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Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
An experiential, relational approach to learning and professional development.
​Learning to become a counsellor involves more than understanding theory and developing therapeutic skills. It also involves discovering who you are in relationship with others, how you respond to different experiences, and the practitioner you are becoming.
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At Training for Counsellors, we've designed our Diploma around this understanding.
Our teaching brings together theory, practical experience, personal development and reflection in a learning environment where the whole training day offers opportunities to develop capacities relevant to therapeutic practice.
Through participation, observation and reflection on lived relational experiences, learners are encouraged to develop their own professional identities, alongside the knowledge, skills, self-awareness and ethical judgement needed for counselling practice.
Based in Blackburn, Lancashire, our two-year Diploma combines an integrative theoretical foundation with a contemporary curriculum and preparation for professional practice. The course is designed to develop and assess competences aligned with SCoPEd Level A.
Aims of the Course
Our aim is to support you in developing the knowledge, skills, self-awareness and professional judgement needed to practise as a therapeutic counsellor.
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Throughout the Diploma, you'll be encouraged to explore your developing professional identity, recognise your strengths and limitations, and build the confidence to make thoughtful, ethical decisions about your work with clients.
The course is designed around the SCoPEd Level A competences, preparing you to work towards qualification and the responsibilities of professional practice.
What is SCoPEd? SCoPEd (Scope of Practice and Education) is a nationally agreed professional framework developed by six leading counselling and psychotherapy bodies, including the NCPS. It sets out the knowledge, skills and professional competences expected of counsellors and psychotherapists at different stages of practice. Our Diploma is designed around **SCoPEd Level A**, the foundational competences associated with qualified counselling practice. This means that professional standards are woven throughout your learning, practical experience and assessments, rather than treated as a separate part of the course.
The five SCoPEd Level A Themes - what you'll work towards Theme 1: Working ethically and safely within a professional framework. Theme 2: Working to support clients within assessment frameworks. Theme 3: Working within a therapeutic relationship. Theme 4: Working within a coherent framework of counselling knowledge and skills. Theme 5: Working with self-awareness and reflection.
Explore this Diploma
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Aims of the course
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Theoretical approaches
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Learning at TFC
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Assessment
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Dates and location
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Course fees
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Clinical placeemnt
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Personal therapy
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Your tutors
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Entry requirements
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Application process
What are the main theoretical models?
Our Diploma is rooted in person-centred counselling, with psychodynamic, solution-focused and existential approaches contributing to our integrative framework.
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We invite learners to begin with the knowledge, experiences and understanding they already have. Throughout the course, you'll revisit and consolidate previous learning, explore new theoretical perspectives and sometimes question or unlearn existing assumptions.
An important part of professional practice is understanding which therapeutic philosophies and interventions inform your work, why you choose them, and the impact they may have on your clients and the therapeutic relationship.
We develop this understanding through theory, experiential learning, reflective practice and skills development. Your growing ability to explain and critically reflect on your therapeutic choices is also explored through your assignments and assessments.
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Our aim is to help you develop a coherent, thoughtful approach to counselling that is informed by theory, responsive to individual clients and grounded in professional responsibility.
What is learning at TFC like?
We believe that learning to become a counsellor involves more than attending lessons, studying theory and practising skills.
Our training days are deliberately structured to create experiences that parallel aspects of therapeutic practice. Through participation, observation and reflection on lived relational experiences, you'll have opportunities to develop the self-awareness, relational skills and professional judgement that counselling requires.
Learning through experience Our teaching combines theoretical exploration, practical skills development, creative activities and opportunities for personal and professional reflection. Working individually, in pairs, small groups and as a whole learning community, you'll be encouraged to connect what you're learning with your own experiences and developing understanding of therapeutic practice. Learning also happens through the relationships, conversations and shared experiences that emerge throughout the course. We encourage curiosity about these experiences, recognising that developing awareness of how we relate to others is an important part of becoming a counsellor. Our approach provides familiar structures while allowing space for individual discovery, uncertainty and reflection. Not every learning opportunity has a predetermined outcome, and learning to remain curious when answers aren't immediately apparent is itself valuable preparation for therapeutic work.
Learning and assessment in ways that work for you We recognise that people learn, communicate and process information differently. Rather than expecting everyone to participate in the same way, we've built flexibility into our learning environment. Our approach includes different learning spaces, varied seating and consideration of environmental needs, opportunities for both reflection and discussion, and advance materials to help learners prepare for upcoming topics. Written, verbal and creative assessment formats are available to all learners, where appropriate to the assessment requirements. You don't need a diagnosis to access these options. They're part of how we ordinarily deliver our training. We also recognise that many learners balance employment, parenting and other responsibilities alongside their studies. Our approach combines flexibility and understanding with appropriate challenge, supporting you to develop your capabilities while recognising your individual needs and capacity.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment is an important part of your learning and professional development throughout the Diploma.
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We recognise that learners bring different strengths, experiences and ways of communicating their understanding. Wherever the assessment requirements allow, you'll have opportunities to demonstrate your learning through written, verbal or creative approaches.
Our assessments are designed to encourage you to connect theory with practice, reflect critically on your experiences and demonstrate your developing knowledge, skills and professional judgement.
Our approach is flexible, but the professional standards you must demonstrate remain consistent for everyone.
What does assessment involve? Throughout the course, you'll develop a portfolio of evidence demonstrating your progress as a counsellor-in-training. This includes assignments, observed counselling skills practice, presentations, learning records and reflections, alongside evidence from your clinical placement. Your developing professional competence is also informed by reports from those supporting your clinical practice, including: - Your clinical supervisor's reports at 50 and 100 client hours. - Reports from your clinical placement manager(s). - Observations and assessments undertaken throughout your training. Qualification includes a final presentation of your completed portfolio, bringing together evidence of your learning, professional development and readiness for practice over the two years. Your portfolio is subject to internal and external verification to ensure that the required professional standards have been demonstrated. Assessment is an ongoing process, allowing your development, professional judgement and readiness for practice to be considered over time.
What is required to qualify? To achieve the Diploma, you'll need to: Demonstrate the required knowledge, skills and professional competences through your assessments and portfolio. Complete the required supervised clinical practice and associated supervision. Meet the course's personal therapy and professional development requirements. Maintain a minimum of 85% attendance. Demonstrate fitness to practise and readiness for professional counselling work. Full assessment requirements, guidance and submission information are provided in the course handbook and throughout your training.
When and where will I study?
Location
Training for Counsellors
Haydock House, Haydock Mews
Pleckgate Road, Blackburn
Lancashire, BB1 9RP
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This is an in-person qualification.
Course dates and times
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Course begins: Thursday 21 January 2027 (Community Day)
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Regular teaching begins on Thursday 28 January 2027
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Expected completion: January 2029
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Teaching day: Thursdays, 9:30am–2:45pm
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Duration: Two years, during term time
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Community Days
Over the two years, you'll also attend nine Community Days, usually held on Saturdays. Your first Community Day takes place on Thursday 21 January 2027
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Guided learning hours
The Diploma includes 450 guided learning hours across the two years.
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Full attendance provides the guided learning hours required for the qualification and supports your future professional accreditation.
What will the course cost?
£350 deposit, followed by 25 monthly payments of £246.
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We recognise that many of our learners fund their own training, often alongside work, family and other financial commitments.
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Although student finance is not available for this qualification, we've structured our payments to help you spread the cost of your training.
The total course fee is £6,500 over two years.
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Your course fee includes all teaching, learning materials, assessments and certification.
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What other costs should I plan for? Alongside your course fees, there are some additional requirements associated with training to become a counsellor. Professional membership and insurance - You'll need student membership of an appropriate professional counselling body and suitable professional liability insurance for your clinical practice. Clinical Supervision - You'll complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised counselling practice through an approved voluntary placement. Clinical supervision is required throughout your placement, at a minimum of 60 minutes for every eight hours of client work. Some placement organisations provide supervision, while others require trainees to arrange and fund their own. Personal therapy - You'll undertake a minimum of 10 hours of personal therapy with a qualified counsellor. Personal therapy is an important part of your professional development, providing opportunities to explore your own experiences, responses and patterns, and how these may influence your therapeutic work. Some learners choose to continue therapy beyond the minimum requirement. Enhanced DBS - You'll need an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check as part of preparing for your clinical placement. Planning your commitment These additional requirements involve time as well as potential financial costs. We encourage you to consider them when planning your training.
What will my clinical placement involve?
An important part of becoming a counsellor is beginning to work with clients while receiving appropriate clinical supervision and support.
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During your Diploma, you'll complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised counselling practice through an approved voluntary placement.
Your placement gives you opportunities to bring together your theoretical understanding, developing therapeutic skills, self-awareness and professional judgement in real counselling relationships.
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Finding and preparing for your placement You'll be responsible for applying for and securing a suitable clinical placement, but you won't be left to navigate this process without guidance. We maintain a directory of potential placement organisations across Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Cumbria, which our learners can access through our Student Hub. We'll also help you understand what to look for in a placement, prepare for applications and consider whether an opportunity is appropriate for your stage of training. Although we cannot guarantee a placement, we can help you make informed decisions throughout the process. Before beginning client work, you'll need to demonstrate the required readiness for practice and have the appropriate placement arrangements in place.
How will I know I'm ready to work with clients? Before beginning your placement, we'll assess your readiness to work with clients. This includes considering your developing therapeutic skills, self-awareness, ethical judgement and ability to recognise the boundaries of your competence. Readiness and fitness to practise continue to be considered throughout your training. We'll support you in recognising your strengths, identifying areas for development and understanding your professional responsibilities. Our responsibility is to support your development while ensuring that you're appropriately prepared for the clients you work with.
Developing through clinical practice As you gain experience, you'll be encouraged to reflect on your work with clients, recognise your developing strengths and identify areas where further learning or support may be needed. Clinical supervision is an essential part of this process, helping you explore your client work, therapeutic relationships, ethical questions and professional development. You'll also develop your understanding of your professional responsibilities, including recognising when a client's needs may fall outside your current competence. Completing your placement hours is an important requirement of the Diploma, but professional readiness involves more than reaching a numerical target.
Why is personal therapy part of the Diploma?
Becoming a counsellor involves developing an understanding of yourself, as well as learning to understand others.
Throughout your training, you'll be encouraged to explore how your experiences, beliefs, assumptions and responses may influence the way you relate to clients.
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Personal development is woven throughout our teaching, but we recognise an important distinction between learning through personal reflection and engaging in personal therapy.
Personal development within the training group Our experiential approach creates opportunities to learn about yourself through participation, observation, discussion and reflection. You may notice how you respond to different people, situations and experiences, and consider what these responses might mean for your developing therapeutic practice. However, our training groups are learning environments, not therapy groups. You're encouraged to engage thoughtfully with your personal development, but this doesn't mean you're expected to disclose deeply personal experiences to other learners. The focus is on developing self-awareness, reflexivity and an understanding of how your experiences may influence your professional practice.
Personal therapy happens outside the classroom You'll undertake a minimum of 10 hours of personal therapy with a qualified counsellor during your Diploma. Personal therapy offers a confidential therapeutic relationship outside the teaching and assessment environment, where you can explore your experiences and responses in greater depth. Some learners choose to undertake additional therapy as their personal and professional development unfolds.
Why does this matter for professional practice? Our experiences can influence how we understand and respond to clients, sometimes in ways we haven't yet recognised. Developing self-awareness involves learning to notice these influences, reflect on their significance and recognise when further exploration or support may be needed. We don't expect learners to emerge from training with complete knowledge of themselves. Reflexivity is an ongoing professional responsibility. Our intention is to help you develop the capacity to recognise and take responsibility for how your own experiences may influence your therapeutic relationships and professional decisions.
Who will be teaching me?
​Our Diploma is taught by experienced counselling practitioners who bring their professional experience, different perspectives and enthusiasm for learning into the training room.
Samantha Crapnell Sam is an accredited counsellor, clinical supervisor, training facilitator and executive coach, with experience working across the charity sector, adult education and private practice. Her particular interests include personal and professional development, reflective practice and the ways in which counsellors develop their professional identities.
Linsey Bailey-Rowles Linsey is an accredited counsellor, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and counselling tutor, with experience in private practice and the voluntary sector. Her therapeutic experience includes working with adults and young people, particularly in relation to trauma, neurodivergence, LGBTQIA+ experiences and chronic health conditions. Linsey is passionate about equality, equity and social justice, both within counselling practice and the wider profession.
Learning with us Sam will be your main facilitator throughout the Diploma, providing continuity as you develop your knowledge, skills and professional identity over the two years. Linsey contributes to the course through assessment and additional teaching or facilitation where needed, bringing her own professional experience and perspectives to the learning process. Together, we share a commitment to experiential, relational learning that encourages curiosity, reflection and discussion. Our intention isn't to teach you to become counsellors who think and practise exactly as we do, but to support you in discovering and developing your own informed, thoughtful approach to therapeutic practice. You can find out more about us and the wider Training for Counsellors team on our Meet the Team page.
Who can apply?
Our Diploma is designed for people who are ready to develop their knowledge, skills and experience towards professional qualification as a therapeutic counsellor.
Applicants must be aged 19 or over and meet one of the following entry routes.
Previous counselling education
You've completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and/or a Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies, or equivalent learning.
Relevant professional experience
You have substantial experience in a helping or caring profession, particularly where person-centred values and relational skills are central to your work.
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This route may be suitable for experienced nurses, CBT practitioners and other caring professionals who are considering a career change or further professional development.
We consider applications through this route individually, exploring how your previous experience prepares you for the demands of counsellor training.
What else are we looking for?
Whichever route you take, we'll be interested in your willingness to engage in experiential learning, personal reflection and professional development.
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what kind of counsellor you want to become. Part of the Diploma is discovering that for yourself.
If you're unsure whether your qualifications or professional experience provide a suitable foundation, we can explore this during an initial discovery call.
How do I apply?
Choosing where to train as a counsellor is an important decision. We want you to have the information you need to decide whether our Diploma is right for you, just as we need to understand your readiness for the next stage of training.
Our application process gives us both an opportunity to explore this.
1. An initial conversation We'll begin with a short discovery call to find out where you are in your counselling studies, what you're looking for in your next qualification and whether our Diploma is likely to be a suitable next step.
2. Interview and full disclosure session If the course appears to be a good fit, we'll invite you to an interview and full disclosure session. This is an opportunity to get to know one another, explore your previous learning and aspirations, and discuss what studying with us will involve. We'll also explain the course expectations, assessment requirements, clinical placement, personal therapy and additional financial commitments, so you can make an informed decision about joining us.
3. Receiving an offer We usually let you know on the day whether we're able to offer you a place. Occasionally, we may need to explore something further or consult with another member of the training team before making a decision. If you're offered a place, we'll follow up with a formal offer letter explaining the next steps, including how to secure your place with the £350 deposit.
Interested? Arrange an initial conversation with us.