I want to be a counsellor......how???

Carlyt

Hi everyone,

I am fed up of doing dead end jobs and really want to get into counselling, or something along those lines, i love helping people and listening to peoples problems and would love to get into this line of work.

I would love to do something such as dealing with mental health, alcohol and substance misuse, depression etc. I am willing to study but need to eb able to study part time as I need to work full time to pay for my flat etc.

I have completed the introduction to counselling skills course at my local college and was looking to do the level 3 certificate in counselling in september (part time). I think counselling is the direction I want to go in....I love anything to do with psychology so thought this may be the right path.....

I was hoping someone could help me with in course or career suggestions, where do i start? what qualifictions do i need? are there any other jobs in a simular kind of role that i wouldnt have to have a degree for?


Any comments, suggestions and advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks xx

chocolatechipcookies

http://www.relate.org.uk/workforrelate/becomeacounsellor/

http://www.bacp.co.uk/information/education/careersincounselling.php

http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile195/

Carlyt

chocolatechipcookies wrote: »

http://www.relate.org.uk/workforrelate/becomeacounsellor/

http://www.bacp.co.uk/information/education/careersincounselling.php

http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile195/

Thanks for that, I have applied for a volunteer job, its just difficult to find out how to make a career from it.

Thanks x

bestpud

As I understand it, be prepared to spend a lot of money training and then a lot of time woring voluntarily, and on short term contracts or a few hours here and there before you (if you are very lucky) land a full time job.

They are talking lots about regulation at the moment too, so if you are going to be taking courses (and paying for them), keep up to date with this and be very careful as you could feasibly end up paying lots and then still needing to do a conversion course to be accredited at a later date.

Not trying to put you off! I just think it is wise to be sure of what your are letting yourself in for when choosing a career such as this. It seems many never make a full time career out of it unfortunately.

Have you had a chat with the tutor on the course you did? Or visiting unis that do the MA is useful to. Volunteering is definitely worthwhile as many of the higher level courses require a placement and/or for you to have experience prior to applying.

Oldernotwiser

Very few counsellors are employed on a permanent full time basis; most are in private practice with some employed hours as well if they're lucky. You really have to approach this as if you're setting up a small business, thinking about facilities, varied income etc. There's very little funding for the courses unless they're part of a degree, in which case you would come under the degree funding umbrella.

Because of the difficulties involved, I've known several people in your position to opt for training as a social worker instead. The jobs are fairly different but do appeal to the same people and the training and employment for social work are much more accessible.

Carlyt

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Very few counsellors are employed on a permanent full time basis; most are in private practice with some employed hours as well if they're lucky. You really have to approach this as if you're setting up a small business, thinking about facilities, varied income etc. There's very little funding for the courses unless they're part of a degree, in which case you would come under the degree funding umbrella.

Because of the difficulties involved, I've known several people in your position to opt for training as a social worker instead. The jobs are fairly different but do appeal to the same people and the training and employment for social work are much more accessible.

Thanks for all your help.

Social work would deffinitly be something I would be interested in, it doesn't necessarily have to be counselling, just something along those lines. I would love to work as a substance misuse worker, such as dealing with people who have addictions.

I just thought studying counselling would be the direction to go in to get to where I want to be, I was thinking about enrolling for the counselling level 3 certificate in september and maybe doing an online course in something like psychology or maybe something to do with drug awareness.

I know this is the field of work i want to go into, its just knowing what the best subjects are to study. I have contacted the samaritans to do some voluntary work, I am just waiting for them to get abck to me.

x

andan

Hiya, just wanted to reply as i am currently applying to get on diploma courses for counselling.

I currently do voluntary work and suggest you look on the do it org voluntary site where there are lots of voluntary opportunities where you can work with people with substance missuse. I currently volunteer on a helpline for rape and sexual abuse and doing this kind of voluntary work can open up lots of different opportunities.

It is hard to get into, but then so are lots of other jobs and if it is something you want to really do, then yes its important to be aware of how hard it is, but not to let that stop you.

Oldernotwiser, i think you are right in how you approach it, many of the counsellors i know (around 30) all mainly do private work, but then almost all of them are infact making a living out of it.

Carlyt

andan wrote: »

Hiya, just wanted to reply as i am currently applying to get on diploma courses for counselling.

I currently do voluntary work and suggest you look on the do it org voluntary site where there are lots of voluntary opportunities where you can work with people with substance missuse. I currently volunteer on a helpline for rape and sexual abuse and doing this kind of voluntary work can open up lots of different opportunities.

It is hard to get into, but then so are lots of other jobs and if it is something you want to really do, then yes its important to be aware of how hard it is, but not to let that stop you.

Oldernotwiser, i think you are right in how you approach it, many of the counsellors i know (around 30) all mainly do private work, but then almost all of them are infact making a living out of it.

Thanks for your response, I am determined to get into this work so I will stick at it, its a shame it has taken me to the age of 22 to finallyrealise this is what i deffintely want to do as I could have gone to uni etc, can't now due to responsibilities of flat, debts, car etc but i am going to do it part time and do the voluntary work.

I think I will look to do the level 3 counselling certificate at college and then do the diploma in counslling and psycotherapy online and maybe do a drug awareness course online too which may help with the substance misuse side of things.

Has anyone done any of the self study online courses such as diploma etc?? I was wondering what they was like?

x

Oldernotwiser

Although you can't qualify as a counsellor through them, I'd also look at doing some units with the OU as some of them would be very relevant to what you want to do and you might well get funding for them if you have a low household income.

Savvy_Sue

I am sure there is also accreditation available for drugs workers. They are almost certainly workplace based, but in time it will be pretty well essential to have this.

If I think what it's called, I will post again, but it may have to wait until I am back at work. Ah, found it, FDAP is the organisation I was thinking of, and DANOS is the accreditation.

Dasiesmum

Hi - do train! If you have the lifeskills and the determination, then the training will lead you on a journey of self discovery that will only enhance your life - whether you take it up as a career or not. Very often your local College will have a Counselling Skills Course, from there you can go on to other courses and finally become qualified. Expensive though the training is - remember that you will be working with peoples lives on and they are all priceless! The training you will be receiving will be based on experience and depth of knowledge - again priceless! Regulation isn't a bad thing, however the leading bodies involved are at odds with how it should occur at the moment, this shouldn't deter you if you would like to pursue a career in Counselling. Social work is very different contextually and is very often directional and the core values of the role very different. Counselling is a professional distinct discipline that shouldn't be confused with any other. Look on the BACP website - there will be listed accredited courses for you to have a look at - good luck! There will be information for Student Counsellors there too. Drugs Counsellors provide a fantastic specialised service, which is also regulated and has a specific body as the previous post has suggested. Counselling can offer the right people a rewarding, very personally demanding - yet an equally fulfilling career.