With nearly 30 years experience of counselling and training, GCS is a unique and special place to train. Undertaking a professional training within the counselling and psychotherapy profession is a major commitment involving time, money and personal exploration. We want to make this choice a productive and enjoyable experience.

Why train at GCS?

GCS is a member of the wpf National Network of Counselling Services and our roots are in the counselling profession. At GCS we offer an extensive training and development route from introductory and skills courses to Diploma level training in psychodynamic counselling.

Training in counselling is more than just theory and academic study. GCS aims to support our trainees through what can sometimes prove a challenging and demanding personal experience by providing a helpful environment. All our courses are staffed by experienced practitioners in the field who have expertise in clinical work, supervision and teaching.

Training and counselling takes place in comfortable and pleasant surroundings. We aim to provide a broad and enriching learning experience at all levels of training. Our training which is supportive, creative and often challenging, leads to a high level of competence and enable counsellors to practise confidently and knowledgably with a high level of professionalism.

Our skills and Diploma courses are validated by wpf Therapy a leading body in the training of counsellors. Not everybody who trains with us wants to become a qualified counsellor. Some people want to improve their listening skills for their personal interest or because it will help them in the workplace.

Professional Counselling

Professional counselling provides a relationship in which clients can safely explore their experiences and become aware of hidden feelings and discover new perspectives and insights. Trainees need to develop the qualities required to provide this sort of relationship. Stability, personal suitability for the work and increasing emotional openness and maturity are all-important. Sustaining the counselling relationship, sometimes over a considerable period of time, also requires a commitment of time and energy.

Find out more about the training we offer.





COURSES AND TRAINING PROGRAMME


Introduction To Counselling

This preliminary course provides an introduction to counselling and some basic counselling skills. It will be helpful for anyone with a counselling function in their work and also for anyone interested in exploring what counselling is all about. The course content includes:

• Introducing basic theories
• Practising counselling skills
• Exploring attitudes, values and beliefs about human nature
• Examining intentions and motivations, both conscious and unconscious

Duration:  20 hours (10 weeks) of seminars and skills practice.

Entry requirements:    none

Course Fee:      £150

The next Introduction to Counselling course will start on Monday 23rd April 2012 in Stroud. For further information and application pack please contact the Skills Course Manager via the contact page or 'phone 01453 766310.

Certificate in Counselling Skills

This course, which is validated by wpf Therapy, provides a valuable training in counselling skills and gives an introduction to the nature of counselling work. It provides the basic skills for those who use counselling skills in their work or wish to work in the field of counselling; it is also designed for those who wish to develop their listening and communication skills.
This course aims to enhance skills, develop ways of understanding patterns of human growth and behaviour and increase self-awareness. The course content includes experiential seminar work on counselling skills and attitudes and a self-awareness group.
This course also forms the entry requirements to a part-time professional counsellor training leading to the award of wpf Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling.

Please note we run 4 courses each year, daytime and evening, commencing end of September; these courses are one year part-time.

Duration:

45 hours of seminars / skills development and practice
45 hours of self-awareness group work
15 hours skills workshops

Times / venues:

Daytime courses:
Wednesday: 9.30 am to 1.00 pm in Stroud     starts 21st September 2011

Evening courses:
Tuesday: 6.00 pm to 9.30 pm in Cheltenham   starts 20th September 2011
Wednesday: 6.00 pm to 9.30 pm in Stroud     starts 21st September 2011


Entry requirements:

No formal academic requirements.
Selection is by application form and interview

Course fee:

£1075 (including wpf capitation fee)
NB. Fees can be paid by instalments.

Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling


This is a well established workbased clinical training which we have provided for over 20 years which leads to a professional qualification in psychodynamic counselling and provides the clinical and theoretical elements of the training as a psychodynamic counsellor. The course includes theoretical and ontological seminars, tutorial sessions, self-awareness groups, supervision and workshops.

• The Diploma  course includes clinical practice with regular supervision which provides a unique support for trainees and also avoids the difficulty of students finding their own suitable placements.
• This training provides a placement within our busy counselling service and you will be a valued member of our counsellor team while you train.
• The vast majority of counsellors completing our training programme successfully apply for BACP Individual Accreditation.

The course commences end of September each year

Duration - Three years (part-time) involving :

135 hours of seminars / tutorial sessions
189 hours of supervision
45 hours of self-awareness group work (Year 1 only)
45 hours of ontology (Year 2 only)
45 hours workshops
200 hours supervised client work

Venue:

All years of the course are held in Stroud

Times:

Year 1: Tuesday 1.00 pm to 7.00 pm
Year 2: Tuesday 1.00 pm to 7.00 pm
Year 3:  Monday 9.00 am to 3.00 pm

Course begins the week commencing Monday 19th September 2011

Entry requirements:

Applications are open to anyone and selection will be through interview of suitably qualified candidates, for instance those holding a Certificate in Counselling Skills, or F.E level 3 or equivalent.

Course fee:

£1725 (including wpf capitation fee)
NB. Fees can be paid by installments

 

Associate Counsellor Programme

Following successful completion of the Diploma course, GCS offers students routes towards further professional work experience and qualifications. Students can apply to join our Associate Course, which provides continuing supervised client work and theoretical seminars.
The vast majority of counsellors completing our Associate course successfully apply for BACP individual accreditation. We intend developing the Associate programme to BA (Hons) level and provide an opportunity for students to continue their training to MA level through UWE.

Continuing Professional Development

As a member of the wpf Network we can offer access to further advanced training through wpf Therapy in London:

• Graduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling (Roehampton University)
• MA in Psychodynamic Studies (Roehampton University)
• Continuing personal development for UKCP registration as a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist
• Diploma in Supervision
• Training in Group-work

For further course information please see the contact page or alternatively contact by telephone, letter or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .