Becoming a mental health counsellor/advisor

geek84

Hi Folks

As some of you may be aware, that has been a lot of news recently about mental health.

One of my best friends committed suicide a few years ago because he could not cope with his mental issues, and another friend of mine is going through some mental health issues at the moment.

I thought it was a good idea to train myself up or go on a training course in order to become a mental health advisor/counsellor..

Is anybody aware of any suitable online courses?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

EmmaB

Hi @geek84

I think if you find any courses that claim to train you as a counsellor online then they are most likely to ultimately be a waste of your time and money - the bottom line with counselling is that you need to have face to face training because you need to have face to face practice.

You might find this BACP page helpful: https://www.bacp.co.uk/careers/careers-in-counselling/training/

And this one:  https://www.nationalcounsellingsociety.org/become-a-counsellor/

I am a qualified, and as of today accredited [hooray!], counsellor - to get to this point I did an Introduction to Counselling course and then a level 4 Diploma [I missed out the Certificate course because I already had a degree in psychology].  Then once I'd done at least 450 hours of tutor contact [aka course hours] and at least 450 hours of counselling I could apply for accreditation. 

I don't want to put you off but it takes a number of years and a not insignificant amount of money to qualify and there is an issue with finding paid jobs at the end of the process. 

BUT I think [and hope] there will be an increase in paid jobs in the future because as you rightly point out mental health is hitting the headlines more and more, so if you feel you have the resolve and inclination - go for it - it is hard graft but it can be incredibly rewarding. Perhaps start by finding a local introduction course as that is a great way to see whether it is for you?

Best wishes.

Emma

Adrian_Scope

Hi @geek84, it's great that you want to train in this field so you are able to support other people. I hope the information @emmarenshaw has provided has been useful to you and I'm really sorry to hear about your friends.

(And congratulations Emma on becoming accredited, what an amazing achievement!)

April2018mom

You could ask MIND if there are any courses in your area that you could do. It can be hard work but incredibly rewarding at the same time! The whole process is convoluted but go for it if you are truly passionate. Do you have a specific career in mind or not? Just remember the training is truly intensive. You might find this article helpful-  https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2017/may/25/thinking-of-a-career-in-therapy-here-are-your-options

P.S I'm sorry to hear that. 

geek84

Thanks folks

charlie79

Thought about calling your local health authority they may have some advice.