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.

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- February 2027 to January 2028

YEAR 1-BLOCK DATES

BLOCK 1 Sat/Sun Feb 20/21, 2027        BLOCK 2 Sat/Sun Mar 20/21, 2027       BLOCK 3 Sat/Sun May 1/2, 2027             

BLOCK 4 Sat/Sun May 29/30, 2027     BLOCK 5 Sat/Sun June 26/27, 2027     BLOCK 6 Sat/Sun July 24/25, 2027       

BLOCK 7 Sat/Sun Sep 11/12,2027         BLOCK 8 Sat/Sun Oct 2/3, 2027           BLOCK 9 Sat/Sun Oct 30/31, 2027       

BLOCK 10 Sat/Sun Nov 20/21, 2027     BLOCK 11 Sat/Sun Dec 11/12,2027        BLOCK 12 Sat/Sun Jan 8/9, 2028

COURSE FEES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS

Course

CPCAB

Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling

FRo January 2027 the government is imposing VAT at 20% on all private education, including counselling training organisations such as ours.

We have laid out here the course fee and then the figure including VAT that you will be required to pay for the February 2027 course.

Course Fee

£7710 (plus VAT) £9252

The deposit of £870 for January 2027 does not include VAT if it is paid before January 2027.

This includes CPCAB registration fees of £940 for the two years of the course.

 

Payment Options

Option 1

Deposit: £870 

Deposits are non-refundable.

2 payments of £3420 (plus VAT) are £4104

If you choose to pay for year 1 course fees in advance of January 2027, you will not have to pay VAT, and the fee will be £3420.

Option 2

Deposit: £870 

Deposits are non-refundable.

24  monthly instalments of £342 (including VAT)

A standing order is required for this option, which must be set up prior to starting the course.

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 information about 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.