Study With Us

The ABC Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills is designed to provide a broad-based foundation in counselling skills. It offers an introduction into counselling theory and an understanding of professional issues. You will explore issues related to personal development and self-awareness along with developing skills needed for working interpersonally with others in a diverse range of settings.

The course is a qualification in its own right but also forms part of a structure leading to qualified counsellor status. However, the Level 3 Certificate will not qualify you to practise as a counsellor - to do this, you must undertake further training with us at Level 4.

The course is also suitable for students who want to acquire a repertoire of counselling skills for use in other work areas, such as nursing or teaching.

The ABC Level 3 programme comprises of four units:

• Personal development for users of counselling skills
• Understanding counselling theory
• Understanding the context for the use of counselling skills
• Using counselling skills in practice

The course will introduce you to some of the underlying psychological theories which underpin the use of counselling skills and examine ethical issues such as confidentiality and boundaries. It is, therefore, useful in the workplace, the voluntary sector, and also in any other situations where people interact.

The course has a formal structure but relies heavily on student participation as a vital part of the learning process.

This course principally uses the Person-Centred approach to counselling, and also adheres to the BACP Ethical Framework for Counselling.

ABC Level 2 Counselling Concepts course, or an equivalent introductory counselling course. Students will also be asked to submit a 500 word assignment based on Counselling theory prior to being offered a place.

It is desirable for students to have achieved GCSE grade C or above in English or equivalent and to have good IT and study skills.

It is an expectation that students prioritise this course and set out with the intention of attending 100% of the time.

The course involves experiential learning and self-awareness exercises in group situations, this can be emotionally demanding, and may potentially affect personal relationships outside of the course. Students should consider their own emotional wellbeing when deciding whether this is the right time for them to undertake this course.

This course must not be used primarily as personal therapy for students and training of this nature is not advised if students have recently suffered personal crises or emotional difficulties. Partners and persons in close relationships are discouraged from attending the same course.

These fees relate to 2022/23