This two-year part-time programme is a core practitioner training leading to qualification as a general counsellor.
This course is a standalone general counselling core practitioner training that you can take without progressing further on our psychosexual and relationship therapy qualification pathway. You would choose this course above another core counselling practitioner training if you are interested in the modality of Pluralism and in Anti-Oppressive Practice, both of which are signature features of the CICS approach. We have designed the course to meet the requirements of SCoPEd Column A and it is a Level 4 core practitioner course equivalent. On completion students will be able to apply for Registration with a Partnership of Counselling and Psychotherapy Bodies (PCPB) partner.
If you are not yet qualified as a general counsellor and are interested in specialising in psychosexual and relationship therapy from the start of your therapy career, your qualification pathway with CICS starts with the CICS Diploma in Pluralistic Psychotherapy.
The therapeutic theoretical orientation of our institute is Pluralism, based on the work of Professor Mick Cooper and John McLeod. Founded on person centred principles, pluralism is based on the fundamental assumption that no one therapeutic approach has the monopoly on understanding the causes of distress or on the most helpful therapeutic responses. Instead, it suggests that different clients are likely to want, and benefit from, different things in therapy. Pluralism allows for a range of therapeutic approaches to best serve each unique client, whilst maintaining the centrality of the client, relational working and the therapeutic alliance to all counselling and psychotherapy work
We live in a society based on systems of power and privilege and that societal context affects us, our clients and the work of counselling and psychotherapy. Many counselling students with marginalised identities experience their counselling training as oppressive and harmful, as their lived experiences are ignored or dismissed. That is not how we do things at CICS.
At CICS we explicitly state our commitment to being an anti-racism organisation and our training follows the guidance of the Coalition for Inclusion and Anti-Oppressive Practice. We are a Disability Confident Committed organisation, and our course assessment protocols ensure that we support individual student learning access needs.
The whole of the Diploma in Pluralistic Psychotherapy is based on anti-oppressive practice principles and is inclusive of indigenous approaches to healing, liberation psychology and justice in therapy.
This course has approval pending status with the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT) for their Specialist Foundation Pathway Accreditation, which we call Pathway 1. As such, it both qualifies you as a general counsellor and is your access course for specialist qualifying training in psychosexual and relationship therapy via our Diploma in Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy.
The course comprises 300 Guided learning hours, over 22 live teaching weekends, supported by comprehensive home study materials and online modules, accessed via our e-learning platform. 70% of the course must be attended in person in our training rooms in Letchworth Garden City.
Year 1
Block 1: Fundamentals of Psychotherapy Practice
Block 2: Anti-Oppressive Psychotherapy Practice
Block 3: Core Pluralistic Approaches and Skills
Year 2
Block 4: Advancing Psychotherapy Practice
Block 5: Core Psychotherapy Presentations
Block 6: Endings
To apply for the CICS Diploma in Pluralistic Psychotherapy you must have completed a CPCAB Level 2 and either be enrolled on or have completed a CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies. Exceptions to these requirements are offered for;
100 hours of general psychotherapy clinical practice are required to complete the course. Clinical practice starts in Year 2 and support is provided in securing an appropriate placement and supervisor.
Students are required to undertake personal therapy with a UKCP, BACP or COSRT registered therapist for a total of 40 hours whilst attending the course.
Assessment comprises a combination of continuous assessment, personal reflection, skills practice and case study submissions.
£5,900, for the full course and all materials, inclusive of VAT. £500 non-refundable deposit followed by 24 monthly payments of £220 commencing 1st September.
Loki Grey and Kim Loliya are the Lead Tutors for this programme. For more details see Our Team.
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