How to Become a Counsellor

There are currently over 47,000 counsellors in the UK, who are in desperately high demand. In 2020, there was a 671% increase in the number of advertised mental health counsellor vacancies. One in five Britons has consulted a counsellor or psychotherapist at some point, making counsellors incredibly sought after, and demonstrating a shift in attitudes amongst the population to these kinds of therapies. Counsellors serve a vital role in our communities, offering support to those individuals who need it most.

If you’re thinking about pursuing a career as a counsellor then here’s everything you need to know, including the kind of counsellor salary you can expect to receive and how to land your first counsellor job:

What is a Counsellor?

Counselling is often referred to as ‘talking therapy’ and a counsellor is a qualified professional who helps people to identify areas of their lives that they aren’t happy with or helps with problems in their lives. By doing so these individuals are able to reflect on their current situation, and the counsellor can help them consider alternative, healthier ways of moving forward. Often a specific event triggers an individual to seek counselling, meaning that counsellor jobs often deal with individuals who are going through issues such as:

• The breakdown of a relationship, divorce or other relationship issues. These can be individual or joint counselling sessions for both partners
• Dealing with illness, or the illness of a friend or family member that is negatively impacting mental wellbeing
• Bereavement
• Drug or alcohol addiction, or other addiction issues
• Employment issues such as the loss of a job, job uncertainty, dissatisfaction with a career path, or even confusion about which career path to choose
• General anxiety or feelings of dissatisfaction with life in general

One of the most attractive benefits of being a counsellor is that you can tailor your working hours to suit your needs, especially if you establish your own counselling business and work independently. Many counsellors will choose to work regular full-time hours whilst others will find that working on a part-time basis is better suited to them. It’s important to note that not all of your time will be spent with clients; in fact, you’ll probably find that if you are working as a full-time counsellor then only around 20 hours a week will be spent with your clients and the other 20 hours a week will be spent on administration and preparation. This will include writing case notes, conducting research, and reflecting (and decompressing) on anything that may have been discussed within the therapy room.

Traditionally, counsellors worked outside of the home, often from their own therapy rooms and office spaces, but there has been a recent shift in popularity towards online and telephone counselling services too. This means that you could work from home in this role if you prepare, and you could also work outside the standard 9-5, by offering sessions in the evening and at weekends. These sessions are incredibly popular with individuals who have their own 9-5 careers, meaning that it is not uncommon for counsellors to work irregular, and often antisocial, working hours.

Personal Qualities of a Counsellor

Wondering if you have the qualities you need to become a counsellor? Before you begin to pursue counsellor jobs, you should establish if it’s the right career for you. Perhaps one of the most important skills that any counsellor will have is the ability to listen: often people who seek counselling are looking for someone to listen to them with empathy and understanding.

A good counsellor will usually also have the following qualities in order to be successful in their field:

• High levels of patience and the ability to remain calm, even when situations become stressful
• A sensitive and understanding personality type, with the ability to really care about other people
• High levels of emotional intelligence and the ability to engage with ongoing professional development
• Active listening skills that will enable you to engage with individuals from all different backgrounds, and the ability to understand people’s reactions, even when they are only giving visual cues as to how they feel
• Excellent verbal communication skills will allow you to share complicated concepts in simple ways that are easy to understand
• The ability to listen to difficult or complex situations without becoming judgemental in your approach
• A knowledge of psychology, or an interest in studying to learn more about human psychology
• High levels of discretion and the ability to take the confidentiality of each of your patients seriously
• The ability to accept both professional and personal criticism without having an emotional response, and to deal with these reactions with empathy and understanding
• High levels of computer literacy, so that you can use the software packages needed to record your patients’ data accurately
• Good organisation and record-keeping skills

What a Counsellor Does

Whilst counselling may be referred to as talking therapy, counsellors actually listen much more than they talk! The main role of the counsellor is to create a safe space where their clients can explore their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement or repercussion. You will probably find that you work in a wide range of different formations, with most counsellors offering one-to-one sessions, as well as sessions with couples, families and groups too.

Many people mistakenly believe that counsellors offer guidance and advice but, in general, this is not the case. Instead, they operate as facilitators, helping their clients to explore their feelings and develop their own emotional and physical health and wellbeing. This may be in the form of posing questions or activities that will begin a journey towards more positive thoughts and habits. Counsellors often work with individuals who suffer from mental health conditions, or who have emotional or behavioural difficulties, but they also work with individuals who simply need additional support in processing what is happening in their lives.

The day-to-day tasks that you will complete if you choose to pursue a career as a counsellor will include:

• Undertaking counselling sessions with your clients. This will involve listening to their needs and working over several weeks or months to build a relationship that is built on trust and respect
• Working with your clients, either in their initial session or before their sessions begin, to establish what they would like to cover and what their goals from the sessions are
• Helping your clients to talk about their feelings, and processing any issues or trauma that they may be experiencing
• Not being afraid to challenge your clients, when necessary, to help them grow and develop
• Completing comprehensive case notes about your clients and full records of what you discuss in each of your sessions
• Undergoing basic administration tasks including booking and following up appointments, invoicing, and other business-related tasks

How Much Does a Counsellor Earn?

When assessing your counsellor salary when considering counsellor jobs, much will depend on whether you choose to work full time or part time, how experienced you are in the sector, and whether you choose to establish your own business and work independently or work through an external agency. However, the following figures should give you a loose guide to the kind of counsellor salary you can expect.

The average UK counsellor salary for a newly qualified counsellor is £25,654, whilst a counsellor with higher levels of experience and an established client base can expect this figure to rise to £45,838. If you choose to work in a specialist area of counselling, or one that is considered to be more emotionally challenging, such as within the addiction field, then you may find that you are able to command salaries that are greater than this.

Another factor that will impact the salary you can earn from a counsellor job is whether you choose to work for the NHS or in private practice. NHS counsellor jobs are generally advertised as being in the band 5, 6, or 7 pay brackets. According to the pay rates listed on the official NHS recruitment website, if you are operating in a band 6 role then you can expect to be paid the following rates, depending on your experience:

• Less than 1 year’s experience – £32,306
• Between 2 and 5 years’ experience – £34,172
• More than 5 years’ experience – £39,027

If you choose to work in private practice then you will have more flexibility to set your own hours and your own work schedule, but you may also find that you will have less job security than you would in an NHS role. Private practice counsellor jobs don’t have a standardised charge scale, but you can expect to charge your clients between £40 and £80 per 50-minute session. The amount you charge will depend on your levels of experience, as well as on the complexity, and any risk factors involved in the client’s case. It’s important to remember that whilst your client will pay for the time they are in the room with you, you will also need to allow extra time to update case files and records, which will not be chargeable.

Finally, you could choose to use your skills for the greater good by working on a voluntary basis, often on national helplines or for large charities. Whilst you wouldn’t receive a salary for these services, it is an admirable thing to do and will also allow you to build a portfolio of work experience.

Qualifications Needed to Become a Counsellor

Whilst, officially, you do not need to undergo any compulsory training in order to offer your services as a counsellor, if you wish to work with an employer (and particularly with the NHS) then you will need to undergo professional training within the sector. You will also need to be registered with a relevant professional body: this registration is considered absolutely essential, as it will demonstrate clearly that you meet the required educational levels to complete your counsellor job properly, and will also demonstrate that you understand and will abide by the code of ethics that all counsellors are expected to adhere to.

• The first step is to take an Introduction to Counselling course. This is a relatively low-intensity course, usually completed over 12 weeks, that will help you to decide if a career as a counsellor is the right choice for you
• Once you’re ready to pursue a counselling job, you will need a certificate in counselling skills, such as the TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills. This will help you to develop your counselling skills, understand the role of a counsellor on a more theoretical level, and will give you a firm understanding of the needs of potential clients, and any difficulties they may face
• Finally, you will need to undertake core practitioner training. In order to be registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) you will need at least a level 4 diploma, but you could also opt for a foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate degree in the subject, depending on your previous academic experience. These courses will last at least one year (up to 4 years) and as part of the course, you should undergo at least 100 hours of supervised placements within the counselling environment
• Many individuals who pursue a counselling job already have education and experience within another ‘caring profession’ such as nursing or social work. Counselling is often a second, or even third, career path for many. If you already have a degree in one of these related disciplines then you may find that it helps you to get a place on the counselling course you want, but you are not required to have an existing degree in order to pursue a career as a counsellor
• Finally, any previous counselling or caring experience will be considered just as important when applying for counselling jobs. In conjunction with personal qualities such as self-awareness and the ability to understand the needs of others, this will ensure you stand out from the crowd when it comes to finding the right position

On-the-Job Training

Once you have obtained the qualifications you need to secure a role as a counsellor, you can continue to progress your career and hone your skills by undergoing on-the-job training. This will be particularly beneficial if you wish to specialise in the services you offer, for example by focusing on addiction counselling or child counselling.

If you are working for an employer then they should regularly offer you continuing professional development opportunities including, but not limited to, advanced degrees and higher qualifications, as well as shorter courses on new therapeutic techniques you need to be aware of. You may also be offered in-house training that is offered at a peer-to-peer level within your own organisation; these can be useful as they will be targeted specifically to the needs of the client group that you are working with.
If you prefer to work independently, rather than work for a larger employer, then you may wish to consider undergoing further on-the-job training outside of your field and covering such topics as how to set up a business, bookkeeping and record-keeping for small businesses, and how to market your business. Without these skills, your private practice is unlikely to be a successful one.

Professional Bodies

In order to establish yourself in a counsellor job, you are strongly advised to register with at least one of the following professional bodies:

• British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP)
• National Counselling Society (NCS)
• UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

Membership to the BACP is required by many employers in order to operate as a counsellor, whilst other employers will accept membership to the other bodies listed as an alternative. If you choose to work independently then you don’t, officially, need to secure this membership but it will increase client confidence (and the number of bookings you receive, therefore) if you can demonstrate your credentials as a counsellor are fully accredited and recognised by these bodies.

There are also benefits to registering with an official professional body for your sector. The BACP, for example, will help “guide and support you through your career with professional development, expert guidance, networking opportunities and other membership benefits”. Networking with other counsellors via these groups will be particularly beneficial, helping you to build relationships with those in your field and develop a support system that you, yourself, can turn to whenever you need professional advice or support.