Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills To view this short presentation, please click the arrow... Are you a good listener? Do people sometimes come to you for help? Do you want to learn more about yourself? COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY CENTRAL AWARDING BODY THE ONLY AWARDING BODY IN EUROPE TO SPECIALISE IN THE FIELD OF COUNSELLING

During this short presentation you can:  Discover what is meant by “counselling skills”, what they’re used for and why their use is not the same as counselling.  Get a sense of what happens on a counselling skills course.  Find out how this training might benefit you.  Learn more about the qualification. Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills To continue, please click the arrow...

Navigation What are counselling skills and what are they used for? How is this different from counselling? Listening skills About the qualification (fit-for-purpose and safe) Who is it for? Its place in the wider plan (and steps to becoming a counsellor) What sort of things might I be doing during course sessions? What sort of work outside the course would I need to do? How would I be assessed? Students, in their own words (video) About the actual certificate … Click on any heading you like, or else click the orange arrow below to see the 1st item in the list …

  Return to ‘Navigation’ page  Listening empathically (without judging).  Checking and clarifying your understanding of what has been said.  Asking helpful questions.  Using body language and other skills to encourage open communication.  Knowing when and how to refer the helpee for further help (e.g. to a counsellor). What are counselling skills used for? … What are counselling skills? They include:

What are counselling skills used for? Is the use of these skills the same thing as counselling? …   Return to ‘Navigation’ page Informally helping someone to talk about their problems by:  Creating a safe space.  Listening actively and responding helpfully.  Supporting and empowering them to better understand their situation and identify what actions they might take.

 Counsellors use counselling theory and research to understand human development and problems - and they learn specific skills/techniques associated with this. Whereas …  People who use counselling skills learn general listening, support and problem-solving skills. Some information about listening skills …   Return to ‘Navigation’ page Using these skills is not the same as counselling …  Counsellors work in formally contracted counselling relationships.

Listening skills … Listening skills are part of counselling skills. They involve things like (for example) learning how to:  Make someone feel comfortable, safe and able to talk about their concerns.  Use non-verbal prompts (e.g. facial expression, eye contact, open body language etc.).  Allow silence for thought and reflection (without interrupting). So what about the counselling skills qualification itself? … Have you Have you Heard?   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

About the qualification …  Based on a course of at least 90 guided learning hours, usually run in sessions lasting 3 – 6 hours per week.  Accredited into the government’s Regulated Qualifications Framework.  Designed and supported by experienced counsellors, counselling tutors and counselling programme managers.  Awarded by CPCAB: the only awarding body to specialise in the counselling field. There’s more …   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

Safe... It’s a safe qualification because it:  Teaches helpers to know their limits and understand when to refer helpees elsewhere.  Makes clear the difference between counselling skills and counselling … because a little knowledge can otherwise be a dangerous thing.  Teaches helping professionals how to identify and use professional support. And it’s fit-for-purpose …   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

Fit for purpose … Continue on to find out who this qualification is for … It’s a fit for purpose qualification because it is:   Return to ‘Navigation’ page  Well-designed to fit within a coherent progression route that provides step-by-step learning.  Needed: contributes to society’s psychological health, providing skills that are useful in a variety of roles.  Up-to-date, integrating the latest research.  Based on a unique practitioner training model: developed over 20 years, with more than 100,000 trainees.

Who is this qualification for?  Help and support others … voluntary or paid.  Learn counselling skills to support other professional roles (e.g. teacher, care worker, nurse etc).  Take the first step towards training as a counsellor.  Improve their communication skills.  Learn more about themselves. So how does it relate to other CPCAB qualifications? … It’s for those who want to:   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

It’s one step along a path which (optionally) begins with basic listening skills and continues up to (and beyond) becoming qualified to practise as a counsellor. Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills To see a guide to becoming a counsellor, continue … Where does this qualification fit in the wider plan?   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

A guide towards becoming a counsellor … So what sort of things might I learn or be doing during counselling skills course sessions? … To see a short, interactive guide about the steps to becoming a counsellor, please click...   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

There’s more … What sort of things might I be doing during course sessions? Learning counselling skills is not about academic ability. Instead it centres on learning how to engage in helpful interactions with a person seeking help. This involves the development of practical skills, personal qualities and self-awareness.   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

What sort of work outside the course would I need to do? …  Practical exercises and role play, e.g. in groups of three (‘helper’, ‘helpee’ and observer).  Developing self-awareness.  Learning about skills, listening blocks, empathy, body language, ethics and boundaries, prejudice and stereotypes.  Giving and receiving feedback.  Group work and discussions. What sort of things might I be doing during course sessions?   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

What sort of work outside the course would I need to do? … To successfully receive a certificate, how would my proficiency be assessed? …  A weekly, reflective journal.  A written assignment Your homework might optionally also include such things as:  Practising your listening skills (with friends etc).  Doing some further reading. Your work outside of the course would include:   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

How would I be assessed? If I receive a certificate from CPCAB, what would be its value ? … Tutor assessment: You’d keep a portfolio of coursework (including records of feedback on your skills practice), so that your tutor can see what you’ve learnt. CPCAB assessment: You’d watch a short video of a counselling skills session and then write your answers to (CPCAB-supplied) questions about what you’ve seen.   Return to ‘Navigation’ page To achieve the qualification, you have to be assessed as ‘Proficient’ in both tutor assessment and CPCAB assessment.

Students, in their own words … More about the value of a CPCAB certificate … Here’s what CPCAB-registered students say about the training they’ve received and experiences gained … Please click me (a 2 minute video)   Return to ‘Navigation’ page

About the CPCAB certificate … OK, you’ve reached the end. To find out where your nearest counselling skills course is running, please click here.here Or else click the arrow below to return to the Navigation page. Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills:  Accredited into the government’s Regulated Qualifications Framework.  Based on learning to use skills competently, safely and ethically.  Refined over two decades and research-based, e.g. seven processes that contribute to effective helping.  From the only awarding body to specialise in the counselling field.