Counseling skills Diploma online provides students with the skills and knowledge to provide counseling sessions effectively. It allows students to understand that each client has their own unique strengths and experiences and will provide students with a broad overview of the various counseling approaches that can help students build a therapeutic toolbox to address the needs of most clients.
This online certificate will allow you to explore various therapeutic modalities in-depth and provide you with opportunities to practice the skills you are learning so you’ll be able to confidently begin using the skills with your clients.
Counselors work in clinics, hospitals, group homes, public and private agencies, private practice, schools, and college settings.
Prerequisite: Grade 12 English or equivalent, able to read and write English, criminal reference check for the vulnerable sector, able to operate a computer.

Admission requirements

This program is open to anyone who would like to increase and enhance their knowledge and skills in providing counseling and psychological support to individuals, groups, couples, or children in any mental health-related setting.
Upon completion and passing the online theory, Case studies, or clinical practice the student will be awarded the Diploma in Counselling Skills.

Course duration is 8 months

What Is Counseling?
Counseling Conditions and Their Effects
Characteristics of Effective Helpers

THE LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING

Communication in Counseling
Nonverbal Skills of Counseling
Basic Verbal Skills of Counseling
Advanced Verbal Skills of Counseling

THE ESSENTIAL STRUCTURE OF COUNSELING

The Counseling Process
The Client’s Experience in Counseling

INITIATING AND MAINTAINING A WORKING RELATIONSHIP

Characteristics of a Therapeutic Relationship
Communicating Empathy
Functions of a Therapeutic Relationship
Effects of Therapeutic Relationships on Clients
Children and the Counseling Relationship

ASSESSING CLIENT PROBLEMS

Purposes of Assessment
Dimensions of Assessment
Clinical Assessment with Children
Clinical Assessment with Couples and Families
Using Assessment Information
Skills Associated with Assessment

DEVELOPING COUNSELING GOALS

Functions of Counseling Goals
Parameters of Goal Setting: Process and Outcome Goals
Skills Associated with Goal Setting
Effects of Goal Setting on Clients
Goal Setting with Children
Assessing Counseling Goals

DEFINING STRATEGIES AND SELECTING INTERVENTIONS

Theory and Case Conceptualization
Conceptualizing Presenting Problems
Diagnosis and Case Conceptualization
Goals and Treatment Planning
Strategies for Working with Adults Couples and Children

AFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS

Affective Interventions
Helping Clients Express Affect
Verbal and Nonverbal Affect Cues
Helping clients Sort Feelings

COGNITIVE INTERVENTIONS

Theories That Stress the Importance of Cognitive Processes
Goals of Cognitive Interventions
Assessment of Cognitive Problems
Cognitive Interventions
Case Illustration of A-B-C-D Analysis
Client Reactions to Interventions
Motivational Interviewing

BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS

Behavioral Interventions and Theory
Goals of Behavioural Interventions
Basic Behavioural Interventions
Client Reactions to Behavioral Interventions
Applying Interventions to Dialectical Behavior therapy

TERMINATION AND EVALUATION

The Termination Stage
Termination as a Process
The Referral Process
Blocks to Termination
Evaluation of Counseling

Students will be expected to complete 20 counseling skills case studies sessions using the techniques learned. Or complete a clinical placement in a mental health setting for 200 hours

The course is Tax deductible.