Counselling And Psychotherapy

Counselling and psychotherapy are talking therapies that help people explore and make sense of difficulties in their emotional lives. They draw on psychological theory, interpersonal skills and a disciplined approach to the therapeutic relationship to support individuals through distress, trauma, anxiety, depression, grief and a wide range of personal challenges. Practising ethically and effectively as a counsellor or psychotherapist requires a rigorous combination of theoretical knowledge, supervised clinical experience and sustained personal development.

At Edge Hill University, this part-time programme develops the self-awareness and professional skills required for practice as a counsellor. You will study the major theoretical approaches to counselling and psychotherapy, including humanistic, psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural perspectives, and develop the ethical frameworks and personal qualities that underpin responsible practice. The programme includes a sandwich year and a work placement with supervised practice, allowing you to apply your developing skills with real clients in a structured and supported setting.

Working with both individuals and groups is part of your training, preparing you for the range of contexts in which counsellors work.

Personal development is integral to the training. Understanding your own psychological processes, biases and responses is essential to being an effective practitioner, and the programme supports this through reflective practice, supervision and personal therapy requirements typical of professional counselling training.

Graduates go on to work in counselling and psychotherapy practices, NHS talking therapies services, community mental health organisations, schools, employee assistance programmes, charitable organisations and private practice. Many pursue further training or accreditation with professional bodies. Some go on to postgraduate study in counselling, psychotherapy, psychology or related mental health fields, deepening their clinical expertise or moving into supervision, training or research.