Counsellor
THE WORKING DAY
You will provide emotional support to help people overcome challenges for example bereavement, stress, anxiety, living with a long term condition or drug or alcohol addiction.
Your role might include giving people the opportunity to talk through their feelings, listening to people and asking questions to encourage them to reflect on their experiences and encouraging people to cope with their challenges and make positive changes in their lives.
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE ME?
You must also be able to make people feel relaxed, have excellent communication skills, the ability to positively challenge people, be patient, tolerant, and sensitive, be empathetic and non-judgmental, have self-awareness and the ability to examine your own thoughts and values.
WHAT’S NEXT?
You do not need to have a degree to become a counsellor as there are qualifications in counselling at different levels. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) recommend a three stage training route:
- Introduction to counselling: basic counselling skills course usually lasting 12 weeks and is available at further education colleges.
- Certificate in counselling: provides theoretical understanding of counselling at a higher level usually lasting a year part time and available at further education colleges.
- Diploma level qualifications in counselling: usually one to two years part time with a minimum 100 hours’ work placement. There are many different courses and qualifications and you can find a list of BACP accredited courses here.
