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CONTENTS

1. Routes to becoming a counsellor or therapist

2. Skills you'll need

3. Finding work experience

4. How to get a job as a counsellor or therapist

5. What it's like to be a counsellor or therapist

Routes to becoming a counsellor or therapist

Counsellors and therapists help people work through personal and mental health issues. They listen to their clients confidentially and help them make positive changes in their lives. Where counsellors mostly encourage clients to talk through their problems, therapists offer treatment or look deeper at the causes of their issues.

Training isn't compulsory for non-clinical counsellors or therapists. However, employers and clients will want to see that you have sufficient training. The most common way to do this is through a degree, degree apprenticeship or diploma. Make sure the course you choose includes practical training and supervised work placements so that you get the skills and experience needed for your career.

Degrees usually lead to accreditation and registration with a professional body. This adds you to a register of practitioners and shows your commitment to ethical standards. There are a few different accrediting bodies, and it's worth looking at what they offer. Bodies include:

It can take a long time to become a professional counsellor or therapist. Many professionals go into a career after working in areas such as social work, teaching, healthcare or coaching.

Undergraduate degrees

Undergraduate options include foundation and bachelor's degrees in Counselling or Psychotherapy, or a combination with other subjects like Psychology or Sociology. Bachelor's degrees last three to four years if studied full time, longer if part time. Courses usually include theoretical teaching in lectures and practical placements in therapy environments.

For information about entry requirements and what to expect when studying for a degree, see our Counselling, Psychotherapy & Occupational Therapy subject guide.

Degree apprenticeships

There may be degree apprenticeships available where you work while you study. This is where you spend time as an apprentice in a counselling or therapy environment and attend university to earn a bachelor's degree.

You're paid for your work and spend less time at university than on a traditional undergraduate degree. You can apply for a degree apprenticeship through the employer you'll be working with.

Postgraduate degrees

If you already have a degree in a related area like Psychology or Health Science, you can take a postgraduate conversion course to gain a diploma, certificate, master's or PhD in Counselling or Psychotherapy.

Skills you'll need

The following skills will help you succeed as a counsellor or therapist:

• Active listening and observation
• Knowledge of psychology
• Empathy and sensitivity
• Ability to build a rapport and work with people from all different backgrounds
• A willing, non-judgemental and respectful approach to understanding others
• Patience and belief in other people's abilities to change and grow
• Written and verbal communication
• Ability to stay calm when under pressure
• Time management and organisation
• Understanding of diversity and equality issues

Finding work experience

Work experience may not be required for undergraduate degree courses, but any experience will demonstrate your interest in the subject area to admissions tutors. You'll need work experience for a professional role.

Places where you could volunteer or find work experience include:

• Counselling agencies like
• Mental health charities like ,  or
• Children's centres
• services
• Organisations with telephone helplines
• Churches or other religious organisations

You could spend time in an environment that provides support for other people, such as in healthcare, education, mental health or social work. It's also good to have experience working with different kinds of people.

How to get a job as a counsellor or therapist

You don't necessarily need a degree to become a counsellor or therapist, but you will need sufficient training. You'll have to pass background checks too, given you'll be working with young or vulnerable people.

It's good to complete a course that gives you accreditation so you can register with a professional body (see above). You'll be expected to have had counselling or therapy yourself and be able to reflect on this if you want to earn accreditation.

Look for job opportunities online, on job boards like or . Another option is to set up a private counselling or therapy practice.

What's it like to be a counsellor or therapist?

You could work at an NHS or private hospital, in therapy rooms, a GP clinic, a care home, a client's home or a client's business.

Day to day, you could be:

• Meeting with several patients or clients and listening to their issues
• Encouraging patients or clients to talk about how they feel
• Finding new solutions and strategies to help patients or clients meet their goals
• Helping patients or clients to see things differently or more clearly
• Recording patient or client progression
• Referring patients or clients to other support services where appropriate
• Supporting families and carers

After qualifying, you may have Continuing Professional Development (CPD) meetings to discuss your future career goals. You can become a member of an organisation that provides specialist career support, such as one of the accrediting bodies listed above.

A working week is typically 37.5 hours, and you may have to work evenings and weekends. Salaries for occupational therapists are on the Agenda for Change system (the NHS staff grading and pay scale), usually on band 5. You'll have access to generous pension schemes, holiday allowances, and health service discounts with the NHS.

Is a role as a counsellor or therapist right for you?

It can be emotionally and physically demanding work. You could be working with patients or clients who have upsetting circumstances. However, you'll be making a huge difference in their lives, and the work can be very rewarding.