Counselling and psychotherapy

This page has been designed to give a starting point for those looking into careers in counselling.

What are counselling and psychotherapy?

Counsellors help people to explore feelings about their lives so that they can reflect about what is happening to them and consider alternative ways of doing things.

Psychotherapists work with individuals, couples, families and groups to help them overcome a range of psychological and emotional issues. With the client as an active participant, psychotherapists use personal treatment plans and a variety of non-medical-based treatments (Prospects).

Training and employment

Counselling is often taken up as a second career. As a result people are frequently working and training at the same time. For this reason, most courses are part-time, usually in the evening or day release.

While the number of opportunities for paid employment in the counselling field is increasing, this by no means meets the demand from those who are professionally trained and many positions are part-time. (BACP).

There is much scope for voluntary work in counselling. Agencies like Relate (relationship counselling), Cruse (bereavement), Phobic Action and many others select and train volunteers for counselling work within their organisations. (BACP).

Demand for counselling services continues to rise, making self employment/freelance work a viable option. Many counsellors have a ‘portfolio’ career combining part-time, voluntary and private work.

Prospects

Prospects is a graduate careers website with job profiles including counsellor and psychotherapist. You will also find detailed profiles of the health and social care sectors.
Counsellor - job description
Psychotherapist - job description
Industry Insights - Health
Industry Insights - Social care

Targetjobs

Targetjobs is a graduate careers website with the following job sector information:
Nursing and allied healthcare professions
Social care

How do I get into it?

British Association for Counselling and PsychotherapyTraining and careers in counselling and psychotherapy

The British Psychoanalytic CouncilTraining as a psychoanalytic or psychodynamic psychotherapist

British Psychological Society: Careers, education and training

The Institute of Psychoanalysis: Training at the Institute of Psychoanalysis

Look for courses at the university
See the courses database for University of Brighton courses in this area

Finding a job or employer in this sector

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Has an online job section (registration required). The site also has information on seeking paid and voluntary employment. 

Harris Hill
Charity recruitment specialist

Community Care
This is a magazine for the social care sector. Its website contains a wide range of information about current issues, as well as a jobs page.

The Guardian

Opportunities
A public sector recruitment and career development website.

Public jobs direct
Temporary and permanent public sector jobs and career advice.

Further information and useful links

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
This site includes statements of ethics and codes of practice as well as a public information area.

British Association of Psychotherapists (BAP)

British Psychoanalytic Council

COSCA
COSCA is a professional body for counselling and psychotherapy in Scotland. Site includes a directory of training courses.

Counselling books.com
An extensive annotated bibliography covering research, theory and practical matters in counselling and psychotherapy, psychology and mental health

UK Council for Psychotherapy
This site includes information on training and registration.

Key points

  • Counsellors help people reflect about what is happening in their lives and consider alternative ways of handling things.
  • Counselling and psychotherapy are often taken up as a second career.
  • The number of opportunities for paid employment and demand for services are increasing.
  • There is much scope for voluntary work in counselling.