Level 2 Counselling Course in Derby. Classes run at Derby College, part-time during the day. This eight-week counselling course covers the core skills of listening and responding in helping roles. You'll practise empathy, self-awareness, and effective communication in a supportive classroom setting. The course won't qualify you as a counsellor, but it's a solid grounding in counselling skills and may help you decide whether to train further. No previous experience is required, though the course involves some personal disclosure, so emotional readiness matters.
Who this course is for
This qualification is intended for people who want to:Learn the basic counselling skills of listening and responding in helping rolesFind out more about counselling - this qualification won’t teach you to be a counsellor, but may help you decide whether or not you want to train as oneImprove any/all relationships, both professional and personal
Entry requirements
No previous training or experience is required to undertake this qualification. However, applicants are asked to consider the sensitive nature of the course and the 'experiential elements' that will involve some personal disclosure - and review their emotional readiness for this.
What you will learn
You'll practise active listening and responding skills, including paraphrasing and open and closed questions.
You'll learn how to communicate empathetic understanding to the people you're helping.
You'll explore how to work within the boundaries of a helping role, and how it differs from counselling, coaching, and friendship.
You'll develop self-awareness and understand how your personality affects helping relationships.
You'll learn how to focus on the other person's agenda and needs rather than your own.
You'll use non-verbal communication skills, including posture and body language.
You'll use review, reflection, and feedback to develop your counselling skills over the course.
How you will learn
You'll learn through on-site classroom sessions at Derby College. Assessment is by portfolio. You'll build a portfolio of evidence showing your knowledge and understanding of counselling skills across the eight weeks. Sessions involve experiential elements, which means some personal reflection and disclosure as part of the learning process.
What you will need to bring
No specialist equipment is required for this course. Derby College will confirm anything else you need before you start.
Where next
Jobs you could do
Support worker: use counselling skills to support clients day to day.
Care assistant: communicate more effectively with people in your care.
Youth support worker: listen and respond to young people facing difficulties.
SEN teaching assistant: apply helping skills in a school or specialist setting.
Teaching assistant: support pupils' emotional and social wellbeing.
Adult educator: bring communication and listening skills into a learning environment.
What you could study next
Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills (various awarding bodies): the next step if you want to deepen your counselling knowledge and work toward a practitioner-level qualification.
Level 3 Diploma in Counselling: required by most professional counselling training routes and recognised by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Level 3 Award in Education and Training: useful if you want to move into teaching or training roles using the communication skills you've developed.
