Counselling Course

Sparkles14 · 17-07-2014 9:36am

Thank you so much for your responses fannymagee and celbridge 74, they have really helped!

It's great to hear such a positive response about the Turning point course. I guess what was pushing me towards the DCU course was the fact that you get the Diploma after 2 years instead of after the full course with Turning point but as you say Celbridge I'm unlikely to make use of it as I intend to do the full course. I guess it's just nice to have that safety net there in case anything does go wrong! I also had it in my head that doing the course through DCU would mean easier access to resources such as online course materials and their library, they seem to be quite comprehensive online. And it's also handy that I'm from the Northside so location is also a benefit for DCU.

Your comments are now making me thing that Turning point may be the better option if there course is more established they most likely have more of an awareness of what works for students and a simplified ethics process is always a bonus!!! How have you found the academic side of the course? You have both said the course is pretty intense, do you find that the course takes up all of your free time? With the reading, peer counselling, study groups, personal therapy it sounds like it can really add up! It's nice to have an idea of what I'm getting into time wise for the 4 years. Or is it intense from a personal point of view?

Thanks again for your responses, your advice has been great!

Sparkles14 · 17-07-2014 9:37am

Thank you so much for your responses fannymagee and celbridge 74, they have really helped!

It's great to hear such a positive response about the Turning point course. I guess what was pushing me towards the DCU course was the fact that you get the Diploma after 2 years instead of after the full course with Turning point but as you say Celbridge I'm unlikely to make use of it as I intend to do the full course. I guess it's just nice to have that safety net there in case anything does go wrong! I also had it in my head that doing the course through DCU would mean easier access to resources such as online course materials and their library, they seem to be quite comprehensive online. And it's also handy that I'm from the Northside so location is also a benefit for DCU.

Your comments are now making me thing that Turning point may be the better option if their course is more established they most likely have more of an awareness of what works for students and a simplified ethics process is always a bonus!!! How have you found the academic side of the course? You have both said the course is pretty intense, do you find that the course takes up all of your free time? With the reading, peer counselling, study groups, personal therapy it sounds like it can really add up! It's nice to have an idea of what I'm getting into time wise for the 4 years. Or is it intense from a personal point of view?

Thanks again for your responses, your advice has been great!

fannymagee · 17-07-2014 10:15am

If you want to be a fully-immersed, from the soul psychotherapist, Turning Point is the course for you. Yes the academia is important, but the emphasis is always on personal development and personal readiness to practice, and yes THAT can be very intense!

When I started I had NO idea what I was getting myself into, and looking back I think that was a good thing! It will consume your life in year three, but in a good way- getting to the end of that year is a MASSIVE achievement! I managed it with a full-time job and a child on my own so it's doable- but there are plenty of times when it feels like a neverending mountain to climb. And again, even through the tough times I honestly loved it- I had a fantastic class and the support from them was great.

Have a look into Psychosynthesis therapy. It's one of the lesser known approaches, but it's big with Turning Point, and that was the clincher for me- it is and AMAZING approach, life-changing for me.

It's so strange to be writing this now from the 'other side', haha!! Living proof that there is life after TP ;-)

Sparkles14 · 17-07-2014 12:24pm

Hi fannymagee,

Your message made me smile

it looks like you've had a great experience and reading your post has made me really excited for starting this next stage!! I'll have a look into psychosynthesis, I have read a little summary on it before but I'm definitely interested in learning more about it.

Congratulations on finishing the course, it sounds like it was quite a journey!! Do you mind me asking, how are the job prospects at the moment for newly qualified psychotherapists?

fannymagee · 17-07-2014 12:37pm

Oooh, that's the million dollar question! And different people would have different answers but I would say private work is the way forward. A good website, good networking and an office by the hour is a good way to start- you need to really treat it like business if you want to earn a living from it. Check out www.activelink.ie, they often post job opportunities for therapists, but you usually need to be accredited so private work is a good way to earn an income & get your hours up- you can do a low-cost or voluntary placement as well if you want your hours asap. You can't get accreddited until you're 2 years post-graduation anyway though, so theres no point rushing through hours :-)

Sparkles14 · 17-07-2014 12:47pm

Haha yes I thought I'd be cheeky and just throw that one in there. Thanks for the help, fingers crossed I'll be back to you in 4 years with questions about building and marketing a private practice

It's such a long road, you must be so happy to be able to start properly working in it now even if it will take another 2 years for accreditation.

fannymagee · 17-07-2014 12:57pm

Not at all it's a great question, you were dead right to ask it!! And yes by all means do- I really enjoy business coaching, esp for therapists! :-)

KatieDot · 23-07-2014 11:51am

Hi All,

I'm wondering if anyone an help me. I am looking to do a part time cert/diploma course in counselling skills - pref CBT but open to anything well recommended. I work as a support worker (disability and mental health with complex needs) and am qualified to MA level in Psychology and Social Care (separate qualifications). Down the line - I hope to peruse clinical psych (know the route, have gotten to interview stage so far) have the academics, publishing and AP role experience.

This is for me. I have clinical supervision in my job at the moment but its with non-psychology professionals (long term experienced care staff). Its excellent but team members are seeking my advice (therapeutically) and simply put - I'd love to brush up on my skills.

Something reflective would be fantastic. I am not looking at Post-Grad level as I currently work approx. 70 + hours per week already. Just a course I could use to take time, reflect on practice, build skills.

I work in kildare/meath/dublin (all over) and live in Dublin city. Tues evenings would suit me best (work some weekends). Or I am willing to take annual leave and do something intensive (week long or weekend long).

Where I am struggling is regarding finding out which courses are relevant for those of us currently working and experienced in the mental health field. Would you have any recommendations?

Thanks a million,
Katie

JuliusCaesar · 23-07-2014 1:10pm

Would a distance learning course suit you? This is a well known and regarded CBT course. It won't qualify you to work as a CBT therapist, but you will be able to use a CBT approach in your work. Same as with a part-time Foundation in CBT.

I will say, CBT has become enormously popular in recent years and there are some very poor (if popular, and good money-spinners for colleges) courses out there. Buyer Beware! Make sure that teachers/lecturers are accredited with a recognised CBT body, not just a counselling body.

Sparkles14 · 23-07-2014 4:37pm

Hi Katie,

Have you tried looking into any of the CPD certificate programmes around? Seen as you're already in a helping profession these would apply to you. PCI college seem to do a few weekend courses on CBT, Brief therapy, Group therapy, etc, the IICP also seem to do a few that might be worth checking out (their CBT certificate course is run on a Tuesday evening over 10 sessions).

camper111 · 03-09-2014 8:00pm

Hi Filan. did u finish d course and if where did u do it. thinking of starting nex yr

camper111 · 03-09-2014 8:03pm

Hi filan. did u ever finish d course and if u did, where did u u do it. considering applying somewhere in limerick. where wud u recommend

Black Swan · 03-09-2014 9:41pm

camper111 wrote: »

Hi Filan. did u finish d course and if where did u do it. thinking of starting nex yr

camper111 wrote: »

Hi filan. did u ever finish d course and if u did, where did u u do it. considering applying somewhere in limerick. where wud u recommend

MOD: Please spell out your words and not use textspeak. Thanks.

angelj · 08-09-2014 10:33pm

I've been following this thread for ages and have finally decided to embark on a C&P course... the question is.. which one?? They're all very expensive, but I think if I'm going to be doing an accredited course and study for four years, I should do a Masters level!

I have narrowed my choices down, to A) Turning Pt Masters

DCU Masters or C) PCI degree.

A) It's heartening to hear Turning Pt getting a good review- their website isn't great and it's very hard to get detailed info about the syllabus for the 4 years, but feedback from previous students seems to be good. I was at Turning Point for interview and it all seemed a bit depressingly dingy,but I thought something similar when I did a course in PCI...but I suppose that's just aesthetics.

I don't know much about the new DCU masters- Info from any current DCU students would be appreciated.

So.. in a nutshell.. if you're a student of one of these 3 courses, would you recommend it, or what are the pitfalls or problems with the course.
Would really appreciate info, it's a big investment, of time, money etc., so I'd like to make a well-informed decision. Many thanks

fannymagee · 09-09-2014 9:14am

Can only vouch for Turning Point, but have friends who did PCI and I might be shot down for this, but when it came to getting good placements it was a lot easier for TP students. A lot more experiential, and they will REALLY challenge you- in every way. So if you choose TP (pr any decent course) be prepared to lean into your sore spots and face your demons. Sounds scary but its great. Oh and as I said earlier, look up psychosynthesis. If you like what you find, TP is for you

angelj · 12-09-2014 7:38pm

Thanks, fanny magee, I have been following a few counselling training threads for ages, and it's reassuring to see that TP seems to have a good reputation, particularly when it comes to getting placements. Facing demons does sound scary, but a bit exhilarating!
Think I'll go for it and take it year by year.. It's VERY expensive for years 3 and 4, but even the undergrad courses are over 4K, so I guess it's to be expected! Best of luck in your new career!

angelj · 12-09-2014 9:14pm

sorry about the sad emoticon.. still all new to this!

fannymagee · 12-09-2014 11:32pm

angelj wrote: »

Thanks, fanny magee, I have been following a few counselling training threads for ages, and it's reassuring to see that TP seems to have a good reputation, particularly when it comes to getting placements. Facing demons does sound scary, but a bit exhilarating!
Think I'll go for it and take it year by year.. It's VERY expensive for years 3 and 4, but even the undergrad courses are over 4K, so I guess it's to be expected! Best of luck in your new career!

Year by year is the way to go, it's too overwhelming otherwise! But every year is fantastic in its own right- first year is amazing I loved every minute! (Including the tears and terror and tantrums lol)

kittymcf · 12-04-2015 11:35pm

Hi,

I'm new to this thread. I'm interested in becoming a counsellor/psychotherapist and am going to do the certificate course in the Institute of Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy (IICP) in Killinarden,Tallaght. And then hopefully move on to the diploma course in the same place. I haven't seen mention of it on this thread so far, so just wondering if anyone has any opinions on training there? I went to their open day in March and got a very good impression. Their 2 year diploma is accredited by the IACP, so my idea is to do that diploma, and then start working, even if it's on a low wage, towards getting the 450 hours for accreditation. At that stage, if I'm in a position to do it, I would probably like to do another 2 years with the IICP and get a Masters. As I know that having a 4 year qualification is something that may be required by statutory regulation in a couple of years.
Does this sound like a good plan to those in the know in this area? I would like to get the best training possible, but would also like to be practical, and if I can work in some capacity after 2 years, that seems better than waiting 4 years....
Any feedback on the IICP would be very welcome! As would feedback on the current state of the job market for therapists.... thanks very much!

fannymagee · 12-04-2015 11:46pm

kittymcf wrote: »

Hi,

I'm new to this thread. I'm interested in becoming a counsellor/psychotherapist and am going to do the certificate course in the Institute of Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy (IICP) in Killinarden,Tallaght. And then hopefully move on to the diploma course in the same place. I haven't seen mention of it on this thread so far, so just wondering if anyone has any opinions on training there? I went to their open day in March and got a very good impression. Their 2 year diploma is accredited by the IACP, so my idea is to do that diploma, and then start working, even if it's on a low wage, towards getting the 450 hours for accreditation. At that stage, if I'm in a position to do it, I would probably like to do another 2 years with the IICP and get a Masters. As I know that having a 4 year qualification is something that may be required by statutory regulation in a couple of years.
Does this sound like a good plan to those in the know in this area? I would like to get the best training possible, but would also like to be practical, and if I can work in some capacity after 2 years, that seems better than waiting 4 years....
Any feedback on the IICP would be very welcome! As would feedback on the current state of the job market for therapists.... thanks very much!

The million dollar question- how much do they charge per year?! And more importantly, what sort of placements will they get you, or do they leave that up to you? That'll be hugely important when you go for jobs, along with the requirements for personal therapy and supervision. Basically the longer/more intense the course & training requirements, the better. If you really want to make a career out of this, get yourself the best possible training

fannymagee · 13-04-2015 12:10am

PS, a certificate is a waste of money if you know you want accreditation, IMO. If you're going to do a course, I'd say go straight for a three year course with the option of a fourth year, either clinical and/or academic (MSc) and you can decide later whether you want to do the 4th year. If the foundation cert doesn't count towards the Grad Dip/BA I'd skip it. The Tallaght course gets you your basic qualification for less time & money, but might be a false economy given how short it is.. Have you looked into DCU? I don't know what their fees are like but you can't argue with the credibility of the institution, so getting placements/work should be that bit easier down the road

kittymcf · 13-04-2015 3:25pm

fannymagee wrote: »

PS, a certificate is a waste of money if you know you want accreditation, IMO. If you're going to do a course, I'd say go straight for a three year course with the option of a fourth year, either clinical and/or academic (MSc) and you can decide later whether you want to do the 4th year. If the foundation cert doesn't count towards the Grad Dip/BA I'd skip it. The Tallaght course gets you your basic qualification for less time & money, but might be a false economy given how short it is.. Have you looked into DCU? I don't know what their fees are like but you can't argue with the credibility of the institution, so getting placements/work should be that bit easier down the road

Thanks for that feedback fannymagee. One of the advantages of the Tallaght course is that they have an onsite counselling service, the Village Counselling service, for the community there, so you can do all of your 100 hours of clinical placement with them (and maybe get some post-graduation hours there too). And I won't be spending another academic year doing the certificate, it's done now over the summer, then I'd start the diploma in Sept. I'd have to wait til then to start any diploma course, so thought the certificate would be a good way of double checking that I really do want to go into this! The fees in Tallaght are similar to PCI and a few others, and not as expensive as DCU and Turning Point. I was considering DCU too, but their timetable is Thurs to Sat, and I work weekday mornings.

fannymagee · 13-04-2015 6:08pm

kittymcf wrote: »

Thanks for that feedback fannymagee. One of the advantages of the Tallaght course is that they have an onsite counselling service, the Village Counselling service, for the community there, so you can do all of your 100 hours of clinical placement with them (and maybe get some post-graduation hours there too). And I won't be spending another academic year doing the certificate, it's done now over the summer, then I'd start the diploma in Sept. I'd have to wait til then to start any diploma course, so thought the certificate would be a good way of double checking that I really do want to go into this! The fees in Tallaght are similar to PCI and a few others, and not as expensive as DCU and Turning Point. I was considering DCU too, but their timetable is Thurs to Sat, and I work weekday mornings.

Sounds like you have it well thought through so, go for it!! It's a long, hard & expensive road one way or another, but I loved it. Let us know how you get on!

hotspur · 13-04-2015 11:04pm

Make sure you find choice theory / reality therapy palatable, and the same with REBT (the paramilitary wing of CBT).

fannymagee · 14-04-2015 8:27am

hotspur wrote: »

Make sure you find choice theory / reality therapy palatable, and the same with REBT (the paramilitary wing of CBT).

Do they focus a lot on them in Tallaght, Hotspur?

It's great to have an insight into the core teachings of the course, because if they don't resonate with you, you're pretty screwed! I chose Turning Point/DCU because of Psychosynthesis, and when the going got tough, that's what got me through.

I only ever met one person who trained in Tallaght, and I found his approach to client work very odd. I know that's just one person, but he made some very outlandish statements about clients he was working with on placement. Made me wonder about their style of training alright...

JuliusCaesar · 14-04-2015 9:09am

hotspur wrote: »

REBT (the paramilitary wing of CBT).

LOL!

Have you dared say it aloud to them?

hotspur · 14-04-2015 5:43pm

fannymagee wrote: »

Do they focus a lot on them in Tallaght, Hotspur?

I only ever met one person who trained in Tallaght, and I found his approach to client work very odd. I know that's just one person, but he made some very outlandish statements about clients he was working with on placement. Made me wonder about their style of training alright...

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

LOL!

They do. I have read a lot of Bill Glasser's books because I did my foundation cert out there, and I wouldn't have a lot of affection or respect for either him or his therapy.

Have you dared say it aloud to them?

I have had the misfortune of experiencing REBT with one of their two founding members *shudder*. Still yet to meet an REBT therapist who hasn't been abrasive and had power issues.

kittymcf · 15-04-2015 11:49pm

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

LOL!

Have you dared say it aloud to

Julius Caesar, just wondering why you say you wouldn't have a lot of respect for choice theory/reality therapy? I did some preliminary reading about it and it seems like quite a lot of common sense....?

JuliusCaesar · 16-04-2015 12:20am

Mainly because I like a psychological approach to be based on sound psychological principles...and evidence.

For example, behaviour therapy was based on learning theory - the state of the art at the time. It has now been developed beyond basic learning theory with inputs from psychology in terms of cognitive biases, relational frame theory etc and we have a wealth of evidence to say what bits of therapy are the effective ones in CBT.

There are far too many therapies that were made up as a good idea and seemed to work anecdotally.

Also, common sense depends on the person's point of view... It is astonishing how psychoanalytic concepts have taken root in the public mind as self-evident, when they are not true at all. We've set up a self-perpetuating cycle where the psychoanalytic analysis of literature has led authors to devise their novels according to psychoanalytic theory, so that they are then analysed in a psychoanalytic way etc. (See Tom Wolfe on modern art too, for example.) It has been trundling on for over 100 years now - and where is the evidence? Where?

Becks2704 · 21-05-2015 12:51am

Hi,

It's really encouraging to read all the positive reviews about the masters with Turning Point as I have been considering applying to do this course for some time now but have some reservations that I hope someone can help with.

Firstly, I know the course requires that I would have to attend for 3 days one weekend a month and I would also need to attend weekly personal therapy which is fine but can anyone let me know what the commit for the other things listed such as peer group sessions, supervision etc would be like? Does this mean going to Turning Point every week on top of the 3 days per month and if so what is the commitment, days/times?

Secondly, on cost. I know the website gives the costs for year one plus the UCC registration cost but can anyone give me a rough idea of the costs for the other 3 years and any hidden costs there might be?

Finally, in relation to placement and hours. What is the commitment and are students at liberty to get their own placements and to complete in their own time?

This is a massive commitment for me if I do go ahead but it is an area I would love to pursue and I would like to make sure I can fully commit before I do.

Thank you in advance. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Counselling Course

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