Foundation Certificate in Counselling

Equivalent to a Level 3

Take your first steps towards becoming a counsellor with our Foundation Certificate in Counselling. This Level 3 equivalent course fulfils the entry requirements for our Diploma in Integrative Counselling. You will learn a diverse range of models and approaches to counselling, develop your self-awareness, and enhance your interpersonal and communication skills, empowering you to make a real difference in people’s lives. Designed and run by specialists in the therapy field, our highly experienced tutors deliver this face-to-face course at our Tooting training centre in South London. Embark on this rewarding career path and enrol today.

Our next courses start in September 2024.

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Foundation Certificate in Counselling: Course Content Overview

The Foundation Certificate in Counselling is delivered in three modules across two or three terms, each including the following main components:

Theory lectures and discussion groups
Skills practice workshops
Personal development activities

Module 1: Helping & Counselling

This module focuses on developing your understanding of what counselling is and is not and includes a workshop on how to write essays using Harvard Referencing:

What do we understand by counselling?
How does counselling differ from other forms of help?
Who can be helped by counselling?
Standards and ethics in counselling
The ‘core conditions’ of the person-centred model in counselling

Module 2: Ethics / Basic Human Development

This module introduces the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Profession (2018) and provides an overview of some key contributors in the field of basic human development:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Erikson’s psychosocial model
Freud’s psychosexual model

Module 3: Modalities of Counselling

This module of the counselling certificate introduces a range of theoretical models, including:

Gestalt Therapy
Transactional Analysis
Psychodynamic Therapy
Solution Focused Therapy
An introduction to clinical supervision in counselling

FIND OUT MORE

If you would like any further information, please contact the Training School team at [email protected] or call 020 3051 8235.

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Course Fees

Our Foundation Certificate courses contain the same amount of class time and assessments. The accelerated foundation course enables you to complete the course in a shorter time and (on successful completion) move on to our Diploma course without a break. This would be a suitable option for you if you are keen to train as a counsellor in a shorter period and can commit more concentrated time to your studies.

Courses can become oversubscribed, so we encourage early enrolment. Places on each intake will be offered to applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Foundation Certificate in Counselling (Accelerated)

September 2024 – March 2025

Monday evenings and one weekend per term, for six months

Dates: 23^rd September 2024 – 10^th March 2025
Time: 18:00 – 21:30
Location: TAC Tooting
Fee: £2,600

Enrolment open

	Mondays (6pm to 9:30pm)	Saturdays (10am to 5pm)	Sundays (10am to 5pm)
Day 1	23^rd September 2024
Day 2	30^th September
Day 3	7^th October
Day 4	14^th October
Day 5		19^th October	20^th October
Day 6	21^st October
Day 7	28^th October
Day 8	4^th November
Day 9	11^th November
Day 10	18^th November
Day 11	25^th November
Day 12		30^th November	1^st December
Day 13	2^nd December
Day 14	9^th December
Day 15	16^th December
WINTER BREAK
Day 16	13^th January 2025
Day 17	20^th January
Day 18	27^th January
Day 19	3^rd February
Day 20		8^th February	9^th February
Day 21	10^th February
Day 22	17^th February
Day 23	24^th February
Day 24	3^rd March
Day 25	10^th March

Foundation Certificate in Counselling

September 2024 – July 2025

Friday evenings, for ten months

Dates: 20^th September 2024 – 25^th July 2025
Time: 18:00 – 21:00
Location: TAC Tooting
Fee: £2,600

Enrolment open

Fridays 6pm to 9pm
Day 1	20^th September 2024
Day 2	27^th September
Day 3	04^th October
Day 4	11^th October
Day 5	18^th October
Day 6	25^th October
Day 7	01^st November
Day 8	08^th November
Day 9	15^th November
Day 10	22^nd November
Day 11	29^th November
Day 12	06^th December
Day 13	13^th December
WINTER BREAK
Day 14	10^th January 2025
Day 15	17^th January
Day 16	24^th January
Day 17	31^st January
Day 18	07^th February
Day 19	14^th February
Day 20	21^st February
Day 21	28^th February
Day 22	07^th March
Day 23	14^th March
Day 24	21^st March
Day 25	28^th March
Day 26	04^th April
EASTER BREAK
Day 27	25^th April
Day 28	02^nd May
Day 29	09^th May
Day 30	16^th May
Day 31	23^rd May
Day 32	30^th May
Day 33	06^th June
Day 34	13^th June
Day 35	20^th June
Day 36	27^th June
Day 37	04^th July
Day 38	11^th July
Day 39	18^th July
Day 40	25^th July

Total 100 hours, with breaks deducted.

Payment options

Full payment: Initial deposit of £350 required on course agreement. Balance payment £2,250. Total – £2,600

Monthly payment: Initial deposit of £350 required on course agreement. 10 x monthly instalments of £250 by direct debit. Total – £2,850. (This increased fee includes adminstration costs).

Accelerated course full payment: Initial deposit of £450 required on course agreement. Balance payment £2150. Total – £2,600.

Accelerated course monthly payment: Initial deposit of £450 required on course agreement. 6 x monthly instalments of £400 by direct debit. Total – £2850. (This increased fee includes administration costs).

All fees are inclusive of 20% VAT. Deposits are non-refundable.

FIND OUT MORE

If you would like any further information, please contact the Training School team at [email protected] or call 020 3051 8235.

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shutterstock 2058088850 Certificate in Counselling

Our Foundation Certificate in Counselling offers a comprehensive overview of counselling in practice by discussing different theoretical approaches and processing your learning in skills practice. Students will explore their personal development within the group and write reflective journals to support their counselling journey.

To complete the course, students must attend 80% of the training and pass two written assignments of 2,500 words. Students are supported by their lead tutor and peers throughout the course by having the space to reflect and process feedback. Students will also meet with their tutors for end of module tutorials. Our management team has an ‘open door policy’ to discuss any practical matters concerning your course.

To complete the course you will need to:

Attend 80% of the training
Complete a personal development journal
Demonstrate satisfactory progress in theoretical understanding, counselling skills practice, personal development, and how theory relates to personal experience. You’ll receive reflections and feedback from your tutor and peers throughout the course
Submit end-of-module reflective views
Complete and pass two assignments (2,500 words each)
Attend end-of-module tutorials
Be in personal therapy or have a minimum of twelve sessions of counselling with a qualified therapist during the first term of your course. (Students will fund their personal therapy)

Academic Writing Assistance (optional)

TAC works with Ash Phipps to give students access to tuition in academic writing. Ash has 10 years’ experience teaching study skills strategies to students who want to develop their writing skills and specialises in SpLDs (dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, ADD, Autism).

For any further questions and fees, please call 020 3051 8235 or email [email protected]

FIND OUT MORE

If you would like any further information, please contact the Training School team at [email protected] or call 020 3051 8235.

STUDENT REVIEWS ENROL TODAY

Counselling: Course FAQs

Who does the teaching?

We ensure that all of our tutors are experienced counselling professionals. During the counselling course, you will attend face-to-face skills workshops and lectures provided by our specialist faculty. We strive to provide you with the most valuable training experience possible. Find out more about the faculty here.

Who can apply for TAC’s Foundation Certificate in Counselling?

You don’t need any previous qualifications or experience to enrol on this course.

What is the Enrolment Process?

Firstly, complete the online enrolment form, which includes a personal statement. You will then be invited to an online interview with a senior member of the Training School team. The interview is structured to give all students a similar experience. You will be asked questions to ensure that you have the time availability and emotional maturity to be able to commit to making the course a success.

How long is the Foundation Certificate in Counselling course?

Our Foundation Certificate in Counselling runs from one of our centre in Tooting, south London. It is a part-time course, which provides 100 guided learning hours over ten months. You will attend face-to-face workshops and other training sessions during weekends throughout the year.

Will I gain practical experience too?

Yes. You’ll be practising counselling/helping skills with your peers throughout the course while also learning about clear, professional boundaries.

What can I study after the Foundation Certificate?

Following this course, you can enrol on the Diploma in Integrative Counselling and qualify as a professional counsellor. If you’re not sure about your next steps, you can always speak to a member of our team who will be able to answer your questions.

FIND OUT MORE

If you would like any further information, please contact the Training School team at [email protected] or call 020 3051 8235.

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Student Reviews

Our Foundation Certificate in Counselling students have provided some great feedback on what developing your counselling skills can be like at The Awareness Centre. Read about their experience at The Awareness Centre Training School.

I have just completed module one of the Counselling Certificate course and I can already say that both The Awareness Centre and the course itself really exceeded my expectations. Firstly, I have chosen to study with TAC after extensive research I have done on similar courses and realised there really is nothing out there to compare to this particular course. The communication with the TAC team was very professional and smooth from the very beginning and I found their website very easy to navigate and informative. My first impressions of TAC were that it is an institution ran by very passionate and professional people who genuinely love what they are doing. As for the course itself, it has only been 6 sessions but I have already learnt so much. Our tutor is very knowledgeable, skilled and approachable and she manages the elements of the learning in a well- balanced manner. I feel that the theory we are learning is thoughtfully put together and plenty of time is also allowed to bring what we have been learning into practice. All in all, I would recommend studying at TAC to anyone who is looking to develop their people skills, while making the most out of the actual learning process, as well as to those who decided to take the first necessary step in order to embark on a journey of becoming a qualified counsellor.

Zuzana

I have had a good experience on the Foundation Certificate for Counselling. Karen is an extraordinary and amazing tutor and therapist. She explained the modules and theories very well and clearly. I’m looking forward to my Diploma course and my further studies towards becoming a psychotherapist.

Z.F

After searching many counselling courses online, I came across the Foundation Certificate in Counselling course with The Awareness Centre. I decided to apply for this course, as I really liked the sound of what was being offered.

I can clearly say that now I am halfway through the course, it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. The course is put together very well, I have amazing classmates and an excellent teacher who is knowledgeable and approachable. Bonny makes the classes fun, interactive and is always helpful if you have any questions.

This course has truly been an invaluable learning experience for me and has given me a good grounding in counselling theory and practical skills. My self-confidence has grown because of this course, which is due to the great support that I have received from The Awareness Centre staff.

This course has exceeded my expectations significantly, and I would recommend it to anyone who is unsure which counselling course to take.

S.C