Train as a therapist
Training as a counsellor, psychotherapeutic counsellor or psychotherapist
John Welwood
First level training
Our first level training as a therapist is to train as a counsellor, which involves our core training modules 1&2 plus clinical counselling skills training which is delivered during module 2.
Counselling Diploma: A Journey of Soul Awakening
Our training goes beyond the basic skills required to be a counsellor, taking you on a deep, experiential journey of self-awakening. It is designed to help you re-awaken to your authentic Self, laying the groundwork for you to guide others on their journeys as well.
Key Focus: “Know Thyself”
Understanding yourself is essential to effectively work with clients. Through this process, you will learn to see with the heart, exploring the reasons behind your actions and the influence of your history.
Requirements:
• Supervised Client Hours: A minimum of 100 hours (sessions with real clients as a trainee therapist).
• Clinical Competency: Achieve the required clinical standards for this level.
• Personal Therapy: A minimum of 80 hours.
• Supervision Presentations: A minimum of 17 presentations.
The diploma involves no further taught modules, and students typically achieve the required hours during a ‘transition year’. For those advancing towards psychotherapeutic counselling or psychotherapy, these hours can be built up alongside further advanced clinical training.
BACP Eligibility:
Please note that BACP individual membership requires that your training be conducted in person. However, if you plan to continue training as a psychotherapist, it is possible to complete Core Training Modules 1 & 2 online, though the remainder of the advanced clinical training must be in person.
Advanced Clinical Training: Psychotherapeutic Counselling or Psychotherapy
“In every human being, there is a special heaven, whole and unbroken.” – Paracelsus
Training to become a psychotherapeutic counsellor or psychotherapist is sequential, building upon the Counselling Diploma. After completing the first level, you will progress into the Advanced Clinical Training, which involves more intensive work over a longer period.
Advanced Clinical Training Details:
• 18 weekends of training spread over 3 years, allowing time to accumulate client hours.
• Client Hours:
• Minimum 250 hours for Psychotherapeutic Counselling.
• Minimum 450 hours for Psychotherapy.
• Supervision Presentations:
• Minimum of 42 presentations for the Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling.
• Minimum of 72 presentations for the Diploma in Psychotherapy.
The client hours are cumulative:
• The 100 hours required for the initial Counselling Diploma count towards the 250 hours needed for Psychotherapeutic Counselling.
• The 250 hours for Psychotherapeutic Counselling count towards the 450 hours needed for Psychotherapy.
Exit Points:
• Diploma in Counselling: After reaching 100 hours of client work.
• Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling: After reaching 250 client hours and 42 supervision case presentations. This leads to accreditation by the PCIPC
College of UKCP.
• Diploma in Psychotherapy: After reaching 450 client hours and 72 supervision case presentations, along with a mental health familiarisation placement. This diploma is accredited by the HIPC College of UKCP.
The work required in working with the Self is of a different order to working with the personality. The Self is beyond form, but lives in form. Thus, we need to work with the heart and learn to ‘see’ the Self. This takes practice, commitment and trust in ourselves as therapists to work at this level. If you go on to our advanced clinical training programme towards psychotherapeutic counselling and/or psychotherapy the work is to open yourself to the unknown, to that which is beyond words.
How might we use ourselves as a tuning fork in order to pick up the subtle vibrations emitted in the therapy room? How might we hold the being and see the being despite all of the difficult symptoms and patterns they are dealing with? What might we need to unhook from in order to fully be with this client? At this level of therapy, through connecting to our Self, we are holding space for the Self of the client to emerge. In order to do that, we have to know ourselves and be in tune with our senses and intuition, and at the same time deeply hold the client on their journey.
Opening up to the great mystery, what is it about me, about my journey, about this timing and this being that brings them before me? We introduce Evan’s Triphasic Model as a dynamic diagnostic tool in order to help meet the clients where they are most available, and start to connect you with the tools needed to build a relational field for growth, as we open ourselves to our higher wise Self in service of the work.
—Thomas Aquinas
Learn more
For more details on the advanced clinical training and modules please click here