Unfortunately counselling psychology is not yet a funded training. Discussions with the department of health have been ongoing for the last few years and they continue. However, such reforms as Agenda for Change and the move from Whitley Council meant that progress has been slow. More recently economic circumstances have meant that the public sector is not awash with additional financing. Until the situation changes, candidates for the course must ensure that they have access to sufficient funds to support themselves throughout the training. As well as living costs course fees, membership of the professional body, professional indemnity insurance, personal therapy, books, computers, placement & research associated travel should be accounted for. On the rare occasions that a trainee chooses a placement that is not able to offer enough hours of supervision, they would also choose to supplement the supervision themselves and would of course incur in an additional expense.

Some trainees - through a combination of creativity, hard work & luck - have secured grants & bursaries but these should not be relied on.

The PsychD is in essence a three year full time course. Whilst it is never possible to undertake Year 1 part-time, in exceptional circumstances trainees can apply to the course directors to go part time in the later stages of training.

Yes. Training in counselling psychology is a doctoral level endeavour & experience has shown that without at least the ability to obtain a 2.i candidates struggle to complete the course.

This is not a common occurrence as it depends on the availability of Year 2 places. As we do not have a high attrition rate spaces seldom open up. Applications for entry in to Year 2 would be considered together with other applications but could only be accepted in principle and be given a formal answer once we know whether we have vacancies in Year 2. This may occur late in the academic year.

On those rare occasions when it is possible to offer entry in to Year 2, the Admissions Officer and Course Director will ensure that the application is scrutinised to ascertain that the undertaken was done within the context of a BPS accredited course. Candidates should note that we are unable to offer APL for training this is not part of BPS accredited training in counselling psychology.

Candidates should also be aware that the sequencing of training on different courses might mean that while APL is granted in order to undertake all of the required courses, some Year 1 courses might still need to be attended.

There are a range of experiences that might provide you with confidence that a career in counselling psychology is for you and equally would be helpful to your application. Such experience includes anything where you have had the chance to work with people in distress in a professional caring role. This can mean posts as an assistant psychologist, a nurse or lay therapist but equally it could be as a nursing auxiliary, residential social worker or volunteering with the Samaritans. The list is extensive and these are just a few ideas. Unfortunately because we have to select from a field of applicants no single experience will ensure that any one candidate is selected.

No. Our experience has been that this practice is seldom useful. Those who apply to defer their place are seldom able to take up the place the next year & by holding a place for them we have effectively denied another candidate the chance to train. We interview people on the understanding that they are seeking to join the course in the September following the interviews.

Not necessarily. While it is useful to have developed your own interests and to have the chance to discuss that at interview, trainees do not always have a firm idea before applying as topics are discussed with relevant staff once trainees commence the course and before they are required to submit their research proposals. If you do have a topic you know you wish to study you may wish to state this in your application, otherwise you should leave Section 2e blank on the research application form.

Because of its aims and its focus, training in counselling psychology can be personally demanding. It is not unusual for most trainees, at some point in the training, to be confronted with material that affects them deeply. It may be that trainees recognise some aspect of themselves in the therapeutic work they do with clients, that they become more uncomfortably aware of long-standing mental health issues which they had previously managed well, some of the issues being discussed echo current dilemmas or life-events (such as bereavement, or relationship difficulties) or some of the content of teaching is at variance with the trainee’s personal, cultural or religious beliefs or values.

Like the profession, the PsychD ethos is one that recognizes human distress as an inevitable part of life, something to be engaged with rather than resisted. Thus, all aspects of the course, including amongst other things lectures, workshops, dyadic role plays, large group exercises, PPD groups, personal therapy, written assessments, etc will all require trainees to engage with the personal dimension of the work. In our view to avoid this dimension would be negligent.

Lecturers and supervisors do of course value a sensitive engagement with these issues and will discuss ways of engaging with the stresses with trainees in groups and in individual development reviews.

Acceptance of a place on the course should only be made if the potential trainee understands and shares these views as we see acceptance onto the course as a clear sign of the candidate’s engagement with all aspects of training as a reflective practitioner.