Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills

1. COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY CENTRAL AWARDING BODY THE ONLY AWARDING BODY IN EUROPE TO SPECIALISE IN THE FIELD OF COUNSELLING Level 2 Certificatein Counselling Skills Are you a good listener? Do people sometimes come to you for help? Do you want to learn more about yourself? To view this short presentation, please click the arrow ...

2. Level 2 Certificatein Counselling Skills • During this short presentation you can: • Discover what is meant by “counselling skills”, what they’re used for and why their use is not the same as counselling. • Get a sense of what happens on a counselling skills course. • Find out how this training might benefit you. • Learn more about the qualification. To continue, please click the arrow ...

3. Navigation Click on any heading you like, or else click the orange arrow below to see the 1st item in the list … What are counselling skills and what are they used for? How is this different from counselling? A basic listening skill (video) About the qualification (fit-for-purpose and safe) Who is it for? Its place in the wider plan (and steps to becoming a counsellor) What sort of things might I be doing during course sessions? What sort of work outside the course would I need to do? How would I be assessed? Students, in their own words (video) About the actual certificate …

4. What are counselling skills? They include: • Listening empathically (without judging). • Checking and clarifying your understanding of what has been said. • Asking helpful questions. • Using body language and other skills to encourage open communication. • Knowing when and how to refer the helpee for further help (e.g. to a counsellor). What are counselling skills used for? … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

5. What are counselling skills used for? Informally helping someone to talk about their problems by: • Creating a safe space. • Listening actively and responding helpfully. • Supporting and empowering them to better understand their situation and identify what actions they might take. Is the use of these skills the same thing as counselling? … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

6. Counsellors use counselling theory and research to understand human development and problems - and they learn specific skills/techniques associated with this. Whereas … People who use counselling skills learn general listening, support and problem-solving skills. Using these skills is not the same as counselling … • Counsellors work in formally contracted counselling relationships. And now for something more visual … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

7. A basic listening skill … Have you Heard? This short video demonstrates “reflecting back” (or paraphrasing) … Pleaseclick me So what about the counselling skills qualification itself? … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

8. About the qualification … • Based on a course of at least 90 guided learning hours, usually run in sessions lasting 3 – 6 hours per week. • Accredited into the government’s Qualification & Credit Framework. • Designed and supported by experienced counsellors, counselling tutors and counselling programme managers. • Awarded by CPCAB: the only awarding body to specialise in the counselling field. There’s more … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

9. Safe ... • It’s a safe qualification because it: • Teaches helpers to know their limits and understand when to refer helpees elsewhere. • Makes clear the difference between counselling skills and counselling … because a little knowledge can otherwise be a dangerous thing. • Teaches helping professionals how to identify and useprofessional support. And it’s fit-for-purpose … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

10. Fit for purpose … It’s a fit for purpose qualification because it is: • Well-designed to fit within a coherent progression route that provides step-by-step learning. • Needed: contributes to society’s psychological health, providing skills that are useful in a variety of roles. • Up-to-date, integrating the latest research. • Based on a unique practitioner trainingmodel: developed over 20 years, with more than 100,000 trainees. Continue on to find out who this qualification is for … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

11. Who is this qualification for? It’s for those who want to: • Help and support others … voluntary or paid. • Learn counselling skills to support other professional roles (e.g. teacher, care worker, nurse etc). • Take the first step towards training as a counsellor. • Improve their communication skills. • Learn more about themselves. So how does it relate to other CPCAB qualifications? … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

12. Where does this qualification fit in the wider plan? It’s one step along a path which (optionally) begins with basic listening skills and continues up to (and beyond) becoming qualified to practise as a counsellor. Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page To see a guide to becoming a counsellor, continue …

13. A guide towards becoming a counsellor … To see a short, interactive guide about the steps to becoming a counsellor, please click ... HERE So what sort of things might I learn or be doing during counselling skills course sessions? … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

14. What sort of things might I be doing during course sessions? Learning counselling skills is not about academic ability. Instead it centres on learning how to engage in helpful interactions with a person seeking help. This involves the development of practical skills, personal qualities and self-awareness. There’s more … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

15. What sort of things might I be doing during course sessions? • Practical exercises and role play, e.g. in groups of three (‘helper’, ‘helpee’ and observer). • Developing self-awareness. • Learning about skills, listening blocks, empathy, body language, ethics and boundaries, prejudice and stereotypes. • Giving and receiving feedback. • Group work and discussions. What sort of work outside the course would I need to do? … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

16. What sort of work outside the course would I need to do? … Your work outside of the course would include: • A weekly, reflective journal. • A written assignment • Your homework might optionally also include such things as: • Practising your listening skills (with friends etc). • Doing some further reading. To successfully receive a certificate, how would my proficiency be assessed? … ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

17. How would I be assessed? To achieve the qualification, you have to be assessed as ‘Proficient’ in both tutor assessment and CPCAB assessment. • Tutor assessment: • You’d keep a portfolio of coursework (including records of feedback on your skills practice), so that your tutor can see what you’ve learnt. • CPCAB assessment: • You’d watch a short video of a counselling skills session and then write your answers to (CPCAB-supplied) questions about what you’ve seen. If I receive a certificate from CPCAB, what would be its value ?… ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

18. Students, in their own words … Here’s what CPCAB-registered students say about the training they’ve received and experiences gained … Pleaseclick me (a 2 minute video) More about the value of a CPCAB certificate… ]Return to ‘Navigation’ page

19. About the CPCAB certificate … • Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills: • Accredited into the government’s Qualification & Credit Framework. • Based on learning to use skills competently, safely and ethically. • Refined over two decades and research-based, e.g. seven processes that contribute to effective helping. • From the only awarding body to specialise in the counselling field. OK, you’ve reached the end. To find out where your nearest counselling skills course is running, please click here. Or else click the arrow below to return to the Navigation page. http://www.cpcab.co.uk/learners/centrefinder.php