What’s it like to be on a counselling placement at The Awareness Centre? Here’s what some of our placement therapists have to say

I found the staff at the Awareness Centre to be very warm and welcoming. I attended a CPD Training which made me feel confident to start my counselling placement there.

Highlights included having the opportunity to work alongside a diverse client base with mental health needs. Working within the NHS and gaining great insight of the workings of the IAPT system. Meeting and working in the company of other professionals with different modalities has been greatly valued.

Doing my placement at The Awareness Centre has provided me great experience. In a year here I have had many different cases and learned a lot in supervision and practice.

As a recently qualified private practitioner I really enjoy working at The Awareness Centre in Tooting. The place has an atmosphere of heartfelt warmth and unwavering professionalism, provided in part by its top-notch reception staff. The centre’s therapy rooms are cosy and well-appointed. The centre attracts a wide-ranging mix of clients, many of them young professionals living in the area. I’m so happy I made the decision to work there.

Having a placement at The Awareness Centre was a brilliant opportunity. I was given a huge opportunity to experience sitting with clients doing both long term and short term work. I experienced for myself what it might be like to work in private practice and I have seen how the NHS IAPT works hard to provide therapy to as many people as possible. I have had excellent supervision from brilliant supervisors and I have developed many good counselling skills as a result. All the staff at The Awareness Centre are kind, compassionate and dedicated to both the therapists and the clients. It has been and is a lovely place to train.

Thank you TAC for granting me the opportunity to work with clients face to face.

A great day’s NHS training with Bonnie – detailed preparation of all policies and processes for my placement, which ended with me feeling both prepared and inspired, thank you!

I have been in a placement with TAC already for several months and I am really enjoying working here.
There is a steady stream of clients, calm working environment, great support from my supervisor and my peer supervisees.

Special thanks to the front house team for their support, positive attitude and help.

I have found The Awareness Centre very supportive throughout my journey with them. The constructive feedback from my supervisors and guidance provided by the Operational Manual has also been invaluable in my development as I make plans for moving into private practice.

I am placed in NHS and in Low-cost and in both of my placements The Awareness Centre has been a massive learning curve for me. The placement have helped me gain knowledge and experience through working with clients.

From day one I felt welcomed and appreciated as a professional though I am still training. It is a relief to find a placement that allows you to develop as a professional within a supportive environment. I have learnt a lot and still learning. Thank you TAC!

I have been at TAC for almost 2 years. What I have really appreciated about my placement is the structure in place at TAC. It is efficient and well-run which provides a very “holding” and “boundaried” structure. It also means that because there is a reception and an efficient booking system, I have always had plenty of clients providing me with the practical experience that I need.

The Awareness Centre has been a great platform for me to start my counselling and psychotherapy career. The team have been very supporting and the fortnightly supervision has really helped develop me into the kind of therapist I want to be.

I have just completed a four-month counselling placement with NHS Lambeth, and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Throughout this period, I had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients, each presenting unique issues and concerns. This variety allowed me to apply different therapeutic modalities tailored to each client’s needs, which significantly enhanced my practical skills. I felt fortunate to be part of a supportive and knowledgeable team, whose guidance made the experience both smooth and educational. The supervision and feedback I received were invaluable in helping me grow as a therapist. I also appreciated the collaborative environment, which encouraged my professional development and confidence. The experience deepened my understanding of the challenges and rewards of working within the NHS. I leave this placement with a stronger skill set and greater clarity in my approach to therapy. I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to my growth during this time

I’ve found TAC to be a challenging and supportive placement where there is a lot to learn, but it means I feel like I’m progressing in my training. There is lots of paperwork, policies and procedures which are great to know and understand as it feels very reflective of how working in an agency might be. I like the fact there’s the possible placement opportunity in the NHS as I gain more experience. Also, everything is very well organised here.

Meeting and working with other placement counsellors and sharing their practice has been wonderful. The supervision I have received and the knowledge they have shared with me has been excellent and I believe has made me a better counsellor.

TAC provides a highly-professional setting for clients accessing low-cost therapy and its high demand and turnover means placements here are busy and intensive. The business emphasis on structure, process and efficient administration is great preparation for entering the profession and working independently.

I had my placement with TAC for just over a year now and I have learnt so much and grown so much as a therapist. There is always someone there to support you, in particular my clinical supervisors have been absolute gems. I am so much more of a confident and capable counsellor coming out of this placement a year on and very grateful.

I am thoroughly enjoying my placement with The Awareness Centre. Right from the outset it has been a great experience, from the onboarding training, the supervision and the structured way everything is run. If there are any issues or concerns the team are on hand to help. This placement is proving to be an enriching experience, so much learning and so much growth for myself, with each week I find my confidence increasing. It feels very rewarding to be working with clients and I look forward to continuing my development with an organisation that truly cares.

I joined TAC Tooting on placement in November 2018 and although I found the initial training intense, it is also comprehensive and prepares you well for life with clients. My supervisor is extremely knowledgeable and supportive and I really enjoy the company and sharing of skills with my peers. The whole experience has been very positive and I hope to stay with TAC Tooting and support my long term clients for the foreseeable future.

The Awareness Centre has played a pivotal role within my professionally and personal development as a placement therapist. Without the flexibility on hours and supervision it would not be possible for me to gain my hours, whilst working full-time. The overall shared knowledge and experience from everyone is a great set up and will always be close to my heart.

I’ve had a number of placements during my years of training and can honestly say that the one I had at TAC (NHS and LCCS) was the most structured, supportive, friendly and professional – all ideal and reassuring ingredients for a novice therapist! There are many valuable things I’ve learnt from TAC that will provide the foundations for my own private practice moving forwards.

I have throughly enjoyed working with TAC and feel I have been very supported throughout my time with the service. I have always been able to reach out to my team leaders and other colleagues for help. I have gained a wide range of expereince during my time with TAC. It is definately somewhere I will recommend to others.

I have been on my counselling placement with the Awareness Centre for 18 months and it has given me incredible experience. I have been able to work with a wide range of clients and have learned so much both clinically and from an administration/process point of view. All the while I have been surrounded by a supportive team.

The Awareness Centre has been massively supportive in enabling me to qualify as a counselling therapist. They gave me confidence and guidance in my work. The training was detailed and simplified so I could understand. Clinical Supervision sessions were the anchor to the client work. The TAC team are committed and passionate, and they are always quick to reply to any queries, Thankyou for a great experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement with The Awareness Centre, it was fantastic experience and a great opportunity to put into practice all the theory and skills learnt on the Diploma.

I’m really happy in my placement at the Awareness Centre. I feel I get good support in my supervision group and through my supervisor. The clients have been amazing and I’m learning so much.

The Awareness Centre is a fantastic place to begin your professional counselling experience as a trainee. As a trainee, you are supported in every step of the process leading up to your placement beginning, and then supported more so when you begin to see clients. It can be a daunting experience to start seeing “real” clients, and The Awareness Centre manages this for each of its trainees wonderfully.

Having a placement at The Awareness Centre gave me a great opportunity to develop professionally and at the same time to grow as a person.

My experience at TAC has been amazing. I have received professional support that made my journey easier. Thank you so very much!

I was very well supported at this placement to gain the skills and experience I needed to develop as a counsellor. Supervision is professional, supportive and educational. Excellent front of house staff ensured I was always assigned clients.

I was amaized at the turn around time of the process of applying, interviewing, induction and training to start seeing clients. The process was quick and smooth. Thank you TAC crew for a smooth ride to launch me on my first face to face clients placement work. Although my time was short but I came away with grounding practical experience which was a fantastic opportunity. Thank you to whole team from administration to supervision and placement management.

The interview process and induction was delivered by a well-structured team of coordinators, administrators, team leaders, and managers who supported me with system training, risk management, and building inductions. The support I also gained from my supervisors and peer trainees brought rich and varied learning experiences.

The ethos of the company reflects the inclusivity and diversity of its employees, volunteers, clients and service users. I owe special thanks to Seda and Rushna who supported me with training and client/supervision allocation within the low-cost service, and Gail and Matthew for extra support within the NHS service.

I had a great journey and rewarding experience strengthening my counselling skills at The Awareness Centre.

My time spent working within the TAC Low Cost clinic has proved invaluable to me throughout my professional training. It has given me a deeper understanding of working within an agency setting, and has provided me with a solid foundation to build upon.

I am grateful for the opportunity to complete my counselling placement. This experience has fostered my personal and professional growth. Working with diverse clients deepened my understanding of therapy and enhanced my skills in addressing various challenges.

The support from my supervisor and team was invaluable. Their guidance boosted my confidence and helped me navigate complex client situations. The supervision sessions provided a reflective space for ethical practice improvement.

Overall, this placement has strengthened my practical skills and passion for counselling. I leave feeling more capable, compassionate, and motivated to support others on their healing journeys. Thank you for this unforgettable experience!

I am very happy with my experience at TAC.
I have always been supported by the management regarding admin or work issues.
I would recommend the service offered to clients and I am glad to say that the Centre offers the best environment for their therapist too.

The Awareness Centre was the best decision I made for a counselling placement. I like that I always have clients to work with which helps me to build up my client hours. I have a lot of support from my supervisor, colleagues and team leader which has helped build my confidence while working with my clients. I am learning a lot about how to support my clients, managing my diary, using the IAPTUS system. I am enjoying my placement and can’t wait to gain more experience that is helping me on my professional journey as a therapist.

I have been doing a placement with The Awareness Centre for four weeks now. I feel very honoured to be doing a placement with TAC.

I was extremely nervous before my initial meeting with my clients however my supervisor, team leader, IT supporter and the administrator have all been very helpful and encouraging. My clients are presenting with a range of issues. I am there with them and hope that we are creating positive therapeutic relationships.

Having a placement with NHS was a great experience. The counselling coordinator was amazing and always ready to solve any issues or concerns in a calm and professional way. I was pleasantly surprised about that. This experience made me grow as a counsellor and as an individual. Great team! Thank you guys

The Awareness Centre has provided me with excellent opportunities for professional development. I’ve acquired experience with a wide range of clients with various emotional problems and from all backgrounds, culture and religions. I cannot emphasise enough the fantastic support and knowledge I have received, especially from my supervisor and team leader.

I have been very impressed with high level of professionalism and integrity that I have experienced as a placement therapist at TAC. In particular the attention to detail, commitment to upholding boundaries, welcoming staff and clean yet comfortable therapy rooms. I’m looking forward to continuing  to work in partnership with TAC, hopefully into the long term.

I’ve been at The Awareness Centre for two years now and I can truly say it has been the best way to start my counsellor journey. I’ve been supported every step of the way with an amazing supervisor and peer team and have been encouraged to experience different ways of counselling, all of which is provided within the centre itself.

The group supervision at TAC led by Karen Dempsey, truly supports me in developing my practice, and I am grateful for Karen’s ability to be attuned to each person in the group. Karen encourages collaborative working and always enables me to experience in-depth exploration of my client work and my feelings in relation to it. Therefore, the insights gained for my NHS practice are invaluable and inspiring.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to have completed my placement with TAC’s NHS Counselling Services. The role has been a rewarding experience that enabled me to gain insight into clinical work with clients while building on my confidence and practical skills as a counsellor. My learning here has been invaluable, and it has been a pleasure to work with such a brilliant team!

This is my first Counselling placement and it has been a worthwhile experience. The supervision is always on point, not only have I learnt a lot but I have received incredible and continuous support. Being at The Awareness Centre has definitely enabled me to gain confidence in my client work.

The Awareness Centre gave me my formative experiences as a counsellor for which I will always be grateful. They have been flexible and supportive throughout my 2 year placement and I have gained valuable experience in both open-ended counselling as well as short-term work in the NHS.

I have meant to leave some feedback about my experience as a Placement Therapist at TAC but just never got round to it. However, following my second anniversary at TAC as a placement therapist in March 2020, I wanted to comment on how I’ve found the experience so far.

Although daunting, to begin with, TAC has allowed me to grow in my independence as a therapist in training. The way the centre is run has helped me to hit the ground running with minimal assistance. The structure at Clapham is organised, and I have found the Clapham Reception and administration team very helpful and responsive. This method has been useful for equipping me as a private therapist in the future.

I have kept the same supervisor since the onset of my placement and pleased to report that Karen Dempsey has played an enormous role in boosting my confidence. I have seen her demonstrate maturity and genuine concern for her supervisees, including myself, at all times.

Although she has a keen eye for detail, risk issues, governance and is a seasoned therapist herself, Karen strives to make each supervisee feel valued. The way she works with supervisees means that I have absolute trust in her judgement. She never positions herself to be the only expert in the room and encourages a culture of learning amongst her group and my peers. One valuable lesson I will take away from working with Karen is that I feel congruent when working with her and always feel free to be transparent even when things may not have gone as planned. I can always rely on her sensitive and supportive approach to steer things back to how it should be or to gain the lesson required.

When my time with TAC comes to an end, I will surely be very grateful for the wonderful opportunity that The Awareness Centre made possible and all the fantastic people and clients I have been privileged to meet and support in my learning journey.