N E ESSEX PSYCHOLOGIES
Accredited Training
N E Essex Psychologies is an independent training centre based in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex.... All courses are accredited, CLASS-BASED and held in small groups with skills practice development and tutor support throughout. Course fees are competitively priced and fully inclusive of registration and final certification; there are NO additional or hidden costs. Classes are NOT delivered online or through workbook activities; ensuring a fully supported and interactive training route for learners who wish to progress further.
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"These courses represent a personal journey of self-discovery alongside skills development. The Centre Manager is a practising Counsellor and Psychotherapist.... a qualified and experienced FE Tutor and Assessor for Internal Quality Assurance over many years, as well as being an Independent Clinician for Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews in liaison with Essex County Council and NHS England. She puts a strong emphasis on self-awareness, lateral thinking and personal development throughout"
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Emotional distress will affect everyone at some stage in life, either through first-hand experience or from its impact on someone else. Both the Certificate and Diploma are designed for anyone looking to develop their knowledge and understanding of counselling skills and mental health.... to change career paths completely, or to enhance counselling skills as part of continuous professional development. Previous learners have secured employment in various therapeutic, mentoring, multi-disciplinary and family support roles, while others have chosen to pursue a higher level career path in counselling and / or, mental health.
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** Applications now open for 2025 **
LEVEL 2 CERTIFICATE in COUNSELLING SKILLS
Regulated Qualification Number: 600/0728/X
Next start date: SEPTEMBER 2025 **FULL as per waiting list**
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The Level 2 Certificate will introduce you to using counselling skills, together with understanding the main psychological theories which underpin their use; Humanistic (Person-Centred), Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural theories; learning the importance of self-awareness, reflective practice and personal development throughout. If you have been told elsewhere to take an Introduction course first - please note, there is no requirement to do so.
There are no external examinations. Instead, you will be supported to complete an experiential "portfolio of evidence" as part of the course based upon subject criteria discussed in class; regularly monitored and assessed by the Centre Manager along the way, as well as both Internal and External Quality Assurers when complete.
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Course Fee - 2025/2026: £600
Deposit: £100
Followed by a single payment of £500,
Two interest-free instalments of £250 or,
Regular payments throughout the academic year.
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LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA in COUNSELLING SKILLS
Regulated Qualification Number: 600/0727/8
Next start date: SEPTEMBER 2025
5.30pm - 9.30pm - (1 evening a week; term time only)
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The Level 3 Diploma is a higher level qualification for those wanting to progress towards qualified counsellor status or otherwise. Due to its academic content, you will be able to bypass the first year of an accredited Level 5 DipHE qualification afterwards or, enrol straight onto a Level 5/6 degree course if you decide to continue towards qualified counsellor status.
The course includes an in-depth analysis of the three main psychological theories as mentioned above; learning how each theory has evolved over time, as well as looking at the strengths and limitations of using an Integrative approach in counselling. It also includes aspects of the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework; equality and diversity, personal and people development, interventions and treatment as well as developing more advanced skills practice sessions throughout the academic year. If you have been told elsewhere to take a Level 2 course first - please note, there is no requirement to do so.
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You will also learn more about the different use of counselling skills within a range of other sector areas as well.... including: Coaching; Criminal Justice; Guidance; Health Education; Mental Health; Teaching; Mentoring and Educational Support; Nursing and Healthcare; Police and Family Liaison and Youth Offending.
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Course Fee - 2025/2026: £1,795
Deposit: £195
Followed by a single payment of £1,600
Four interest-free instalments of £400 or,
Regular payments throughout the academic year.​
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION....
Please be aware of any learning provider / centre which:
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a) Offers cheap / free Counselling courses online; these are NOT recognised within the profession due to lack of skills practice development and workbook activities with minimal tutor feedback / support;
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b) Claims a course or training route will lead to BACP accreditation (British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy). No course at any level ANYWHERE leads to individual BACP accreditation; advertisements for courses and training routes sold on this basis are hugely misleading, as well as over-priced. All it means is - you can join BACP once qualified without taking their multiple choice test first. That's absolutely all it means;
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c) Cannot (or fails to) address any of your concerns re. SCoPEd or has never heard of it. SCoPEd is a "competency" framework which has recently been approved (February 2023) by a cohort of membership organisations and may have important implications for anyone contemplating a career in Counselling.
d) Claims BACP are a "governing body". BACP is a widely publicised membership organisation ONLY.... and NOT a governing body or regulatory body, as students are often (mis)led to believe. To date however, BACP have declined to issue a public statement to clarify their position when asked to do so in an open letter to membership organisations. Please see the pdf. links below:
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e) Insists you must take an Introduction to Counselling course first. Not necessary and usually a waste of time.
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f) Claims their own courses are the ONLY way to become a qualified counsellor. Totally false information.
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g) Tells you to repeat a class-based Counselling qualification you already have because it's with a different awarding body or was taken too long ago. False information once again.
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h) Expects students to mark their own work against course criteria and standards or, fails to give regular constructive written feedback; unprofessional practice. Unprofessional practice.
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i) Provides no visual handouts to support learning; no differentiation.
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j) Claims a course is "equivalent to" a recognised qualification and a "certificate of achievement" will be awarded. What this means is.... there is NO accrediting awarding body, NO approved training centre and the courses themselves are NOT actual qualifications.
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All of the above are examples of questionable teaching, completely misleading information and / or, appalling unprofessional practice. If you have any queries at all about any of the above, please get in touch.
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HOW TO APPLY / PAYMENT OPTIONS
Please complete the Contact Form at the end of this page and if a place is available, an Application Form and short Pre-Course Assessment will be emailed to you for completion and return. If you prefer these forms to be posted to your home address instead, please provide details and this will be arranged.
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Once your completed forms have been returned, you will be invited to meet with the Centre Manager for an informal chat to discuss the course and answer any questions. Once accepted onto the course, a non-refundable deposit will then be required to secure your place, as detailed above. A further payment will be required shortly before the start; either in full or part-payment, as arranged. A range of payment options are available including BACS transfer, debit/credit card via PayPal or cash payments in person to the Centre Manager, where a receipt will be issued immediately.
The Advanced Learner Loan however is NOT available to independent training centres
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