Counselling Courses in Dundee
The Definitive Guide
Are you interested in pursuing or developing a career in counselling?
Discover the range of counselling courses Dundee has to offer with our informative guide.
From beginner to experienced practitioner, we’ve got you covered with all the essential details you need to choose the right course for you.
Take the next step on your counselling journey today!
1. Counselling in Dundee
2. Qualifications available
3. Dundee course providers
4. Classroom Vs Online
5. Why choose Connect?
1. What does counselling in Dundee look like?
Thinking of becoming a counsellor in Dundee? Let us guide you through what it’s like to train in this historic city, famously the birthplace of marmalade (yes, really!).
Dundee is renowned for its friendly community and rich cultural history. It’s a city that celebrates diversity, with people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds calling it home. Training as a counsellor here offers the chance to make a meaningful impact, providing support to individuals from all walks of life, while also becoming part of a strong network of mental health professionals. Plus, Dundee’s stunning mix of urban and natural landscapes creates an ideal setting for reflection and personal growth.
Here’s why we think Dundee is an excellent choice for your counselling training and career.
The demand for mental health services in Dundee is growing. As Dundee becomes an increasingly popular place to live, the need to strengthen mental health support across the city is becoming more pressing. There is a rising demand for mental health services, and many needs remain unmet.
Recently, the Scottish Government has allocated a £30 million budget to enhance mental health services across the country. While initiatives like these are a positive step toward addressing the challenges, there is still much work to be done. Dundee continues to face a significant need for skilled mental health professionals, including counsellors. This creates a unique opportunity for you to make a real difference in the local community through your work.
There is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact within the local community. In Dundee, the growing demand for mental health services is being actively addressed with a focus on enhancing community-based care.
For example, Dundee Health & Social Care Partnership‘s new mental health framework aims to tackle long waiting times and close service gaps while promoting integrated mental health care across Dundee. This framework makes it easier for residents to navigate the mental health care system and access support within their local areas. Additionally, NHS Scotland is working to expand access to services through initiatives such as new mental health well-being hubs and partnering with Dundee City Council.
These efforts are creating an increasing number of employment opportunities for qualified counsellors in Dundee, along with access to valuable resources and a strong professional support network in the field of mental health.
Dundee offers a diverse range of counselling opportunities. Within the city, various organisations and charities provide support to individuals from different backgrounds and experiences. Whether you’re interested in working in urban, suburban, or rural areas, or with young people, couples, individuals, or specific groups, Dundee offers opportunities for all.
Here are some examples of organisations providing counselling services in Dundee:
- The Mental Health & Wellbeing Drop-In Service, run by NHS Tayside, offers free mental health support to anyone aged 16 and over in the Dundee area.
- Penumbra Dundee charity provides mental health support and counselling services to individuals over 10 years old experiencing mental health challenges.
- Insight Counselling Dundee offers professional counselling services to a wide range of clients, including young people, adults, and families.
- Breathing Space is a free phone service for mental health support available to anyone over the age of 16 in Scotland, including Dundee residents.
- Dundee Carers Centre provides support, including counselling, to carers and their families, helping those looking after loved ones with physical or mental health needs.
- TCA (Tayside Council on Alcohol) offers counselling services for individuals affected by alcohol use, as well as support for families and young people in Dundee.
In addition to these, numerous local charities, NHS organisations, and private practices contribute significantly to mental health improvement in Dundee. There are also several providers of counselling courses in Dundee for those looking to start or advance their careers in this fulfilling field. More details on these will follow!
2. What qualifications are available to me?
Now, you might be asking yourself, what qualifications do I need to work as a counsellor in Dundee?
And the answer is… technically, none at all! Yes, you read that right! Unfortunately, counselling has yet to become a regulated profession in the UK, which means anyone can start working as a counsellor in Dundee. But before you get too excited, this is certainly not something that is recommended.
Counselling is a challenging profession, and you’ll often be dealing with sensitive issues and situations. So, it’s recommended that you undertake training to ensure that you have the right skills and experience to deal with these effectively. Also, these days, counselling agencies and clients are increasingly seeking out counsellors who have a qualification accredited by a professional body, so that they can be sure the counsellor has undertaken the right training.
There are two major professional counselling bodies in the UK, the BACP and the NCS. And fortunately, there is a choice of qualifications accredited by both of these bodies on offer in Dundee! Let’s take more of a look at these two options.
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
The BACP is the larger of the two professional bodies. Its members have to undertake rigorous training and adhere to high ethical standards, and, as a result, BACP membership is highly valued and recognised in the counselling world.
To become a BACP member, there are certain criteria that you have to meet, one of which is taking an approved practitioner course. To demonstrate the amount of training that is required to complete an approved practitioner course, let’s look at a specific pathway that can be used to attain membership to the BACP. This pathway involves taking a series of CPCAB-accredited courses:
CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills. Total qualification time = 170 hours
CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies. Total qualification time = 196 hours
CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. Total qualification time = 1,204 hours
As these courses are typically taught on a part-time basis, you can expect to take at least three to four years to complete a BACP-accredited qualification, such as the one above. Several different providers offer counselling courses in Dundee that will allow you to gain membership to the BACP. Hang tight; we’ll come to these soon.
The National Counselling Society (NCS)
Whilst the NCS is smaller than the BACP, it is also seen as a reputable professional body in the UK, and NCS membership is still a great stamp to have as a practising counsellor. Like the BACP, the NCS requires its members to meet certain criteria, which also include comprehensive training via an approved practitioner course.
There are a few different providers of counselling courses in Dundee that offer NCS-approved courses. We’ll come to these shortly.
At Astranti Connect, we believe a BACP-approved qualification is the best option for those aspiring to become professional counsellors. You can read why this is in our definitive guide to counselling qualifications.
Other options
Finally, a few different counselling course providers in Dundee offer qualifications that do not fall into either of the two categories above.
This includes short courses, which could be a good option if you don’t plan to practise as a counsellor and, instead, you’re just looking to pick up some counselling skills to help with another professional role or for your own personal development. Some of these short courses may also give you a qualification that could contribute towards BACP or NCS membership if you choose to study further in the future.
3. Dundee counselling course providers
Dundee boasts a variety of counselling course providers, catering to diverse interests, locations, and career aspirations within the counselling field.
Let’s explore the main options available!
Universities and colleges
Several colleges in Dundee offer counselling courses, providing a comprehensive educational experience that extends beyond counselling alone. These institutions often feature welcoming campuses and a vibrant student community, with plenty of events and extracurricular activities. If an engaging student experience is important to you, be sure to consider these colleges!
Dundee and Angus College offer a variety of social care courses at SCQF levels 6-7, alongside a range of other health care subjects. The University of Dundee provides undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in psychology, focusing on a rigorous academic approach to the field. Abertay University also offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in psychology and counselling, providing valuable knowledge and skills for aspiring counsellors.
Specialist providers
In addition to traditional colleges, Dundee features a handful of specialist counselling training providers. These institutions concentrate solely on counselling and therapy training, resulting in smaller class sizes and more personalised interactions with faculty members, many of whom are practising professionals. This environment fosters a supportive learning atmosphere and cultivates closer connections with the local counselling community, which can be invaluable for securing placements and job opportunities.
Among the specialist providers in Dundee are:
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First Psychology Dundee – recently announced its plan to offer a Professional Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychological Therapy, expanding its educational offerings in the field.
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Astranti Connect – provides CPCAB counselling training courses from levels 2 to 6, known for its comprehensive certification and diploma programmes in counselling.
These institutions and colleges underscore Dundee’s diverse opportunities for counselling training, catering to foundational learning and advanced professional development.
4. Classroom vs Online: what should you choose?
That’s a great question, and the answer really depends on what you want to achieve with your counselling aspirations. Just like choosing the right qualification and training provider, it’s important to pick the right type of counselling course to suit your goals.
If your aim is to join a professional counselling body like the BACP or NCS, you should know that a significant amount of your training hours will need to be in person. For instance, with the CPCAB pathway to BACP membership that we discussed earlier, you can take the Level 2 and Level 3 courses online, but 75% of the Level 4 course has to be taught in person.
This means that to qualify for BACP or NCS membership, you will need a mix of both online and classroom training or just classroom training if that’s what you prefer. Whilst some course providers offer online-only Level 4 courses, these won’t qualify you for BACP or NCS membership – something to watch out for!
It’s also important to note that any online courses you take must be live, such as over Zoom, in order to contribute towards BACP or NCS membership. This is because these professional bodies do not believe self-directed learning will allow you to develop the practical skills you need to be successful as a counsellor. Instead, it’s important that you can interact with your tutors and fellow students.
So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of online-only or blended online-and-classroom counselling courses?
The advantages of online counselling courses:
- More flexibility
- Location less of a barrier
- Could save some money
The disadvantages of online counselling courses:
- Possible technical difficulties
- Potential for greater distractions
- Limited social interaction
- Don’t always lead to membership of professional bodies
There’s no “right” decision when it comes to the choice between online, in-classroom and blended counselling courses. You should make your decision based on your preferred learning style and personal circumstances. If you’d like more information to help you with your decision, you can read our definitive guide to online counselling courses.
5. Why join a Connect course?
So, why do we think you should study with us?
We have experienced tutors
Connect tutors are all qualified counsellors with experience in teaching. Many are also practising counsellors and, when they aren’t teaching our classes, they continue to work with their own clients. Our tutors have a wealth of relevant, real-life experience and strong ties with the local counselling community.
We specialise in counselling
We have over 15 years of experience in counselling training and, unlike universities and colleges which offer a broad range of courses, our expertise and knowledge are focused on a small number of subject areas.
We are a national provider with centres across the country
If you’re not set on completing your counselling courses in Bristol, but you’d like to take part in one of our classroom counselling courses, we also have counselling hubs in Devon, Wiltshire, Norwich, Sheffield and Manchester. This also means you don’t have to be tied to one area throughout the course of your studies! We also have online options for Levels 2 and 3 and our post-qualification courses, offering additional flexibility. You can check out our full range of courses here.
We have a high Trustpilot rating
We are renowned as a high-quality training provider, as you can see from our excellent Trustpilot rating and reviews!
We have limited class sizes
Both our online and in-person courses have a maximum size of 16-18 people. This offers a great balance between plenty of tutor interaction and support and working and practising with a diverse range of people.
You will get access to our online community
We have an active online community, allowing you to learn from other students and support each other in your studies.
Our students must pass pre-course assessments
This helps to ensure our courses run as smoothly as possible, and you can rest assured that you and your fellow students are well-suited to the course.
We provide courses for Levels 2 to 6
This means once you pass one course, you can move on to another! Completing our Levels 2, 3 and 4 courses sets you up to apply for BACP membership to become a qualified, professional counsellor.
Our Connect courses
Whether you’ve decided a classroom or online course is best for you, we have lots of course options available to suit your needs!
We offer the following in-person courses at our Dundee hub:
Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
We plan to have both level 3 and level 4 courses following the level 2 courses that are currently scheduled – this will offer anyone who completes the level 2 course the opportunity to continue their journey towards becoming a qualified counsellor, without the need to switch course providers.
All of our courses are approved by the CPCAB, and completing the Level 4 Diploma provides a pathway to BACP membership. It also forms part of the CPCAB Open University Foundation Degree if you’d like to come away with a degree at the end of your studies.
Looking for more flexibility? Then we also offer live daytime and evening online courses for Levels 2 and 3 (remember, these can be done online as long as they’re live, but the majority of Level 4 must be completed in a classroom to qualify for BACP membership!).
Once you’ve completed level 4, we also have a Level 5 Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling and a Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision – because many counsellors want to progress to run their own practice, or become supervisors, and these courses give you the skills to achieve both of these ambitions.
If you’re unsure you want to complete your counselling courses in Dundee, we also have counselling hubs in Devon, Edinburgh, Bristol, Reading, Leeds, Sheffield, London, and Manchester. You can find our full range of courses here.
Want to talk to someone about your next course options?
If you have any questions about Astranti Connect’s counselling courses in Dundee, you can have a free 1-2-1 call with one of our Connect student advisors!
Head to your relevant course page below to book yours:
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