Requirements

Counsellor - requirements

In your career as a counsellor, you’ll use your skills in communication, active listening and empathy to help people learn about themselves and address issues in their lives. Read on to find out more about working as a counsellor, what you might do day-to-day and how you can qualify.

Know what you'll need to land a job below.

What qualifications do you need to be a counsellor?

A certificate, diploma or degree in one of the following subjects is recommended for counsellors:

You don’t technically need any qualifications to start working as a counsellor, but employers will usually expect a certain level of education and professional training to prove that you’re able to work safely and effectively. Courses that are accredited by relevant professional bodies are also recommended.

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Do you need a postgraduate qualification to be a counsellor?

You don’t need a postgraduate degree to work as a counsellor, but you might find it useful if exploring a certain specialism or applying for niche therapy roles.

Examples of relevant master’s courses include:

Psychological therapy
Psychotherapeutic counselling
Counselling and positive psychology
Mental health and substance use
Psychodynamic counselling
Therapeutic counselling
Trauma-informed practice

What skills do you need to be a counsellor?

Compassion, sensitivity and emotional intelligence are important skills for counsellors to have, in addition to knowledge and training in psychology.

Hard skills usually include:

Mental health
Psychotherapy
Clinical psychology
Family and relationship therapy
Trauma and grief counselling
Community and occupational mental health

Soft skills include:

Safeguarding
Communication
Body language
Research and teaching
Empathy and compassion
Time management

Do you need work experience to be a counsellor?

Getting work experience will make you stand out to employers as trustworthy and experienced, so it’s always useful. Many counsellors have work experience in a related field like teaching, social work, or nursing before moving into this career. Graduates should consider voluntary counselling work as a way of building early career experience.