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A Taste of Counselling Counselling

A Taste of Counselling

Are you a good listener? Do you have what it takes to support someone through difficult times? If you’re considering a career in counselling then studying our introductory level A Taste of Counselling course online is the perfect first step.

As a society, we’re experiencing a rapid and unprecedented rise in mental health problems, with a growing number of people feeling unable to cope with life’s challenges. This has created a shortage in trained counsellors, at a time when we need to offer support to those in need. 

By studying our A Taste of Counselling course online, you can be part of the solution to this widespread issue. Through engaging online materials you’ll gain an introduction to key skills, as you explore how professional counsellors approach and resolve particular situations. You’ll also reflect on the personal qualities that counselling requires.  

As a counsellor your primary role is to act as an unbiased, non-judgmental facilitator who enables others to explore their feelings in a constructive way. This course offers a series of case studies, through which you can explore and reflect on how you’d respond to different scenarios, in comparison to expert advice. It provides a great introduction to this fascinating area of work and a first step towards gaining a professional qualification.

Why study A Taste of Counselling?

If you enjoy helping others, are good at listening to and empathising with people – then our counselling courses offer a flexible way to develop your knowledge and skills in this field.

A Taste of Counselling will take you on a journey that highlights the important role of counselling in today’s society. You’ll begin by looking at why we need counselling and what objectives it aims to achieve. Then you’ll focus on the key role of feelings and how, as a counsellor, you’ll need to find different ways to relate and react to complex emotions. Finally, you’ll consider how counsellors facilitate change in order to help their clients to find a resolution.      

This course is ideal if you:

  • Are considering counselling as a career and want to know more about this area.
  • Are keen to explore if you have the personal attributes needed to be a counsellor. 
  • Would like to study a practical course where you use case studies to test your existing knowledge and gauge your suitability to the role. 
  • Enjoy problem solving and are keen to help others. 

Future opportunities

  • Studying NEC courses Counselling Theory and Using Counselling Skills, or studying Psychology at GCSE or A level.
  • Training to become a professional counsellor. 
  • Using your skills and understanding to support others in your professional or home life. 

Course content

Unit 1: Counselling and counselling skills

  • Objectives
  • What are counselling skills?
  • What is counselling?
  • Contexts for counselling
  • Why is counselling useful?
  • Your ideas about counselling
  • Training as a counsellor

Unit 2: Focus on feelings

  • Objectives
  • Counselling as a different way of relating
  • Creating a safe framework
  • The contract
  • Trust and rapport
  • The importance of feelings as well as facts
  • How clients show feelings
  • How counsellors respond to feelings
  • Difficult feelings

Unit 3: Change – a risky business

  • Objectives
  • The nature of change
  • The need to change
  • Facing up to change
  • Counsellors as catalysts for change
  • The role of feelings in change
  • Motivation to train

Study A Taste of Counselling with us and benefit from:

  • Flexible learning
  • Support from a personal tutor by email, phone or Skype
  • Any time enrolment
  • Assignments with tutor feedback
  • Ongoing support from Student Support
  • Forums to discuss your course with other students

learn@nec

Choose when and where you access your course, using learn@nec our 24/7 learning platform.

This easy-to-use learning platform includes interactive checkpoints, quizzes and activities to help you evaluate your progress.

What you need to know

Format

  • Online learning

Entry requirements

  • No previous knowledge is required for this course
  • An ability to read and write in English

Hours

  • Complete at your own pace
  • Approx. 15 study hours, plus time for completing assignments

Assignments

  • 3 assignments (computer-marked)

Resources

  • No additional set texts required

Requirements

  • Internet access
  • Computer operating system and browser to support learn@nec

What's included?

Our course fees are open and honest to help you plan for any additional costs.

Your course fee includes:

  • Access to learn@nec
  • All the course materials you need to complete the course in 4 months
  • Assignment marking
  • NEC’s guide to study skills: How to Succeed as an Independent Learner
  • Spelling, punctuation and grammar guide
  • Time planner to help you plan your study timetable

Arrange a call back with a member of our Course Advice Team

Would you like to talk to our Course Advice Team about the best route for you? Visit our Contact Us page, fill in the form and a member of the team will get back to you!