Basic Counselling Skills Course

Who should attend

This course is tailor-made for:

• Voluntary lay counsellors
• Psychology students needing practical experience before entering a Masters programme
• BPsych students doing an internship
• Ministers and religious counsellors
• People asked for advice at work - hairdressers, beauty therapists, teachers & other educators

Benefits

• Gain valuable life and business skills.
• A life-changing experience.
• Anyone can do it – no previous counselling skills necessary.
• Lay counsellors will improve their skill and effectiveness.
• Psychology students will be able to confidently apply for practical experience, thus improving their chances of acceptance into a Masters programme.
• BPsych students will learn vital practical skills to complement their theoretical training, and so gain confidence in their ability to counsel others.
• People wanting to volunteer their services at trauma and crisis centres, churches and community centres will learn ALL the skills they need to do so.
• Beauty therapists and hairdressers will know how to respond when their clients share personal information and ask for advice.
• Teachers, lecturers and other educators will know how to manage angry, upset or anxious parents, as well as children and adolescents experiencing serious difficulties.

About the course

• Theory and practice:
  The course is both theoretical and practical - participants will have many opportunities to try out and practice the new skills they learn.
• Sessions:
  It is run over a series of eight sessions of three hours each.
• Content:
  The course covers the fundamentals of counselling, such as setting up the counselling room, how to begin and end a session, the qualities of a good counsellor, as well as essential counselling skills such as understanding body language, empathy, listening, questioning, summarising and reflecting (See detailed course outline).
• Group size:
  Small group sizes ensure each participant receives individualised attention.
• Notes: 
  A full set of course notes is included in the course fee.
• Certification:
  This is not an accredited course, so does not constitute an academic qualification. (Note: There are no known accredited counselling courses for lay counsellors in KwaZulu Natal). It will, however, fully equip you with all the skills required to do voluntary lay counselling. Participants will receive a certificate acknowledging they have successfully completed the course.
  Please Note: Candidates must attend ALL eight sessions to receive their certificate.

Explore

• View detailed course outline
• Ask Claire a question about the course
• Read past participant comments

Additional courses

If you have completed my Basic Counselling Skills Course, you may be interested in furthering your development by taking one or more of the other courses available to you. These include:

Advanced Counselling Courses:

• Trauma Counselling
• Suicide Counselling
• Crisis Counselling
• HIV/AIDS Counselling

Communication Skills Courses:

• Communication Builds The Nation
• Attention On Assertiveness