Counselling Courses in Ipswich:
The Definitive Guide
Are you considering pursuing or advancing your career in the field of counselling?
Look no further than our informative guide to the diverse range of counselling courses available in Ipswich.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, we have all the essential information you need to choose the course that best fits your needs.
Take the next step on your counselling journey today with confidence and clarity.
1. Counselling in Ipswich
2. Qualifications available
3. Ipswich course providers
4. Classroom Vs Online
5. Why choose Connect?
1. What does counselling in Ipswich look like?
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Ipswich is a wonderful destination for those interested in counselling and psychotherapy, and it’s easy to see why many professionals choose to establish their practice here. Let’s explore some specific reasons that make Ipswich an appealing place for this rewarding career.
Ipswich is home to a rich and diverse community. As the county town of Suffolk and one of the oldest towns in England, it boasts over 1,500 years of heritage. The town features a vibrant mix of independent shops, creative hubs, and inviting Suffolk pubs, offering a delightful blend of culture and charm. Whether you’re passionate about supporting specific groups, addressing particular mental health issues, or seeking a fulfilling career that allows you to connect with people from all walks of life, Ipswich has something to offer everyone in the counselling field!
Ipswich offers an excellent work-life balance for mental health professionals. This vibrant and historic town is rich in cultural events, entertainment, and dining options, providing a fulfilling lifestyle that is essential for those in the mental health field. Ipswich is also well-connected, with good transport links to nearby cities and the picturesque Suffolk countryside. This makes it easy for professionals to escape and enjoy the natural beauty of the region, offering a perfect way to relax and unwind outside of their work commitments.
There is a growing demand for mental health services in Ipswich. Research indicates that the need for mental health support in the area is rising, especially among teenagers, leading to a greater focus on improving services. As a result, there is an increasing demand for skilled and compassionate counsellors and psychotherapists. If you choose to pursue a career in counselling or psychotherapy in Ipswich, you will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of many individuals who are navigating challenges related to their mental health and well-being.
There are numerous opportunities for counsellors in Ipswich. If you’re considering training and working as a counsellor in this town, you’re in luck—there are several organisations and charities offering counselling services to a wide variety of individuals. Here are some examples that illustrate the diverse range of counselling and psychotherapy services available in Ipswich:
- Suffolk Mind is a mental health charity providing a range of support services, including counselling, to individuals from all walks of life in Ipswich and the surrounding areas.
- The Benjamin Foundation is a local Suffolk and Norwich charity that focuses on supporting young people and families. It offers mental health support and general advice to those facing various social challenges.
- Suffolk Family Carers offers counselling and support services for family carers, helping them manage their mental health while caring for loved ones.
- The Stephenson Centre provides therapeutic support for individuals dealing with issues such as depression, anxiety, bereavement and much more, offering counselling services to aid recovery.
And that’s just the beginning—there are many more local mental health charities, NHS organisations, and private practices making a significant impact in the community. Additionally, if you’re looking to embark on your counselling journey, various institutions offer counselling courses in Ipswich. We’ll explore those options shortly!
2. What qualifications are available to me?
So, what qualifications are on offer in Ipswich to help you kickstart your career in counselling and/or psychotherapy?
Well, first of all, it’s worth noting that employers and clients are increasingly looking for counsellors and psychotherapists with qualifications that have been accredited by a professional body. So, this is a good place to start.
This is because counselling and psychotherapy aren’t legally regulated professions in the UK – technically, anyone can call themselves a therapist! Obviously, this is not ideal from the client’s point of view. Counselling and psychotherapy are challenging professions that can have a profound impact on people’s lives. Therefore, it’s essential therapists have the right skills and knowledge to handle sensitive and challenging situations. And the way for clients and employers to be sure this is the case is to choose therapists that are members of a reputable professional body.
In the UK, there are two major professional bodies for counselling, and you can find qualifications accredited by both of these bodies in Ipswich. Let’s have a closer look at these options.
At this point, you may be wondering, “what’s the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?”. If this is the case, let us direct you to our ultimate guide to becoming a counsellor or psychotherapist in the UK. Here, we run through the subtle differences between these two professions.
Quite often, undertaking a counselling qualification will then allow you to progress on to a psychotherapy qualification. So here, we’re just going to be talking about the qualifications you need to become a counsellor.
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
The BACP is the largest professional counselling body in the UK. It promotes high ethical standards amongst its members, and therefore, gaining BACP membership can help you build your reputation as a counsellor and attract clients. To become a BACP member, you need to meet certain criteria, including completing an approved core practitioner course. To give you an idea of how much training is required, let’s take a look at an example qualification pathway that can be used to gain BACP membership.
This example qualification route involves taking a progression of CPCAB-accredited courses.
CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Here, Level 2 requires 170 hours of training, Level 3 requires 196 hours of training and Level 4 requires 1,204 hours of training. It generally takes at least three to four years to complete a BACP-approved qualification such as this, as these courses are typically taught on a part-time basis. There are a variety of providers that offer BACP-accredited counselling courses in Ipswich. We’ll look at these shortly!
The National Counselling Society (NCS)
NCS is the other major counselling professional body in the UK, and you also need to meet specific requirements to become a member, including completing an approved core practitioner course. The options are a bit more limited for NCS-accredited counselling courses in Ipswich, with just one course provider offering this pathway.
At Astranti Connect, we recommend pursuing BACP membership as the preferred option between the two professional bodies, and you can find out why in our definitive guide to counselling qualifications.
Other options
Finally, there are a few other qualification options on offer in Ipswich that do not fall into either of the above categories. These may be good options if you’re not interested in becoming a professional counsellor, but you’d like to learn some counselling skills. Some of these courses may offer a qualification that could contribute towards BACP or NCS accreditation if you decide to study more in the future. Other courses may not be accredited at all, however, and so it’s important to be aware that their quality will not have been validated by an external body.
3. Ipswich counselling course providers
If you’re looking for counselling training providers in Ipswich, the good news is that you’re not going to be short on options! There is a range of different providers offering counselling and psychotherapy training in Ipswich, from universities and colleges to specialist providers.
Let’s take a look at the main options.
Universities and colleges
Ipswich boasts a variety of universities and colleges offering counselling and psychotherapy training. These institutions provide a wide range of courses and typically feature large student bodies and campuses. If you’re seeking an immersive student experience along with opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities and student clubs, a university or college in Ipswich may be the perfect fit for you.
The University of Suffolk offers undergraduate degrees in Counselling and Psychotherapy, as well as Person-Centred Counselling, providing a solid foundation for those considering a career in this field. These courses are designed to prepare students for various counselling and mental health roles.
West Suffolk College offers Level 2 and 3 online counselling courses, which serve as a stepping stone to further studies in counselling and psychotherapy.
The University of Suffolk also offers a master’s degree in cognitive behavioural therapy for individuals with a psychology background who want to advance their studies.
Typically, university courses blend practical sessions with lectures, which may not suit everyone’s learning style. If you prefer a more hands-on approach to learning, there are training providers in Ipswich that focus solely on counselling and psychotherapy training.
Specialist providers
But that’s not all! Ipswich is also home to a variety of specialist providers offering counselling and psychotherapy training. These institutions typically focus more narrowly on counselling and psychotherapy, providing courses that are dedicated solely to these fields.
Specialist providers generally feature smaller class sizes, which allows for closer relationships with your tutors and fellow students. This environment encourages more support and one-to-one interaction with faculty members, creating a more immersive and supportive learning experience.
Many tutors at these institutions continue to practise as counsellors or psychotherapists, maintaining strong connections with the local counselling community. This can be incredibly beneficial when you start seeking employment or placement opportunities.
Let’s take a look at some of the specialist providers of counselling courses in Ipswich:
Matrix College – Offers a range of counselling courses, including introductory, CPD, undergraduate degree and supervision training.
Sharon Michell Centre for Counselling – Provides counselling training from Level 2 to Level 4.
Chrysalis – Offers counselling and hypnotherapy training from Level 3 to Level 5.
Astranti Connect – Last but not least, we provide counselling courses from Level 2 to Level 6.
These specialist providers in Ipswich offer tailored training experiences, allowing you to develop your skills in a supportive environment while building valuable connections within the local counselling community.
4. Classroom vs Online: what should you choose?
We wish there was a simple answer to this question! Choosing the right format for counselling training can be a bit of a challenge, and, at the end of the day, it all comes down to what you want to achieve in your counselling career and your personal needs and preferences.
If you’re aiming to become a member of a professional counselling body like BACP or NCS, you’ll need a significant amount of your training hours to be in person. For example, the CPCAB pathway to BACP membership that we discussed earlier requires at least 75% of Level 4 training to be taught in person. This is worth keeping in mind as some counselling course providers offer online-only Level 4 courses, but these won’t qualify you for BACP or NCS membership.
Additionally, any online courses you take need to be live, for example, over Zoom. This is another requirement of the BACP and NCS because they need to be confident that you’ve got the necessary practical experience and skills required to be an effective counsellor or psychotherapist, and it’s more difficult to pick up these skills through self-directed learning.
Here are some pros and cons of online counselling and psychotherapy courses…
Online training does offer some advantages, such as:
- Greater flexibility
- Lower costs
- More options to choose from
But there are also some drawbacks to consider, including:
- Technical difficulties
- Distractions at home
- Potential loss of some social interaction
Ultimately, the decision between online-only, classroom, or blended online-and-classroom courses comes down to your personal preferences and circumstances. And it’s important that you choose the format that best fits your needs and goals.
If you’d like to read more about this subject, check out 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 CPD Seminar Subscription comes free with our CPCAB courses
Twice a month our own tutors or expert guest speakers host live online seminars, each focusing on a new interesting topic in the world of counselling. From ‘Exploring Sexual Diversity’ to ‘What Star Wars Can Teach Us About Right and Wrong’, there’s something for everyone.
When you join a Connect course, you’ll have access to our live seminars and full bank of recorded sessions for the duration of your course.
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 Ipswich hub:
Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
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.
If you’re looking for more flexibility, we also offer live daytime and evening online courses for Levels 2 and 3 (remember, these can be completed online as long as they’re live, but the majority of Level 4 must be completed in a classroom setting to qualify for BACP membership!).
Once qualified, we also offer a Level 5 Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling and Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision – these are designed to enable you to set up your own practice and become a supervisor, respectively.
And, if you’re not sure you want to complete your counselling courses in Ipswich, we also have hubs in Devon, Manchester, Reading, Leeds, Bristol, Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Sheffield. 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 Ipswich, 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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