at school again.

Are there any counsellors onsite, and could you recommend any good texts/ books which I could get? I've already ordered 'First Steps in Counselling', both the Ursula O'Farrell and Pete Sanders.

Any help appreciated!

fozzeh

I'll post here to remind me to come back later after asking the missus. She did her degree in psychology then did some counselling afterwards.

I have a few psychology books listed on Amazon if that's any help? Just not used any more. Can send you the link in PM although some are more psychology based (but you'd need a good understanding to get into counselling).

Lirin

That would be brilliant, many thanks!

Incyder

I did a 1 year course in 1997, never got round to finishing the next 2 years.

I found the course was full of people with problems who were trying to disguise their unsolved issues by training to 'fix' other people.

One bloke used to turn up in a dress for lessons. No make-up or wig mind you, just a dress that was just below knee length with white tights and nike trainers. I swear.

The worst part was if I was walking through town he (still in his dress) would shout coooeeeeyyyy and jog over for a chat like we were friends. About 50 passers by stopped and stared one time.

As a career its hard to get into as there are so many people qualified but without work. Plenty of volunteer places though, CAB for one, but the mythical forty-sixty quid an hour is very very rare.

Lirin

lol! The people on my course all seemed fairly normal..... time will tell I suppose. No guys in dresses. Yet, anyway. I'm sure there are people with unresolved issues, though, maybe just not come to light yet.

Decided to do it after thinking for quite a bit- my 13 month old nephew passed away last year, and the support was absolutely fantastic. A fair few are now considered family friends....

While I'd love to eventually end up in a job due to it, I have absolutely no expectations of a high wage, if I'm lucky to get one at all. At the least, it's nice to have something to work towards, and if I get lucky and get a job in it, all the better. I am working full-time, so if I don't, I'm not stuck.

I'd been thinking I'd be lucky if I got offered a minimum wage or slightly above- I'd never heard the mythical £46 an hour- if I got offered that in an interview, I'd probably need counselling!

Incyder

sorry, should have made that clearer £40 to £60, sometimes more in London.

Hope you enjoy it.

Oldernotwiser

Lirin wrote: »

While I'd love to eventually end up in a job due to it, I have absolutely no expectations of a high wage, if I'm lucky to get one at all. At the least, it's nice to have something to work towards, and if I get lucky and get a job in it, all the better. I am working full-time, so if I don't, I'm not stuck.

Very few people are actually employed as counsellors, you need to think in terms of being self employed and building up a business and a client base.

eamon

I second the words of oldernotwiser. Ex GF was studying to be a counsellor (accredited to BACP). It was getting to be very expensive, books, course fees, counselling for herself (as she was a volunteer with real clients and apparently this manages any negative impact from this), supervision (and I can't remember the reason behind this). We calculated that every 100 hundred hours of volunteer counselling was costing her in excess of £600. That may not seem a large amount of money but for a low wage earner a significant amount. Additionally she was finding it harder to get a experience of a variety of client types as even though there used to be large amounts of funding sloshing around this aspect of health care, counselling providers tended to be always chasing the next round of funding and at the same time being wary of introducing new trainees to an already fragile client base.
There are a few counsellors that do earn the big sums of money. They are usually the supervisors. From an outsiders view it looks akin to a pyramid selling scheme!

bristol_pilot

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Very few people are actually employed as counsellors

That is true understatement. We live in a country where there are more qualified counsellors than doctors and nurses put together. The people who could (possibly) benefit from counselling are not, in general, the people who could afford to pay for it so that is why there are not Companies employing these legions of counsellors selling their valuable skills to the public. The counselling industry relies on training ever-growing numbers of trainees.

fozzeh

Lirin wrote: »

That would be brilliant, many thanks!

The wife has had an early night but I'll PM you what we have available as said. Let me know if you need any moe details about them.

Lirin

Many thanks for all the replies- some interesting viewpoints..... And thanks Incyder, that image will unfortunately stick around for a while!