Counselling

The Counselling foundation degree trains students to practise safely and competently as counsellors. It pairs a sound theoretical framework with practical skills and takes a person-centred approach, with psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural therapy examined as comparative approaches. Practice runs alongside study. Students complete supervised clinical work at a counselling agency recognised for this purpose, undertake personal therapy and attend compulsory weekend sessions every year. Advanced counselling skills modules assess competence to practise and develop ethical, reflective practitioners. Students can study full-time or part-time. Teesside University awards the qualification, which runs at partner colleges in the area, including Darlington College. The course is built on clear links between theory and practice. Graduates are prepared to support people experiencing emotional difficulty while keeping to professional ethics.