This class is ideal for anyone who wants to become a therapist, as it serves as the first step in building foundational counselling skills. This is also suitable for a wide range of professionals in business, industry, and the public sector, including:

• Personnel and welfare officers

• Nurses and NHS support staff

• Social care professionals and social workers

• Mental health workers

• Teachers

• Workplace and employee counselors

• Volunteers in community services

• Anyone interested in personal development

Experienced Tutors and Support

The course is taught by highly experienced tutors who have years of teaching and practical counseling experience. Your tutor will guide and support you throughout the course, helping you make the most of your unique skills and abilities.

Personal Experience and Emotional Triggers

This is an experiential course, meaning you will practice skills using your own life experiences. Before enrolling, consider whether now is the right time for you to take this course if you have recently experienced a serious emotional or traumatic event that remains unresolved. Engaging with course activities may trigger strong emotional responses.

Additionally, please note:

• This is a beginner-level training focused on developing listening skills.

• Practice sessions are not therapy, and participants are not trained to handle highly traumatic disclosures.

• Students are encouraged to share moderately during practice sessions and avoid treating these sessions as therapy.

Attendance Requirements

To successfully complete this course and receive the award, COSCA requires you to attend at least 85% of each module.

• Each module consists of 12 units.

• Missing more than two units in a module means you will not meet the attendance requirement and will have to leave the course.

• It is your responsibility to ensure regular attendance, especially for sessions involving filming, skills practice, or presentations, as these cannot be rescheduled.

Additional Work for Missed Units

If you miss two units within a module but still meet the attendance requirements:

• You will need to complete an extra piece of work for each missed unit to show you have studied the topics independently.

• You may also be required to arrange additional skills practice.

Study Commitment

In addition to attending weekly classes, you should plan to dedicate at least three hours of study per week to successfully complete the course.

This course is fully online, so no travel to the UK is required, and no visa is needed. Participants can complete the course remotely without any immigration concerns.

No formal qualifications are needed to apply for this course. However, it’s important to provide detailed answers to the application form questions, explaining why you want to take the course. Your reasons are a key part of the selection process, and brief answers may harm your application.

You might also be asked to attend an informal interview to discuss your application or provide additional information. If you’ve experienced a major traumatic event or a recent loss, please mention this in your application.

English Language Requirements
If English is not your first language or your education wasn’t primarily in English, you must show you can communicate well in English. This includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, as these are crucial for activities like discussing sensitive topics, giving presentations, and writing essays.
The minimum required IELTS score is 6.5 overall, with at least 5.5 in each section, or an equivalent test score. Tests must have been taken within the last two years, and you’ll need to provide proof.

Online Attendance Requirements
For online courses or guest speaker sessions, you’ll need:

• A suitable device, such as a PC, laptop, iPad, or tablet (mobile phones won’t work).

• A reliable broadband internet connection.

• A private, interruption-free space for Zoom meetings and skills practice to ensure confidentiality.

• The Zoom app (the free 40-minute version is fine) installed on your device.

In the week prior to course commencement, there will be an induction session delivered via Zoom. You will have the opportunity to meet the course leader and the administrative support team online and ask any questions you may have.

This session is fundamental to orientate you in the access and use of Myplace and the expectations of participants on the Counselling Skills course.

The course includes four modules, each with 30 hours of instruction. Completing all four modules leads to a Certificate in Counselling Skills. The modules focus on developing skills, knowledge, and self-awareness through self-reflection in a confidential setting. The modules are:

1. Listening

2. Responding

3. Self-Reflection

4. Integration

These modules explore how counselling skills can be used in various situations, such as improving relationships, managing change, dealing with stress, and coping with loss or bereavement. The course also highlights the difference between professional counselling and counselling skills, which can benefit people in many different professions.

Guest Speakers
The course includes online sessions with guest speakers, who are experienced counselling practitioners. These sessions take place on Monday evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM via Zoom.

Topics covered include:

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

• Attachment Theory

• Sexuality and Gender

• Person-Centred Therapy (PCT)

• Psychodynamic Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Transactional Analysis (TA)

For more details, COSCA provides an information leaflet about the Counselling Skills course (available as a PDF).

Each module has three types of assessments:

1. Skills Assessment: This evaluates how well you demonstrate counselling skills during listening exercises, using audio and video recordings.

2. Oral Assessment: You’ll give an individual presentation.

3. Written Assessment: At the end of each module, you’ll complete a written assignment.

The oral and written assessments help tutors determine if you have a good understanding of the course content and show an appropriate level of self-awareness.

Your counselling skills will mostly be assessed through observation. Video and audio recordings are used to check if you meet the standards of competence required by COSCA.

Application for January 2025 is now closed.

If your interest is in the courses commencing from October 2025 then please email connect@ncebmh.co.uk and ask to be added to the alert list and you will be informed when the courses are about to become visible for booking.

Roughly there will be 24 weeks*5 hours (weekly one class) = 120 hours

The total cost of the course is £1,600, payable in four installments of £400 before the start of each module.

Securing Your Place

• Once you are offered a place, you have 5 days to pay the £400 fee for Module 1 to secure your spot.

• Of this amount, £100 is a deposit for Module 1 and is non-refundable if you withdraw before the module starts, unless you provide medical evidence.

Refund Policy

• If you withdraw from the course after the start of any module, the full fee for that module will not be refunded.

Payment for Modules 2–4

• Fees for the remaining modules must be paid before the start of each module.

• Payments are made through the University’s Online Shop using a card.

Employer Funding

• If your employer is paying for the course, an invoice payment can be arranged.

Credits and Qualification Level
If you complete the course, you will earn a COSCA-validated Certificate in Counselling Skills.

Progression Options
The Certificate in Counselling Skills is a standalone qualification that helps improve your work performance. However, it does not qualify you to work as a professional counsellor.

If you want to become a professional counsellor, this certificate is a good foundation and is often required before starting a Diploma in Counselling (some diploma courses may also require you to have a degree).

This certificate is also recognised by other institutions as a valuable qualification if you plan to study counselling or psychotherapy further.

October 2025 Courses

Applications for the January 2025 intake are now closed.

If you’re interested in the Oct 2025 intake, email connect@ncebmh.co.uk to register your interest. We will send you an application form. 

Application Process
When applications open for the Oct 2025 intake, you can complete and submit an online application form.

• Be sure to provide detailed answers, as brief responses could hurt your chances.

• The form doesn’t save progress, so if you leave it incomplete, you may lose your input. To avoid this, prepare your answers in advance using the list of questions below and paste them into the form when ready.

Once submitted, applications will be reviewed, and if needed, you may be invited for a short, informal interview or asked to provide documents like an IELTS score.

If your application meets the requirements, you’ll receive an offer before or by the deadline. You’ll have 5 days to:

1. Accept the offer.

2. Pay the fee.

3. Submit any required documents (e.g., IELTS).

If you don’t respond within 5 days, the offer will be withdrawn.

Questions to Prepare Before Applying
You can prepare answers in advance and copy them into the application form when it’s live.

1. What do you understand by the term ‘counselling skills’?

2. Why are you applying for this course?

3. What skills and qualities will you bring to the course?

4. Do you have experience using or receiving counselling skills, or experience in a related field? If yes, provide details.

5. How would you describe yourself in a group setting?

6. The course is emotionally challenging. How comfortable are you handling a range of emotions, in yourself and others?

7. The course encourages self-awareness and discussions where others may have different views. How would you handle conflicts?

8. Do you have any traumatic experiences that might affect your emotional engagement in the course?

9. What support do you have to balance the demands of this course with your other commitments?

Waiting Lists
If your first-choice course is full, you may:

• Be placed on the waiting list in case a spot opens.

• Be contacted about availability in another location or course.

To apply, use the Certificate in Counselling Skills application form when it becomes available. Right now it is closed. Email connect@esebtt.co.uk to register your interest.

In the interests of public protection, COSCA sets standards for the complaints procedures of organisational members.