The Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling - BACP Approved Practitioner qualification is approved by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and is awarded and certificated by the CPCAB. This represents a qualification partnership between BACP and CPCAB designed to support qualification standards and provide a smooth pathway to becoming a registered BACP counsellor. 

This two year part-time qualification gives learners the knowledge, skills and competencies to work as a therapeutic counsellor in an agency context in both health care and non-medical settings.

Pre-course requirements

You must have obtained both a CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies or their equivalent with another Qualification Board.

Qualification Structure 

There are 7mandatory units that you will be working from:
1. Working ethically, safely and professionally as a counsellor 
2. Working within a counselling relationship 
3. Working with client diversity in counselling work 
4. Working within a user-centred approach to counselling 
5. Working with self-awareness in the counselling process 
6. Working within a coherent framework of counselling theory and skills 
7. Working self-reflectively as a counsellor 

Completion and progression

This two-year Therapeutic Counselling Diploma CPCAB Level 4 course will provide professional training in counselling which will enable you to acquire a sound theoretical knowledge and the practitioner skills required to work safely and effectively as a counsellor.  Successful completion of the course will mean that you will gain:

• A thorough theoretical understanding of a user-centred approach to counselling, with the core model of practice being the Person-Centred model of therapy.  The course will also refer to Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt and Solution Focussed models of therapy so that you can integrate relevant theory in the future.
• A sound knowledge and understanding of ethical boundaries and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) ethical framework.
• The ability to link theory to practice and the development of sufficient confidence and maturity to establish and maintain a one-to-one therapeutic relationship with a range of clients.
• A thorough grasp of both theoretical and practical issues surrounding client diversity in counselling work.
• An increased level of self-awareness and the ability to think critically about assumptions, beliefs, value systems, development and relating.
• A good understanding and experience of counselling supervision through working as a counsellor in the community within a counselling placement.

Successful completion of this course means you will be able to provide a therapeutic counselling service – initially within the context of an agency’s service framework but later (with experience and support from the supervisor, or by completing PC-L5 or its equivalent) may progress to independent practice.

Fees 

£3700 per year. This includes CPCAB and BACP registrations. You reserve your place by way of deposit. Once the course has started you can then pay the remaining fees  in full or over 3 terms or 6 months.

Course Dates  

Year 1 will run on Wednesdays 9:30-16:30 starting Wednesday 23rd September to 16th June

Year 2 will run on Tuesdays 9:30-16:30 starting Tuesday 22nd September to 15th June.