Foundation Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Skills and Attitudes

2025/26 fees tbc

2024/25 fees £1900 (£100 admin fee applies if paying in instalments). Plus an additional subscription fee of £70 for the online psychoanalytic electronic publishing library (pep-web).

Interview fee to be included with application - £65 made payable to ‘Wessex Counselling Service’. Applicants will be interviewed prior to the course starting. We encourage you to apply for this course as early as possible.

Year long course on Wednesday daytimes, commencing in September.  

Intensive Option 

Running between January and June over 6 weekends and 2 4-day weeks and 2 additional workshops.

Please see 'Course dates and calendar of events page'

Personal and emotional suitability for exploring psychodynamic issues and counselling skills.

Evidence of the intellectual potential to complete the theoretical elements of the course, including written assignments.

The interview process will involve a group workshop and an individual interview with a senior member of WCP. 

Please see 'Course dates and Calendar of Events' for the workshop and practical interview date.  You will be contacted separately regarding the personal interview.

Wednesday daytime, 33 weeks of the year with breaks for holidays. The course days consists of theory seminars, skills practice and experiential group time. There are also two tutorials of an hour each which will take place outside of the training day and 2 Saturday workshops.

By the end of the course students will have developed basic skills including listening, reflecting and paraphrasing. They will practice these skills and also those of further counselling skills such as supporting and challenging others. Students will be able to look at and recognise patterns in behaviours within themselves and others. Basic theory about human growth and development is covered and students will have learnt the importance of boundaries and ethics in counselling and how counselling skills can be used in different settings. An awareness of working and living in a multicultural society where differences are acknowledged and worked with sensitively is key to the course.

Seminars:

Content:

Human Development, Basis Counselling Skills, Psychodynamic Perspectives

Assessment and Hours:

2 essays and 80% attendance

30 Hours plus personal study

Skills Work:

Content:

Counselling Skills, Role Plays and Experiential Learning

Assessment and Hours:

Seminar Leader skills assessment and 80% attendance

30 Hours

Process Group:

Content:

Develop Self-awareness and gain insight to group dynamics and relationships

Assessment and Hours:

Attendance

45 Hours

Student assessment is based on being observed and seen as developing their counselling skills to a satisfactory standard, attendance of at least 90%, satisfactory completion of two written assignments and attendance of the tutorials.

The expectation is to attend 100% of the course however we do understand sometimes situations arise beyond control, therefore the minimum required attendance is 90%.

All training staff and supervisors at Wessex Counselling & Psychotherapy are trained counsellors or psychotherapists, accredited by the BACP or registered with BPC or an equivalent professional organisation and are registered with the National Voluntary Register for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

Wessex Counselling & Psychotherapy Certificate in Counselling Skills and Attitudes.
Pre-requirement for clinical training. The hours of attendance on the course can count towards the BACP Diploma contact hours for those who continue with their training.