Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (TC-L4)

BACP Approved Practitioner Qualification

*** ENTRY REQUIREMENTS AND ONLINE COURSES ***

It seems that many online Level 2 and Level 3 courses have become increasingly popular lately. Unfortunately, most of these online courses aren’t acceptable as entry requirements for our courses unless they meet the following criteria:

  • The course was run in a regular group setting
  • You engaged in regular peer-to-peer observed skills practice
  • The level 2 course was made up of at least 90 guided learning hours

We do accept applicants who have completed online training as long as the above criteria has been met.

We accept prior learning from applicants who have extensive 1:1 work experience in a supporting role capacity where active listening skills were used and especially with a mental health focus and this would be discussed further at the interview stage.

Counselling is very much a specific and specialist training so where possible we would urge you to consider starting at level 2 to ensure you engage in robust and comprehensive training which will better prepare you for training at Diploma level should this be your route of choice.

ABOUT THE COURSE

This is a two-year Level 4 Diploma in Counselling based on CPCAB’s model of practitioner development and therapeutic change.

The course is also an Approved Practitioner Qualification by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the registration and accrediting body for UK counsellors and psychotherapists.

On qualification from the BACP-approved CPCAB Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, you are eligible to become a BACP-registered UK Counsellor qualified to work in agency settings and private practice. 

The course has been designed around the person-centred approach developed by Carl Rogers and the experiential approach that has developed from the work of Eugene Gendlin.

The course is delivered by a highly qualified and knowledgeable tutor team in delivering person-centred counselling training.

South Coast Wellbeing and Training is committed to providing individual and intensive counselling training at all levels of qualification. To achieve this, the group size is kept to between 14 and  16 trainees. The trainers’ experience over the years is that smaller groups bring out the best in trainees whereas in larger groups many trainees often get lost and find it difficult to find their voice.

You will be trained to achieve a high degree of competency in offering counselling that is based on the six conditions Rogers saw as essential to therapeutic change, and in gaining the skills to work with clients in Gendlin’s process experiential way.

You will also be introduced to differing ideological and philosophical models of human development and change, and to different models of therapy such as Gestalt therapy, Transactional Analysis (TA) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

You will be expected to have gained the CPCAB L2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and the L3 Certificate in Counselling Studies or an equivalent of a minimum of 150 hours of counselling skills training. There is also a 19-year minimum age requirement

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

100 counselling hours in a placement over the two years of the course. 25 hours of supervision for the placement hours. A minimum of 20 hours of personal counselling in each year of the course.

THE OCTOBER 2026 TO AUGUST 2028 L4 DIPLOMA IN THERAPEUTIC COUNSELLING.

The course consists of:

  • 24 Blocks – 12 Blocks ineach year of the course. There will be an additional online day workshop in each year of the course
  • Each Block will run Saturday and Sunday from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm.

We have a maximum number for the course. Once this number is reached, a Reserve list will be opened for places not taken up at the start of the course. Those on the Reserve list who do not join the course will receive priority for the next running of the Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling in January 2027.

L4 DIPLOMA IN THERAPEUTIC COUNSELLING YEAR 1- OCTOBER 2026-AUGUST 2027

YEAR 1-BLOCK DATES

BLOCK1 Sat/Sun, Oct 3/4  2026               BLOCK 2 Sat/Sun, Oct 31/Nov 1  2026    BLOCK 3 Sat/Sun, Nov 14/15 2026

BLOCK 4 Sat/Sun, Jan 2/3  2027             BLOCK 5 Sat/Sun, Feb 13/14       2027     BLOCK 6 Sat/Sun, Mar 13/14 2027  

BLOCK 7 Sat/Sun, Apr 3/4 2027              BLOCK 8 Sat/Sun, Apr 24/25     2027      BLOCK 9 Sat/Sun, May 22/23 2027                                     

BLOCK 10 Sat/Sun, June 19/20 2027      BLOCK 11 Sat/Sun, July 17/18     2027      BLOCK 12  Sat/Sun, Aug 7/8 2027

THE JANUARY 2027 TO DECEMBER 2028 CPCAB – L4-DIPLOMA IN THERAPEUTIC COUNSELLING

APPLICATIONS FOR THIS COURSE ARE NOW OPEN

The course consists of:

  • 24 Blocks – 12 Blocks in each year of the course. There will be an additional online day workshop in each year of the course
  • Each Block will run Saturday and Sunday from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm.

We have a maximum number for the course. Once this number is reached, a Reserve list will be opened for places not taken up at the start of the course. Those on the Reserve list who do not join the course will receive priority for the next running of the Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling in September 2027.

L4 DIPLOMA IN THERAPEUTIC COUNSELLING YEAR 1- OCTOBER 2026-AUGUST 2027

YEAR 1-BLOCK DATES

BLOCK1 Sat/Sun Jan 23/24                     BLOCK 2 Sat/Sun Feb 20/21, 2027               BLOCK 3 Sat/Sun Mar 20/21, 2027

BLOCK 4 Sat/Sun Apr 1/2, 2027              BLOCK 5 Sat/Sun May 29/30, 2027             BLOCK 6 Sat/Sun June 26/27, 2027

BLOCK 7 Sat/Sun July 24/25, 2027        BLOCK 8 Sat/Sun Sep 11/12,2027                 BLOCK 9 Sat/Sun Oct 2/3, 2027

BLOCK 10Sat/Sun Oct 30/31, 2027        BLOCK 11 Sat/Sun Nov 20/21, 2027               BLOCK 12 Sat/Sun Dec 11/12,2027

COURSE FEES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS

Course

CPCAB

Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling

Tuition Fees

£7710 for the full two years of the course (£3850 per year).

From January 2027 it will include VAT for the two years of the course, bringing the full fees to £8208 (£4104 per year)

The deposit of £870 for October 2026 and January 2027 does not include VAT, as it will be paid before January 1st, 2027.

From January 2027 the deposit of £870 will also have VAT added to make it £1044. This will make the course  fees for courses starting later than January 2027 £9252, including the deposit

This includes CPCAB registration fees of £938 for the two years of the course.

Accepting a place on the course, candidates commit to paying for the full Year 1 course fees, regardless of whether they finish Year 1.

Candidates starting Year 2 of the course commit to paying for the full Year 2 course fees regardless of whether they finish Year 2.

£4104 per year

Payment Options

Option 1

£870 Deposit

Deposits are non-refundable

2 payments of £4104 (including VAT) at the start of each year of the course.

If you choose to pay for either or both of the 2-year course fees in advance of January 2027, you will not have to pay VAT, and the fees will be £3850 for each of the two years.

Option 2

£870 Deposit

Deposits are non-refundable

24  monthly instalments of £342 (including VAT)

If you choose Option 2 you will pay £285 a month from October 2026 until January 2027 when VAT has to be added to your payments. 

A Standing Order is required for this option which you will need to review from  £285 in October to £342 in January 2027.

The Deposit is to be made on acceptance to the course

Apply now for the October 2026- August 2028 course by downloading an Application Form

From January 2027, the government will impose a 20% VAT on all private education organisations, including counselling training. If, after the interview, you are accepted for the course, we will provide you with a handout to confirm payments from 1 January 2027 and to offer some ways you may be able to avoid or reduce VAT by making some payments before 1 January 2027.