We've moved! Take a look at our new website:
www.astranticonnect.com
If you have a question not answered on this website please email us and we will answer you as soon as we're able.
What does it take to become a counsellor?
The first step begins with a level 2 certificate in counselling skills. This course will teach you the basic skills that counsellors use and will include some personal development work to help you learn about yourself too. We will become familiar with the academic requirements of counselling training and what counselling involves. All the while getting a qualification that can be really useful in almost any career and life generally.
Next is a Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies. This course will teach you about some of the theories that counsellors use to understand people, their behaviours and feelings. You will learn more about yourself and how counselling can promote positive mental health. This qualification is useful in deciding if working as a counsellor is right for you.
Once you have completed the first two steps and you feel counselling is right for you, our two year Level 4 course guides you through the training required to begin practising. You will work with real clients in a placement setting and experience personal counselling yourself. Completing this course successfully means that you will be a qualified counsellor. We will teach you an integrative approach to counselling, which includes person-centred Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Gestalt and Transpersonal concepts.
Can I skip a level of training?
Generally, no.
We believe that completing level 2 and 3 qualifications are essential as they provide the foundations of what will become your counselling practice. Like building a house, you wouldn't want one that didn't have solid foundations. Our experience is that skipping a level of training is not helpful to the student or their clients.
Counselling is very different to social work, support work, teaching and nursing etc. Although you may have a higher level qualification than a level 2 or 3, you will be missing out on a fundamental training experience by skipping a level of training. This will impact your participation and enjoyment of a course and more importantly your practice and future clients.
Our previous experience of students skipping levels is they often feel out of their depth and can struggle with the unique aspects of counselling training that are typically learned during earlier levels.
We believe everyone is individual and do not want to turn anyone away. If you feel your qualifications and experience would allow you to study effectively at a particular level we're happy to discuss your specific situation.
Can I pay for my training with a 19+ Student Loan?
We don't offer this system.
The administrative demands of running this kind of system are too great for a small specialist training organisation like us. We have chosen to spend our energy instead on delivering high-quality training and internationally recognised qualifications.
We offer our own payment plans for each level of our training and details of these are available upon request. If you have any special requests or needs around funding, please let us know and we will discuss options.
I've found much quicker and cheaper online courses, why would I choose to study here instead?
Not all courses are the same, most importantly not all courses provide a recognised qualification that will enable you to practice safely, ethically and effectively with your clients. Diploma courses that do not include a qualification provided by an accredited awarding body do not enable you to become a member of a professional counselling body, such as the BACP since they do not provide sufficient training and experience to be considered a proficient counsellor. This can be devastating when you've worked for a qualification and then discover it has not gotten you closer to your goals. Some qualifications that are approved by counselling membership bodies (Such as NCS) are not academically accredited and are not held to the same robust standards required for you to be confident in your training. By qualifying through us, you will be able to show to everyone, and yourself, that you are ready to work as a therapist.
