What will I study?

Ours is an experiential training, exploring how we bring depth, intimacy and presence to relationships with others, with our world and within ourselves.

Theory is taught and embedded through artistic practice and group processes. The teaching emphasises the development of intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual awareness.

Students learn client-centred counselling techniques, case management, ethics, working with different client groups, legal obligations and setting up a practice. Students also complete 250 hours of supervised clinical experience.

Our training emphasises self-discovery. Too early an emphasis on skills in therapeutic training can encourage the student to use techniques as a defence against the anxiety of being in the inevitable uncertainty of the counselling situation. In our training, both theoretical perspectives and the development of counselling skills are initially presented in an implicit, experiential way and only later made explicit. This building on inner experience is part of the ‘inside-out’ learning method in which students integrate skills into their own reality rather than using them as technical means to an end.

Learning and assessment:

The training is delivered via lectures, debates, presentations, audio-visual materials, group exercises, skills practices, process groups, reflective practice and presentations. As well as attending timetabled teaching days at the college, students spend time attending placement, supervision (typically around 1 day per week in total), undertaking personal therapy (approximately 1 hour per week) as well as independent guided study and preparation for assignments.

Assessment is continuous throughout the training.

Formative and summative assessments are integrated throughout the programme. Formative assessments such as journal writing, feedback from skills practice and participation in experiential work are not formally marked. Summative assessments such as essay writing, the competency to practice interview and end of year assessments are formally marked.

Details of timetables, assessment requirements and criteria as well as deadline dates for assignments can be found in the teaching schedule and handbook which is given to students at the start of the training.