Diploma in Pastoral Counselling
Prospectus

Course Delivery

The Diploma is delivered primarily by means of a series of intensive learning workshops. The learning done on these workshops is consolidated and supported by individual study, written assignments, supervised clinical practice and personal counselling.

Learning Workshops

Workshops take place at weekends and run from Friday to Sunday or Saturday to Monday. The workshop day begins at 9.00am and finishes at 7.00pm, with breaks for coffee, lunch and tea. The workshops include plenary meetings, lecture input, skills workshops, interactive seminars, small group work and tutorial time.

Individual study and assignments

In between workshops, course members will pursue individual study which will culminate in the presentation of their assessed work. In the first year, trainee learning will be assessed by two 5,000 and one 3,000 word essays, peer and self assessments and supervisor and tutor reports. Second year work will culminate in the presentation of a 6,000 word critical reflection on a piece of practical work, a 9,000 word formal essay a 4,000 word case study and a 2,000 word critical reflection on ethical issues. Progress on the course as a whole will be documented by means of logs of completed work and a personal learning journal which will be submitted at the end of the course.

Clinical practice

Clinical competence is taken forward through skills development at the workshops combined with a supervised counselling placement. Students are expected to log 250 hours of counselling practice during the course.

Clinical supervision

The course assumes that ethical and effective practice requires adequate clinical supervision. There is therefore an expectation that course members will receive counselling supervision at a rate of no less than 1½ hours individual supervision per month, (or its equivalent if being supervised in a group) in line with the BACP minimum requirement. The level of supervision appropriate for each trainee will be a matter for discussion between them and their tutor.

Personal counselling

Counselling training is by its nature demanding. In order to provide a therapeutic space which can be used by our clients, counsellors have a responsibility to develop self awareness and provide for sufficient support. It is our experience that counselling training is enhanced when trainees undertake their own personal counselling and so it is a co-requisite of the course that course members undertake a minimum of 40 hours of individual counselling during training. This is also in line with BACP requirements.

Year 1: Human Development in the Context of Relationship (150 hours)

The first year consists of six three-day workshops in October, December, January, March, May and June. The aim of the year is to introduce course members to theories of human development and relationship which will extend foundational understanding of the counselling process.

On successful completion of the year, course members will be able to:

Theory: recognise significant features of particular life stages and make use of their understanding to inform clinical practice.
Practice: assess client suitability for counselling and set appropriate therapeutic goals,understand issues of transference, countertransference and parallel process and work with the process as well as the content of the counselling relationship.
Personal development: reflect on and appraise their own personal development in the light of the theories they are learning.
Spiritual and theological reflection: understand the principles involved in theological reflection, understand key conepts of Trinitarian theology and articulate a theology and spirituality of relationship .

Year 2: Applications of Counselling Theory and Practice (150 hours)

The second year consists of six three-day workshops in October, December, January, March, May and June. The aim of the year is to develop theoretical understanding and clinical expertise and to apply these both to particular issues or situations which may emerge in the context of counselling.

On successful completion of the year, course members will be able to:

Theory: have developed a critical understanding of theories of grief and loss, understand the impact of trauma, demonstrate an awareness of issues of difference and have developed a critical understanding of an area of pastoral counselling of their choice.
Practice: understand the nature and purpose of the clinical skills of inquiry, attunement and involvement, have a critical awareness of and an ability to apply the BACP ethical framework.
Personal development: reflect on and appraise their own experiences of difference and personal loss and trauma and demonstrate appropriate self awareness and a commitment to ongoing personal development.
Spiritual and theological reflection: articulate a theology of health and sickness, suffering and healing, sin and redemption.

Staff

The course will be run by Ruth Layzell (course leader), Philip Allin, Margaret Bazely and Alistair Ross (tutors). Ruth, Philip, Margaret and Alistair have been working together since 1998 as the core tutor team for Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses in Pastoral Counselling and all have extensive experience of training counsellors and clergy in other settings.

Other Considerations

The Diploma is a non-residential course which will take place in Nottingham, currently hosted at The Vine Community Centre. Applicants will need to consider whether they will travel daily or seek accommodation locally during the learning workshops. The Institute of Pastoral Counselling office will be pleased to provide information about bed and breakfast accommodation in the area.
While the Diploma in Pastoral Counselling has been designed in accordance with BACP requirements for the training element of individual accreditation applications, applicants should understand that is not a BACP recognised course and that the responsibility for fulfilling the other requirements for individual accreditation with BACP (currently 450 hours of counselling practice, over a minimum of three and a maximum of five years, supervised at a rate of at least 1.5 hours per month) remains their own.
The Diploma will be awarded by the Institute of Pastoral Counselling. In order to offer the course without undue delay, while we are pursuing external validation, this has not yet been obtained.

Entry Requirements

Applicants for the Diploma in Pastoral Counselling must demonstrate their capacity to engage in a vocational training in counselling to Diploma level.

As evidence of this, they will:

1. either have successfully completed a counselling skills training to Certificate level (120 credits at HE Level 1), for which they will provide certification, supported by a report on their readiness to engage in counselling practice.
   or be able to show that they have developed such skills in other ways, for example, through substantial experience in one of the caring professions. Such candidates will need to provide evidence of counselling skills by submitting a CV of their experience and providing a supporting reference.
   
   AND
   
   
2. either have a degree, professional qualification or graduate diploma
   or be able to show that they have the ability to pursue a course of academic study at this level by providing a portfolio of evidence, including details of formal and informal education, any independent study pursued, an example of written work and a supporting reference.
   
   AND
   
   
3. demonstrate appropriate personal insight and commitment to personal and spiritual growth.

Applicants who are ready to enter the Diploma will be those who have sufficient training and/or experience to begin working with clients from the beginning of year two. Course tutors therefore have to be satisfied that they are competent and safe to practice as trainees under supervision. In particular, successful applicants will be able to demonstrate that they have a sound understanding of and ability to use the core conditions and foundational skills of counselling, show evidence of an ability to form a therapeutic alliance with their clients, recognise the limits of their competence and be willing to engage with and use supervision appropriately. Where there is any doubt of such capacity, appropriate preparatory study is advised and a preparatory module is offered by the Institute of Pastoral Counselling.

The Preparatory Module

For those applicants who do not meet all the entry requirements, or whose previous training has not offered all the hours needed to meet academic standards or BACP requirements, the Institute of Pastoral Counselling offers a Preparatory Module consisting of two weekend workshops.

The purpose of the module is threefold:

• to cover additional content not provided in the Certificate level training already completed.
• to give the additional tutor contact hours required for BACP accreditation.
• to ensure that there has been sufficient learning at the appropriate Higher Education level to ensure the appropriate number of credits for the final award.

Dates and Costs

Please click here to see details of the dates for the current offering of the course together with a breakdown of the current fees.