Key information 2025

To apply for the 2025 CCPE Certificate in the Foundations of Counselling and Psychotherapy, please click here for the Application Pack materials and follow the instructions in the Guidance for Applicants. Any queries should be directed to admissions@ccpe.org.uk

Duration	One year (30 weeks), running from January to November, one evening per week from 6.30-8.30pm This Foundation Course is delivered in person at CCPE in Little Venice. We do not offer an online option.
Cost 2025	£3022 including £200 non-refundable deposit
Award	Certificate
Term dates 2025	Term 1: 20th January - 28th March Term 2: 22nd April - 27th June Term 3: 8th September - 14th November
Weekends	Four weekends plus one Saturday skills day, 10am-5pm each day
Interviews	If you would like to book an interview please email admissions@ccpe.org.uk
Application form	The intake for January 2025 is now open. Please find the Application Pack here .

Course philosophy

When an individual becomes a person, the beauty hidden in the individual, which is divine, develops; and that development of beauty is personality - HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN

This quote symbolises the core belief of the Centre's approach towards counselling training. The Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education offers a one year course in the Foundations of Counselling and Psychotherapy from a spiritual perspective that embraces the psychodynamic, humanistic and transpersonal approaches. It offers a thorough grounding in basic counselling skills.
The course focuses on personal growth encompassing body, mind and spirit. It is aimed at students wishing to go on and pursue a career in counselling or psychotherapy, holistic health practitioners wanting to improve client contact skills and for those with a general interest in counselling.
The course meets for 30 evening seminars, four weekends and one full day workshop.

Course outline

TERM ONE: Counselling Skills
Our interactions with people can become greatly enhanced by the acquisition of a basic range of listening and communication skills. The course is designed to help students become conscious of how they can be both receptively and actively present with people. The main emphasis in this term is on experiential work which opens up rich learning opportunities within the group.

WEEKEND SEMINAR: Discovering what transpires behind that which appears.
In this introductory weekend we begin the journey of sharing as a group in discovering the hidden self that hides behind the masks we may use in the world.

TOPICS
1. What do we understand by counselling?
2. What do we mean by the holistic/ transpersonal approach?
3. Skills - attending and listening; body language.
4. Listening and responding.
5. Demonstrating empathy.
6. Questioning - getting the words right.
7. Focusing and goal setting.
8. The therapeutic alliance - creating a safe environment.

Counselling practice continues as an integral part of the course.

TERM TWO: Theories and styles in counselling and psychotherapy
In this term we will be concentrating on the rich and diverse theories of counselling. Students are encouraged to read widely and pose their own questions about human nature.

WEEKEND SEMINAR: Group Dynamics.
The purpose of this weekend is to help us recognise the roles and patterns of behaviour that manifest when individuals come together in groups.

TOPICS

Values and ethics of counselling
Freud, Jung, Rogers
Gestalt therapy
The Spiritual perspective.

WEEKEND SEMINAR: Creativity
This weekend provides an opportunity to explore our relationship with creativity. Unblocking creative energy allows us to better fulfil our potential as human beings. It is also a powerful tool for change in the therapeutic process.

TERM THREE: Themes in therapy
The major themes that many of us confront in our lives are reviewed in this term. The emphasis is again experiential and also aimed at students exploring in more depth their own relationship to spiritual values in their lives.

WEEKEND SEMINAR: Families
This final weekend allows students to further uncover the influence their families have had on their development. We also look at the qualities an individual acquires through their life's journey.

TOPICS

Working with the child within
Loss and grief
Relationships
Spiritual dimensions - 1 - finding meaning and purpose in life
Spiritual dimensions - 2 - working with qualities and mandalas
The role of myths and symbolism in therapy.

Course requirements

Upon completion of the course successful candidates will be awarded a certificate in the Foundations of Counselling and Psychotherapy.

The criteria for successful completion are as follows:

Students are required to be in psychotherapy with a qualified psychotherapist for 40 hours, the majority of which must be during the course*.
Two written assignments: one on counselling theory, the other to demonstrate the student's personal development during the course.
A minimum of 80% attendance of course lectures and 100% attendance of the weekend seminars.

*Personal psychotherapy is at the student's expense and hours can only be counted from October before the start of the Foundation course in January. Confirmation of hours completed will be required in order to fulfil this criterion. Students wishing to continue onto the Diploma course are advised to find a Transpersonal UKCP registered therapist as this is a requirement for the Diploma Course.**

Any weekend or one-day seminar missed will have to be made up with a full weekend seminar, again at the student's own expense. Similarly, missing too many lectures may involve additional tutorials at further cost. Detailed guidelines are provided in the student handbook, which will be available at the beginning of the course.

It is recommended that students seek voluntary practical placements in order to gain experience and put their learning into practice (this should not be arranged until the end of term one). Two placement induction meetings will be offered during the year.

The course can serve as a preparation for the Centre's four-year professional training in counselling and psychotherapy (UKCP accredited).

**A place on the Foundation course does not guarantee a place on the Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy Clinical training. There are more applicants than there are places. Further, the clinical training is not suitable for everyone, and you may need to do more personal work before trying again another year.

Course tutors

Julie Holmes, Senior Lecturer, MA, MSc, Dip. Psych., Dip. Adv. Psych.
Sandra Schmool, Senior Lecturer, M.A., Dipls. Psych., Supvn.

Additional tutors

Tamara Alferoff MA., Dipl. Psych.
Shaun Goodwin MA., Dipls. Psych., Supvn.
Helen Thomas Dipl. Psych

2025 Weekend seminar dates

2025 Compulsory Weekends	Tuesday Group	Thursday Group
Introductory Weekend	25th and 26th January	25th and 26th January
Group Dynamics	22nd and 23rd February	1st and 2nd March
Creativity	31st May and 1st June	21st and 22nd June
Skills Workshop (one day)	27th September	27th September
Families	4th and 5th October	25th and 26th October

Please note: All dates and content may be subject to change.

CCPE equal opportunities policy

CCPE promotes equal opportunities for students, clients and staff. CCPE is committed to a policy and practice where students' admission and assessment on the course will be determined only by personal merit and performance. No applicant as a student or for a staff appointment will be treated less favourably than another. CCPE does not discriminate on the grounds of nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, social class, disability, political, religious or spiritual persuasion or practice. CCPE promotes an Equal Opportunities and a Diversity Policy where students, staff and graduates recognise, respect and value the dignity and diversity of others. This statement also applies to all client practice.