Certificate in couples counselling

Bridging the gap from individual work to couple counselling

With Paul Hitchings UKCP integrative psychotherapist, chartered counselling psychologist, registered psychologist, Senior Trainer at Metanoia Institute, London.

Two weekends 10th-11th February and 3rd-4th March 2018. 9.45 - 4.30 each day.

Refreshments provided, please bring lunch.

(Deposit - £235 to reserve a place). Fee: £470 to be received by 14th December 2017.

CPD Certificate will be provided on completion of the full course.

Presenter: Paul Hitchings

About myself:         

I have worked as a practitioner in the field of counselling for the last 33 years and am a chartered counselling psychologist, registered psychologist and UKCP integrative psychotherapist. 

I teach on the doctorate in counselling psychology, the certificate in integrative supervision and the certificate in couple therapy at Metanoia Institute in West London.

I maintain a private practice working with individuals, couples and providing supervision.

Introduction to the training

These workshops are open to qualified counsellors with a minimum of one year’s experience of counselling, who would like to extend their individual work into the ‘couple therapy’ domain and also to those already practising couple therapy that may want to refresh their thinking and practice.

Individual counsellors already have 85% of the skills required and so the workshop will focus on some particular elements, concepts and skills that may be added to be proficient to begin this work.

These workshops will take an integrative approach – which will allow practitioners to adapt the ideas to their own modalities and styles. There will be an emphasis on increasing practitioner confidence in couple work through recognition of currently possessed skills and on some of the adaptations/further skills needed and potential pitfalls to avoid.

The workshop will consist of brief presentations, whole group and pair discussion and extensive use of role play. Please come prepared to begin to experiment, make some mistakes, have some fun and to learn.   

Outline of the course

The two workshops are designed to complement each other and are sequential. Attendance at the first module is essential to attendance at the second module – this is required in order to fulfil the course objective of achieving basic competence as a couple counsellor.

Counsellors who already have some experience of couple work are also likely to find these workshops a useful re-visiting of their theory and practice.

Content

Module one (day one and two) - topics covered will include:

• Assessment of the couple.
• Contracting.
• Common pitfalls.
• Useful theory - integration with your core model.
• Dealing with difficult situations - scenarios.
• Here we go again! Managing stuckness!
• Homework assignments.
• Forgiveness.
• Negotiation and associated skill teaching.
• Sex therapy or referral?
• Trying out your skills in mini guided practice sessions.

Module two (day three and four) - live practice with peer feedback:

This module will aim to consolidate theory learnt and associated skills from module one.

The focus will be mostly on practice - this will be in small groups - and for those wishing to volunteer - a possibility of working 'fish-bowl' style in the larger group.

Small group practice will be linked to peer feedback and will include feedback from those role playing the couple in the practice sessions. It is expected that all present will have an opportunity to practice their skills in these small groups.

Issues and questions emerging from practice sessions will form the basis for further discussion and review of the previously presented material.

It is expected that at the end of this second module practitioners will have gained sufficient confidence to begin practice in the area of couple counselling.

Booking form

Booking Conditions: 

1. Applications are welcomed from counsellors qualified to a minimum of diploma level with at least one year’s experience of client work.

2. To secure a place on the course, the full fee must be received by the 14th of December 2017  or you may lose your deposit and your place will be offered to another applicant. No reminders will be sent.

3. To reserve a place, please send a minimum deposit of 50% of the booking fee: £235.

Please request a booking form from Sonya Farrell at emdreastanglia@gmail.com.

Confirmation of your place will be sent on receipt of the deposit/full fee. Please note that the deposit is non-refundable. 

If you have any queries please contact: Sonya Farrell on 07824 380369 or emdreastanglia@gmail.com.