Counselling Courses: Checklist Before You Enrol

January 12th, 2026 Health & Fitness CareersNews & Tips

1) Start with the outcome you want

Before you compare providers, define the outcome you are training for. Your answer will determine the level, format, and post‑training requirements you should prioritise when reviewing Diploma of Counselling courses.

Are you aiming to use counselling skills or to practise as a counsellor?

• Counselling skills (workplace use): often used in people‑facing roles (healthcare support, teaching, HR, management, charity work). These programmes typically focus on listening skills, boundaries, and structured conversations, but do not qualify you for independent clinical practice.
• Therapeutic counselling practice (client work): programmes intended to prepare you for supervised placement hours and work within an agency context (initially), with progression pathways that may later support independent practice. The National Careers Service describes counsellors as therapists who help people talk about their situations and feelings in a safe and supportive way, and who help them cope and make positive changes.

Where do you want to work in 12-24 months?

Choose the setting first, then work backwards to training requirements:

• Agency/charity counselling services
• School/college settings (pastoral or wellbeing roles)
• Workplace/EAP‑adjacent environments
• Private practice

Who do you want to work with?

Courses vary in what they prepare you for:

• Adults vs children/young people
• Mild to moderate distress vs more complex presentations

2) Understand regulation and what “recognised” can mean in the UK

In the UK, it is important to distinguish statutory regulation from voluntary registration/membership, as the labels can be similar.

“Counsellor” is not a protected title

The UK Parliament’s POST notes that titles such as “psychotherapist” and “counsellor” are not protected by law, and there are no legal requirements for those using these titles to be registered with a professional body or to meet defined training standards. This is one reason course due diligence matters.

CPCAB also states that counselling is not a regulated profession in the UK and advises learners to understand the scope and routes into practice.

If your goal is to become a practitioner psychologist, that is a different pathway with protected titles regulated by the HCPC. If you want a regulated title, you need to plan for that pathway specifically (typically a degree ).

3) Industry recognition: how to evaluate membership and “accreditation” claims

Because counselling is not legally regulated as a single profession/title in the UK, recognition often comes through a combination of:

• the qualification itself (level, awarding body, assessed practice components), and
• your post‑training governance (supervision, CPD, insurance, complaints pathway).

Below are the bodies you asked to prioritise in place of previous references.

4) Professional bodies and membership options to consider

International Association for Counselling (IAC)

IAC describes itself as a global body for the counselling profession, established in 1966, with UN consultative status. Its membership information outlines options for individual practitioners, students/retired members, and organisational memberships, with benefits including a membership certificate, access to events, and access to an IAC journal and network. The International Career Institute is a long-time member of the IAC.

Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists (ACCPH)

What ACCPH is used for (practically): many learners consider ACCPH in the context of membership, quality assurance, and access to a professional community and directory presence. ICI is listed with the ACCPH.

Complementary Medical Association (CMA)

CMA membership is oriented to complementary medicine and natural healthcare, including student membership and practitioner membership tiers. CMA registers and accredits courses offered by schools and colleges that provide complementary medicine/natural healthcare. The International Career Institute is found on the CMA course register.

5) Course delivery mode: what to choose based on your constraints

Delivery format should be selected based on how you will actually complete skills practice, feedback, and any placement requirements.

Online learning can work well when:

• you have fixed work/family commitments
• you can commit to structured skills practice (including live sessions where required)
• you have a realistic plan for placement access (if the course expects client work)

In‑person or blended learning can reduce friction when:

• the course includes frequent skills labs, triads, recorded practice, and live supervision
• local placements are coordinated via provider relationships (not always available; ask)

Non‑negotiable check: if a course implies you can practise with clients, confirm what supervised practice is required and how it is arranged.

6) A due‑diligence checklist to compare courses

Fit for purpose

• Clear statement of whether the course is counselling skills vs therapeutic counselling training
• Who it is designed for (career changers, existing practitioners, support roles)

Governance and public protection

• Code of ethics / conduct taught and assessed
• Safeguarding training expectations (especially if you may work with vulnerable adults/young people)
• Complaints process (provider‑level)

Practice and assessment

• Structured skills practice with observed feedback
• Assessment method is explicit (recordings, case studies, skills observations)
• Placement expectations are defined (if applicable)

Supervision and personal development

• How supervision is sourced, funded, and documented
• Expectations around personal therapy or reflective practice (if applicable)

Provider support and progression

• Student support model (tutors, mentoring, community)
• Career/next‑step guidance (placement support, interview support, templates)
• Progression routes to higher levels or specialisms

7) How counselling courses help in other professions (not only “counsellor” roles)

Even if you do not plan to practise as a counsellor, counselling training can be directly useful in roles that require structured conversations, emotional containment, and ethical boundaries. Below are examples of professions where counselling training often improves competence.

People‑management and HR roles

• performance conversations that reduce defensiveness
• absence/wellbeing conversations
• conflict de‑escalation and structured problem exploration

Teaching, learning support, and pastoral care

• active listening and rapport with students
• safeguarding awareness
• supporting students in distress while maintaining boundaries

Health and social care support roles

• communication with service users and families
• emotional regulation in challenging interactions
• structured conversations that support adherence and engagement

Coaching and mentoring

Counselling skills can improve:

• listening quality
• contracting and goal clarity
• maintaining professional boundaries

If you want a coaching‑led path, ICI’s life coaching course can be a helpful complement when comparing coaching vs the ICI counselling course.

Mediation, dispute resolution, and justice‑adjacent roles

Mediation relies heavily on structured listening, neutrality, summarising, and helping parties identify workable options. Counselling skills can enhance your communication skills while maintaining a non‑therapeutic role. ICI has written on the topic of life as a mediator and what to expect.

Customer‑facing roles and safeguarding‑exposed environments

This includes housing, benefits advice, charities, community outreach, and contact‑centre escalation teams. Counselling skills can help with:

• emotional containment
• rapport building under pressure
• clear boundaries and signposting

8) Suggested internal reading (ICI Education blog cross‑links)

These ICI articles align with key decision points in course selection:

• Training route planning (non‑university path): How to become a counsellor without going to university
• Self‑assessment before committing: How to Know If a Counselling Career is Right for You
• Skill development focus: 14 Skills Needed to be a Counsellor
• Adjacent profession option: How to Become a Life Coach
• Adjacent profession option: Life As A Mediator: What to Expect

9) Shortlist questions to send to any training provider

1. Is this course designed for counselling skills use, or for therapeutic counselling practice with clients?
2. What supervised practice is required (placement/client hours, skills labs, recordings)?
3. What are the assessment methods (skills observation, written work, recordings, case reviews)?
4. What are the entry requirements (prior levels/experience)?
5. What happens if I need to pause – deferrals, time limits, reassessment policies?
6. What post‑course support exists (placement support, CV/interviews, alumni resources)?
7. Which professional body or membership routes do past learners commonly pursue (IAC / ACCPH / CMA), and what extra steps are usually required?

by Elizabeth Hartwell

Elizabeth Hartwell is a content developer at the International Career Institute. Her interests include comparative education systems, lifelong learning, and the role of technology in expanding access to skills and credentials worldwide. She is particularly drawn to the relationship between education, policy, and workforce mobility. Outside of writing, Elizabeth enjoys contemporary non-fiction, long-form journalism, cultural history, and travel, with a particular interest in museums and architecture.