Counselling Courses in Maidstone:
The Definitive Guide
Would you like to explore the possibility of building or advancing your career in counselling?
Explore the variety of counselling courses in Maidstone through our informative guide.
Whether you are a novice or an experienced professional, we have everything you need to make an informed decision about the ideal course for you.
Start taking the next step in your counselling journey today!
1. Counselling in Maidstone
2. Qualifications available
3. Maidstone course providers
4. Classroom Vs Online
5. Why choose Connect?
1. What does counselling in Maidstone look like?
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As a counsellor, Maidstone is a fantastic place to live and work. With a rising demand for mental health services in the largest town in Kent, there are numerous opportunities for counsellors to practise in both private settings and public healthcare. This historic town boasts a diverse population, and with London just under an hour away, counsellors can engage with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.
Additionally, Maidstone boasts a robust network of mental health services and counselling practices, offering ongoing professional development opportunities and a supportive community. The town has a strong sense of community, friendly residents, and plenty of local events and activities, while the surrounding countryside, including the picturesque Kent Downs, provides a tranquil retreat.
Let’s explore some specific reasons why you should consider training and working as a counsellor in Maidstone.
Mental health is a major focus in Maidstone. Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to enhance mental health outcomes in the area with significant funding boosts and projects, establishing Maidstone as a leader in mental health service transformation in Kent.
These initiatives have created a strong network of NHS and private organisations, along with charities working together to tackle mental health challenges in the community. Recently, the Kent and Medway Suicide Prevention Team announced 11 mental health projects in the region aimed at addressing a variety of mental health issues within the community. This not only leads to numerous job opportunities for qualified counsellors but also provides extensive support and resources for those working in mental health in Maidstone.
There is a significant opportunity to make a difference in local communities. While Maidstone has made progress in transforming its mental health services and has below-average mental health client rates, the council acknowledges that more work is required. In particular, mental health inequalities continue to exist in deprived communities and among vulnerable groups, and addressing these gaps has become a key priority for local authorities. In fact, the Maidstone Borough Council has recently encouraged local mental health charities to apply for government funding grants. Consequently, there is a strong demand for high-quality mental health professionals, including counsellors.
Maidstone offers a wide range of opportunities for counsellors. As mentioned, there is a strong network of various NHS and private organisations, along with charities providing mental health services in Maidstone. Whether you’re interested in working with young people, couples, or individuals, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to train and practise in your desired area.
Here are a few examples to illustrate the diverse organisations you could work for in Maidstone:
- Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust provides mental health services, including counselling for adults and children living or working in Maidstone.
- Mind in Mid Kent offers various mental health services, including free counselling for adults registered with a local GP, and provides tailored support for specific needs, such as bereavement and trauma.
- Turning Point is a local charity that delivers counselling for individuals facing crises, such as homelessness or domestic violence, depression and other mental health issues in the Maidstone area.
- Maidstone Safe Haven offers mental health support, including counselling, for people aged 18+ who may be struggling with their mental health.
- The University of Kent provides counselling services to its students as part of its comprehensive mental health support.
And that’s just a few examples! There are many more organisations doing vital mental health work in the Maidstone community. Additionally, there are numerous training providers that offer counselling courses in Maidstone to help you kickstart your career in this rewarding field (more on these soon!).
Maidstone CPCAB Level 4 Course – January 2025
Enrolment for our Maidstone-based CPCAB Level 4 course is now open!
Become a qualified counsellor in two years with our part-time course, consisting of 60 live sessions spread across two years.
2. What qualifications are available to me?
Now, you might be asking yourself, what qualifications do I need to work as a counsellor in Maidstone?
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 Maidstone. 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 Maidstone! 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 Maidstone 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 Maidstone 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 Maidstone 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. Maidstone counselling course providers
So, if Maidstone sounds like the place for you, we have good news! There are lots of different course providers offering counselling courses in the Maidstone area. The best one to pick will depend on your career goals, interests and studying preferences.
So, let’s dive in and explore the main options!
Universities and colleges
Because universities and colleges are non-specialist institutions offering a wide range of courses, they typically have much larger campuses and student bodies compared to specialist counselling providers. So, if you’re looking for a full, immersive student experience, these options might be ideal for you!
The University of Kent, located nearby, offers a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. As the title suggests, this degree is broad in nature, preparing students for various career paths. This could be a great option if you want to keep your career choices open! The course combines practical sessions with lectures, which may not suit everyone’s learning style.
For a more practical, hands-on approach, Mid Kent College offers an introductory Level 2 Award in Counselling Concepts course. Kent Adult Education also offers CPCAB level 2 and level 3 online and in-person counselling courses.
Specialist providers
But we’re not finished there! Not only are there a variety of universities and colleges to choose from, but there are also some specialist providers of counselling courses in the Maidstone area. These providers typically have a narrower focus, specialising specifically in counselling and mental health and well-being courses.
Due to their smaller size, you can generally expect more intimate class settings, allowing for greater interaction with your tutors and classmates, which fosters a supportive and immersive learning environment. Many tutors at these institutions are practising counsellors, which means they often have valuable connections within the local counselling community—an advantage when you’re seeking work experience and job opportunities!
Here are some providers offering counselling courses in Maidstone:
The Kent Wellbeing Hub – Offers level 2 to level 4 counselling courses.
Chrysalis Courses – Provides Level 3 and 5 courses in counselling, as well as a Level 3 Hypnotherapy and Counselling course for those looking to specialise in this area.
Astranti Connect – Let’s save the best until last! We offer counselling courses from Level 2 to Level 6, tailored to meet the needs of aspiring counsellors.
These options provide a variety of pathways for those looking to develop their skills and embark on a rewarding career in counselling.
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 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 Maidstone hub:
Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
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.
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 Maidstone, we also have counselling hubs in Devon, Reading, Leeds, Bristol, Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Edinburgh 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 Maidstone, 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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