It is a counsellor’s job to create a comfortable, safe and confidential environment where a client can voice their concerns, problems and thoughts involving their own experiences and personal difficulties. This environment must provide clients with reassurance, so that they feel comfortable enough to share their private thoughts and feelings with you. To encourage a positive rapport, and the building of trust, it is the counsellor’s responsibility to provide the client with full, undivided attention, understanding and empathy, and good listening skills.
A counsellor will usually work within one specialist field of knowledge. This may be relationship based, career-orientated or an equally broad area, like addictions or eating disorders. The counsellor will also concentrate on one particular approach, and may work in a people-centred, humanistic or psychodynamic way.
A Counsellor’s Typical Day
Because a counsellor works with a huge diversity of people, there is no such thing as a typical day in their working week. There will be an element of paperwork involved, and for counsellor’s working within a Practice there may also be meetings to attend. Generally though, a counsellor’s job centres around spending huge chunks of their day in the company of people who have problems they would like to resolve.
Working with individuals, couples or families, a counsellor will spend their time creating a safe environment where clients can be comfortable about discussing private and personal matters, in the strictest confidence.
It is a counsellor’s responsibility to build rapport and trust with a client. Establishing a counselling contract, which outlines what will be covered during the sessions a client attends, and will also help project the caring aspect of your profession. Listening carefully to what a client tells you, and encouraging clients with challenging questions are also part of a counsellor’s job. You may also refer clients to other helpful sources and attend further training yourself.
Open Hours
A typical full-time job may include around 20 hours of weekly client contact. This will usually take place between 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday. A counsellor may also decide to work evenings, in order to accommodate some clients. Part-time work is also available.
Describe what a client brings to you and find out which counselling approach is most evidence based for their situation.
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Due to the nature of the work involved Counselling is usually a person’s second or third career. Life experiences are highly valued so your background does not influence your ability to do the job well. Most employers do expect you to have an accreditation with a professional body, like the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
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Further Training
Working towards further professional recognition is recommended. Ongoing supervision is also important, as is developing your skills through private learning, courses and workshops.
Expected Salary
- A newly qualified counsellor can expect to earn in the region of between £19,000 - £26,000 pa. This will obviously depend on the area of specialist knowledge you work in. Supervisory responsibilities can bump your pay cheque to between £30,000 to £40,000.
- Counsellors offering their skills privately can typically charge around £30 to £50 per hour.
- Unpaid work is also available, however, as there is always a plentiful supply of voluntary counselling positions available.
I am a 45 year old individual having 20 years experience from New Delhi who has done master's in sociology and a student of social psychology. I have a post graduate diploma in guidance and counselling apart from diploma in special education in Intellectual disability. I have a flair for training counselors and have trained over 1000 plus counsellors in India. I'm looking for.some opportunity which I can take up on online basis or through tele-counseling. Motivating , empowering the clients are my key strengths . Please do respond. Regards
I'm after some help on this. I'm currently working as a teacher - I have a Bsc in Sociology and my PGCE. I know these aren't directly linked to counselling but I was wondering in order to train, would I have to do another Bsc or would I be able to advance onto a masters in something? Or should I look at doing the Diploma level 2? I'm very confused as to which is the better route.
Im wanting to become a councellor/Therapist.
I have no experience, nor qualifications. Where do I start?
Thanks.
Thank you.
At this moment this post is the most useful one. I am really confused about what to do next. Currently I am pursuing education honours in India. I am keen to study in London. I am confused between developmental counsellor or general mental health counselling. Also which universities will provide me with these courses? And what are the placement opportunities for immigrants? I would also like to later work in my country,India
Please do reply. Any advise is appreciated.
Thank you
I've completed msc in counselling two years back in regular course basis. Can you advise me counselling jobs in UK?
Locally a counselling centre has closed down in the recession.
I am deeply concerned that the basic training in the UK does far too little to equip counsellors who discover clients with serious mental ill-health issues.
Whilst well intended quite a few points in the article are inaccurate. Some counsellors and psychotherapists charge £90 to £60 per session hour (2013) of 50 minutes. When paying an hourly hire charge for a room of say £15 to £10 and bearing in mind time spent in supervision sessons, CPD costing thousands of pounds and taking calls from people wanting to book sessions, not all of whom will go ahead with the booking, doing accounts etc. if in private practice then there are fewer hours available for which to be paid than you might expect...
Some venues insist on you hiring a room for a whole eg half day and if clients do not show up you are seriously out of pocket.
If you work from home you put yourself at risk of being attacked - although rare it can happen. The movie Patch Adams told the tale of a young doctor being killed when she had no chaperone. In private practice the costs of running an office, plus other overheads including professional liability and public liability insurance and professional body membership(s) and continual professional development (CPD) are considerable and it can be difficult to make a living, especially when new clients do not show up and some peope work as counsellors who are wealthy and doing the work for a little extra cash and their prices undercut those of us needing to make a proper living from this important work.
It is common for counsellors and psychotherapists to work using an integrative approach rather than being purely. e.g. CBT or person centred and to work every weekday evening which can seriously affect your social life. You also need to deal with calls at all hours if you have people approaching you who may be for example suicidal or otherwise at risk.
To become a counsellor in the UK you need a foundation degree in counselling. I started at level 2 and worked my way through to the foundation degree which is level 4 and 5. You can then opt to do the top up year for the BA hons, although completion of the FdA qualifies you as a counsellor. Hope that helps.
Do i go about it by doing a health & social course at college? or do A level Psychology? And then at university do i do a bachelors degree in Psychology or Social working?
Thank you for your help
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