Roles in CAMHS
Counselling Psychologists
About the role...
Counsellors work with young people experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties to help them bring about effective change, and/or enhance their well-being. Presenting issues include depression, anxiety, stress, loss and relationship difficulties that affect an individual’s ability to manage life.
There are a wide variety of underpinning theoretical models and approaches (e.g. humanistic, psychodynamic, person-centred, cognitive-behavioural), but evidence shows that establishing a good therapeutic relationship which focusses on the young person’s needs and which understand the young person’s world view leads to good outcomes. These common factors are more important than the theoretical approach the counsellor is trained in.
Many counsellors work in a wide range or contexts and at different levels. They may also have professional affiliations which means they also identify as psychotherapists.
What qualifications do I need?
Counselling training takes place in different contexts and at different academic levels. The absolute minimum entry qualification is a vocational diploma at level 4 with the expectation of some prior training in counselling skills/theory. However, core practitioner training is also widely delivered at degree and master's levels depending on an individual’s prior education and background, and some professional bodies have higher entry requirements. This allows diverse entry routes into the profession. It is important to ensure that your training meets professional body registration and accreditation requirements, which vary between different professional bodies. Initial training includes an approved placement (minimum of 100 hours) with supervised client work, but some professional bodies have a higher range of requirements for professional registration.
What experience do I need to bring?
Whilst no specific experience is required prior to embarking on a core counselling training course, it is important to highlight some of the essential personal and professional qualities you might need as a practitioner and that courses may look for through their own individual application processes.
Trainees and practitioners would be expected to have an ability to interact with individuals in sensitive, empathetic and non-judgmental manner as well as being able to form a therapeutic relationship. It is also important that someone possesses a strong sense of self-awareness and insight as well as honesty and the ability to work non-judgementally with difference and diversity.