Who is this course for?

The WCP Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling is for individuals wishing to pursue a career as an accredited counsellor, working within an agency, such as WCP, the NHS or other organisation, and/or to establish a private practice.

Accredited training

A 4-year training course leading to the WCP Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling accredited by the BACP and BPC which equips you to work in an agency and/or private practice as a psychodynamic counsellor.

The 4^th year offers flexible ending once sufficient hours of clinical practice have been accrued and all elements of the course successfully met.

BACP membership and BPC accreditation entitle you to register with the PSA accredited National Voluntary Register for Counsellors and Psychotherapists. 

Apply For This Course

Who can apply?

• An applicant who has completed and passed the WCP Foundation Certificate, or equivalent to the WCP Foundation Certificate, and not more than a 1 year gap, may be considered for entry to the Diploma.

  To be considered for equivalence, the course must have been psychodynamic, held in person and have consisted of theoretical seminars, as well as experience of experiential group work.

• You must be in once-weekly therapy with a therapist approved by WCP for at least 6 months prior to starting the Diploma training
  
  
• Evidence of the intellectual potential to complete the theoretical elements of the course, including written assignments
  
  
• Previous experience in a ‘helping’ or supportive role using counselling skills
  
  
• Able to attend all course dates

Application and selection process

There will be two stages of interviews:

• A group workshop and a practical interview with a senior member of our training team
• A personal interview with an external psychoanalytic psychotherapist

Once all interviews have taken place the selection panel will meet to decide which applicants have been successful.

Places are limited on the course; should you be unsuccessful we will give you feedback and help you explore your next steps.

Course aims and outcomes

Academic: To equip trainees: –

With the skills and techniques of the psychodynamic model, enabling them to work as professional counsellors, eligible for registration with the BACP and BPC.

To be able to work as reflective practitioners, using psychodynamic theory within a diverse pluralistic social context.

To teach and explore the theoretical context (and limits) of psychodynamic theory. 

To enable trainees to communicate about the subject area and be able to critically appraise the core model.

To encourage trainees’ further learning by engaging with research and development in the field.

To enable trainees to explore the contemporary significance of psychodynamic theories.  

Clinical: To enable trainees to: –

Work psychodynamically with clients, using an approach which focuses on promoting the client’s understanding of feelings, behaviours and conflicts through the deep exploration carried out within the therapeutic relationship.

Have a full understanding of the importance of the therapeutic frame.

Equip trainees to work ethically with difference: within themselves, in the consulting room, and in a diverse society.

Work as a counsellor in an agency, or in private practice.

Course Elements

The Wessex Counselling & Psychotherapy (WCP) Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling consists of 3 elements:

• Course Structure
• Clinical Work
• Personal Therapy

Theory seminars cover core psychodynamic theories to enable you to apply theoretical concepts and ideas for yourself.  Reading and tasks will need to be carried out in preparation for seminars.  The purpose of the seminar is to enable you to apply theoretical concepts and ideas for yourself.  Theory personally digested in this way is more likely to be owned and understood by you, rather than when followed as dogma. It is expected that you will have prepared for the seminars, and this will form part of your assessment.

Clinical and professional development seminars support you in personal and professional development as a psychodynamic counsellor, and in becoming a thoughtful and reflective practitioner within a psychodynamic therapeutic framework. There is a strong focus on linking theory to practice. 

Supervision groups run for forty-two weeks of the year to support and prepare you for clinical work, and to supervise your client caseload. It is a crucial component to ensure safe, ethical practice for both you and the client. You will learn a great deal from other trainees’ experiences, even if at points you do not have any clients.

The experiential group is a safe space to explore feelings and issues arising directly or indirectly from the course. It is led by an experience group facilitator. Through the group you will gain greater self-awareness and develop a sensitivity to others’ situations and needs within the group dynamic. This is a further support structure to enable you to work more freely, effectively and creatively with clients.

Clinical work

Your supervisor will discuss your readiness to begin working with clients. This can begin from after half-term in the Spring Term of Year 2. You will be supported to see clients at one of WCP’s locations in Frome, Bath, Bristol or Street.

Theory Years 1 and 2	Mondays Options: 9:00 – 16:00 or 12:45 – 20:00
Theory seminars 3 x 10-week terms	A two-year rolling curriculum
Clinical seminars 3 x 10-week terms	Supporting the linking of theory to practice
Supervision 42 weeks	Where all clinical work is held
Experiential group 3 x 10-week terms	Self-awareness in a group context

Year 3 A year of academic learning	Fridays Between 9:00 – 17:00 (exact timings tbc)
Preparation for practice and research 3 x 10-week terms
Clinical seminars 3 x 10-week terms	Supporting the linking of theory to practice
Supervision 42 weeks	Where all clinical work is held

Clinical Consolidation
Clinical Hours Case Study Tutorials Supervision	A further year for building client hours, case study preparation. Supporting your progression from trainee to practitioner

Outside the course day
Workshops	There may be occasional workshops such as safeguarding and clinical induction
Tutorials	Termly fifty-minute meetings with your allocated personal tutor
Personal therapy	At least once weekly with an approved psychoanalytic psychotherapist
Clinical work	Building to a caseload of four clients per week
Reading and study	Required and recommended reading, personal study, written assignments

Deferrals and breaks in training

We understand that sometimes exceptional life events happen. At WCP we would consider each circumstance from a supportive pastoral perspective, and we would think carefully and thoughtfully with you about the options available. It is important to be aware that you must complete the required hours of training to qualify with a BACP or BPC diploma. If you miss part of the course through unavoidable circumstances, you will need to repeat part, or all, of a year to be able to qualify.

Personal therapy

The requirement is you are in at least once-weekly therapy with a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, approved by WCP, for at least six months before the start of the course, and for 1 year before seeing clients. Trainees are assessed for clinical readiness in the spring term of Year 1. On occasion we may require trainees to go into twice weekly therapy.

If you are currently in therapy, please contact us to determine whether your current therapist can be added to the approved list.

The cost of personal therapy is in addition to your course fees.

Assessment

Assessment is a continuous and holistic process throughout all elements of your training, and you will receive written and verbal feedback. You are encouraged to self-reflect and keep a learning journal throughout your training. The components of assessment are as follows:

• Written termly seminar leader reports
• Interim and year-end supervision reports
• Interim and year-end clinical self-assessment reports
• Six monthly clinical reports
• Administration reports
• Written assignments – two essays each year (years 1&2)
• Final clinical paper

The WCP training committee meets regularly to discuss trainees’ progress and if there are any concerns to be discussed.

The BPC External Examiner assures the quality of WCP’s training and monitors marking standards within the framework of our internal and external criteria.

At the end of each academic year the External Examiner joins the Training Committee to agree which trainees may proceed to the next year / or graduate from the course, or to make any specific recommendations.

Qualification requires the following elements:

Client work:

• Achievement of 150 supervised client hours
• To have held at least 2 clients in counselling for twelve months
• Be working with a client caseload of four clients for six months before qualification (ideally, both male and female clients).

Academic work

• Achieved required assessment criteria in all areas

Training staff

Our training team is made up of experienced psychodynamic counsellors, psychodynamic psychotherapists and psychoanalytic psychotherapists. They are all accredited by the BACP, or registered with BPC, or an equivalent professional organisation which is regulated by the Professional Standards Authority and registered with the National Voluntary Register for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

What next?

Additional training courses are available, such as:

• Counselling Children and Young People post graduate diploma
• WCP twice-weekly Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training

Opportunities may be available to work at WCP post-qualification.

 

 

 

 

 

Attendance, course structure and time commitment

The expectation is that you will attend 100% of the course, however, we do understand sometimes situations arise which are beyond your control. The minimum required attendance is therefore 90%.

Your training journey is individual; the taught course is 3 years and usually takes you into a 4^th ‘clinical consolidation’ year.