Counselling: an introduction

Enhance your personal skills and take your first step in counselling training. Courses are mostly experiential, but underpinned by the theory of the Person Centred Approach (PCA). Other models will also be covered for comparison. Be prepared to be open to sharing with and learning from others. You will need to speak English fluently. Please note that students who do not attend at least one of the first two sessions will forfeit their place and lose their fee. Please read the full course outline below before you enrol.

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Key course information

Dates
16/04/12 - 02/07/12

Day(s)
Mon

Duration
10 weeks

Time
18:00 - 21:00

Fees
Full fee: £153
Senior fee: £153

Venue
KS - Keeley Street

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Course code
PC214

Availability
Available
(status updated every 15 mins)

No concessionary fees are available as the limit has been reached.

This course has started

It may still be possible to enrol. Please call 020 7831 7831 to discuss. Please note that you will have missed some of the course content and it may not be possible for the tutor to fully cover this with you.

Course outline

What is the course about?

The course will introduce you to counselling and experiential learning. You will discover what attitudes and personal qualities counsellors need to develop and you will find out some of the main ideas and practices of the person-centred approach. You will learn about and practise listening and responding skills and you will be encouraged to learn more about yourself. You will have the chance to look at further training opportunities in counselling.

What topics will we cover?

What is counselling and how does it differ from other helping relationships?
Skills, attitudes and personal qualities needed by counsellors.
Listening and other counselling skills.
An introduction to the person-centred approach and a brief comparison with other approaches.
Awareness of diversity and differences between people (gender, sexuality, ethnicity)
Ethical and good practice issues.
Personal development: finding out more about yourself and why this is important for counsellors.
Progression routes in counselling training.

By the end of this course you should be able to:

Reflect on what you have learnt about yourself and how you relate to others.
Define counselling.
Identify the core qualities of a counsellor.
Use listening and a range of other counselling skills.
Begin and end a helping dialogue.
Describe the core conditions of the person-centred approach.
Identify the importance of cultural differences in the helping relationship.
Identify future learning goals.
Describe some ethical issues in counselling.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

Level 1 is introductory. Students are asked to come willing to:
(i) draw on their own experience
(ii) be open to those of other students.

You will need to be a fluent speaker of English, be able to listen and respond to others and take part in discussions. If you want to be considered for the next level you will need to write about your experiences in a learning journal and read some recommended texts.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

The emphasis is on learning through experience. There will be exercises in pairs and in threes, small groups and the large group (max 18 students). There will also be tutor input and handouts will be provided. You will be asked to keep a journal as a way of reflecting on yourself and your learning throughout the course. Towards the end of the course, you will be asked to produce a short piece of writing which summarises your learning. Information will be given on books about counselling, in addition to the suggestions below.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You will be given some handouts but you will need to bring your own pen and notebook.

Prior to the course, you may wish to read:
Sanders, P (2002) First Steps in Counselling, Ross-on-Wye; PCCS Books.

During the course, material will be drawn from the following texts:
Mearns, D & Thorne, B (2007) Person-Centred Counselling in Action, 3rd Edition, London: Sage.
Rogers, C (1980) A Way of Being, Houghton Mifflin.

For information about different counselling approaches and general counselling issues:
McLeod, J (2003) An Introduction to Counselling, 3rd Edition, Milton Keynes: OUP.

Do I need to have an interview before I can enrol?

No.

What feedback will I get?

You will receive regular feedback from your tutor throughout the course, as and when appropriate. At the end of the course you and your tutor are asked to assess the progress you have made. There will be the opportunity to review the sessions on a regular basis, and half-way through the term students will evaluate the course and also reflect on their own learning.

Your progress will be regularly assessed and monitored by your tutor taking into account class work and homework where appropriate. The tutor will record your progress and provide informal, regular feedback throughout the course. At the end of your study programme you will be asked to self-assess your own progress and achievement against the course objectives above. The tutor will endorse your assessment which will be formally recorded on a standard form (the Statement of Learning).

How will I be able to give my views on the course?

Please complete the evaluation form at the end of your course. These are monitored and help us to continually improve our courses. There will be the opportunity to review the sessions on a regular basis, and half-way through the term students will evaluate the course and also reflect on their own learning.

How do I find out if I can get some support for my learning?

You may be interested in: education and careers advice; financial and childcare support; disability support; support for Deaf and hearing-impaired students; dyslexia support; English and maths support; counselling, and library services (supported learning centre). To find out what may be available to you, and how to apply, see page 213 of the 11/12 course guide, or visit www.citylit.ac.uk/students

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

The City Lit offers a Certificate in Counselling Skills (Level 3) and a Diploma in Practitioner Counselling (Level 4). Applications forms will be available after the Easter break.

For further information, please contact the department on:
020 7492 2530

or

counselling@citylit.ac.uk.

General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Information and Advice Shop, open Monday to Friday 12:00 – 19:00 during term time, and Monday to Friday 12:00 – 17:00 out of term time. See the course guide for term dates and further details.

Who can I contact for further information?

Tel: 020 7492 2530

counselling@citylit.ac.uk

Drop-in course advice (term-time only) Tuesdays 13.30 - 14.30 (please ask at the Department Enquiry Desk).

To enrol on a course, call 020 7831 7831.

Select another date / day / time

Dates	Day(s)	Time	Duration	Fees	Snr	Conc	Code	Availability
16/04/12 to 02/07/12	Mon	18:00 - 21:00	10 weeks	£153	£153	N/A	PC214	Started	» Select
25/04/12 to 04/07/12	Wed	18:10 - 21:10	10 weeks	£153	£153	N/A	PC211	Full	» Select
25/04/12 to 04/07/12	Wed	10:00 - 13:00	10 weeks	£150	£93	N/A	PC210	Full	» Select
27/04/12 to 06/07/12	Fri	10:30 - 13:30	10 weeks	£150	£93	£49	PC212	Started	» Select
01/05/12 to 26/06/12	Tue	17:45 - 21:30	9 weeks	£153	£153	£50	PC213	Full	» Select
21/09/11 to 30/11/11	Wed	18:10 - 21:10	10 weeks	£153	£153	N/A	PC200	Finished	» Select
25/09/11 to 04/12/11	Sun	14:00 - 17:00	10 weeks	£156	£156	£156	PC201	Finished	» Select
26/09/11 to 05/12/11	Mon	10:30 - 13:30	10 weeks	£150	£93	£49	PC202	Finished	» Select
28/09/11 to 07/12/11	Wed	10:00 - 13:00	10 weeks	£150	£93	£49	PC204	Finished	» Select
10/10/11 to 12/12/11	Mon	14:00 - 17:00	10 weeks	£150	£93	£49	PC203	Finished	» Select
09/01/12 to 19/03/12	Mon	10:30 - 13:30	10 weeks	£150	£93	£49	PC205	Finished	» Select
11/01/12 to 21/03/12	Wed	18:10 - 21:10	10 weeks	£153	£153	£50	PC208	Finished	» Select
14/01/12 to 18/02/12	Sat	11:00 - 17:00	6 weeks	£155	£98	N/A	PC209	Finished	» Select
15/01/12 to 25/03/12	Sun	14:00 - 17:00	10 weeks	£156	£156	£156	PC207	Finished	» Select
15/01/12 to 25/03/12	Sun	10:30 - 13:30	10 weeks	£156	£156	£156	PC215	Finished	» Select
20/01/12 to 23/03/12	Fri	18:00 - 21:00	10 weeks	£153	£153	£50	PC206	Finished	» Select

Contact us

Psychology, counselling & personal development

Tel: 020 7492 2530

counselling@citylit.ac.uk

Drop-in course advice (term-time only) Tuesdays 13.30 - 14.30 (please ask at the Department Enquiry Desk).

To enrol on a course, call 020 7831 7831.

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