PHILOSOPHICAL COUNSELLING COURSE

FAQs

Booking Form Programme Course Details

1. Who can attend?
2. What is the programme?
3. What is the accommodation like?
4. What is a counselling skills course?
5. How do I found out about counselling skills courses?
6. What do I need to do to practice philosophical counselling?
7. How do I get on the register?
8. What is supervision?
9. How often do you run the courses?
10. Once I get qualified, can I make a living out of doing philosophical counselling?
11. What preparation would you recommend before taking the course?
12. How much work is part 1 (the pre-course reading and assignment) and part 3 (post-course essay)2?

1. Who can attend?
Past students have had a variety of philosophical backgrounds, ranging from a strong person interest in philosophy to doctorates in the subject. At the very least, a strong interest in philosophy is required. Participants will counsel each other during the course. It is beneficial for participants to have attended a counselling skills course to 20 hours minimum, prior to the SPP course, or have equivalent counselling experience. We find that participants who have practised these skills are able to counsel other participants more effectively as they can rapidly build a rapport which enables the dialogue to move a philosophical level more easily and successfully.

2. What is the programme?
Here is the provisional programme.

3. What is the accommodation like?
Accommodation is in single rooms, meals are included. For more information on the venue see:
http://www.claridgehouse.quaker.eu.org/

Details of accomodation are athttp://www.claridgehouse.quaker.eu.org/accommodation.php

Note that all meals are vegetarian

4. What is a counselling skills course?
It is a course that teaches such skills as listening skills, communication skills, how to build rapport etc. The most suitable course may be called something like 'communication skills'. rather than one that teaches an alternative model of counselling ( e.g. psychodynamic, cognitive etc). The course should last at least 20 hours which can be spread over a number of weeks or more intensively in a few days. The course should be practice based so that you get to practice the communication skills. 

5. How do I found out about counselling skills courses?
If living in the UK, look in publications such as 'Floodlights' and 'Hot Courses' under 'counselling skills' and 'communication skills', or contact the BACP. Most colleges in the UK offer courses in counselling/communication skills. If you are outside the UK you will need to look in equivalent places.

6. What do I need to do to practice philosophical counselling?
Legally, as for all counselling, there are no requirements that must be met before you can call yourself a philosophical counsellor and practice. Morally this is a different matter. In order to set minimum standards the SPP has set up a register for counsellors it deems to have satisfied certain requirements. Philosophical counsellors who have satisfied these requirements are listed on the SPP website.

7. How do I get on the register?
To get on the register you need to satisfy the following requirements

1. a philosophy degree (e.g. a first degree with 50% or more of philosophy or an M.A. exclusively in Philosophy).
2. satisfactory completion of both the practical and theoretical elements of a level 1 course in philosophical counselling (these are periodically organised by the SPP)
3. supervisor's assessment, based on at least 10 supervised sessions of philosophical counselling, that the philosophical counsellor is of a sufficient standard to be on the register. The supervisor must be a philosophical counsellor. The supervisor should be SPP accredited, or overseas equivalent, or approved by the SPP. There should be a minimum of three meetings with the supervisor of 50 minutes. If face to face is impossible to arrange the supervision can be by email but must include one phone supervision.
4. attendance to minimum 20 hours counselling skills course
5. a minimum of 10 hours experience of being counselled, at least 5 of which should be with a philosophical counsellor
6. professional liability insurance - contact:
   Towergate SMG Professional Risks
   31 Clarendon Rd
   Leeds, LS2 9PA
   tel 0113 294 4000
7. agreement to abide by SPP Code of Practice
8. ongoing supervision whilst practising as a philosophical counsellor
9. membership of the Society for Philosophy in Practice

8. What is supervision?
Supervision is a process whereby a counsellor talks about issues from their case load to another practitioner, with a view to gaining support and enhanced competence. For beginning counsellors, supervision should be 1-1 with a more experienced practitioner. Supervision is usually charged at a rate comparable with counselling sessions, and preferably  takes place face-to-face, although phone and e-mail alternatives are possible. More experienced supervisors sometimes engage in peer supervision groups, where 2 or more experienced counsellors discuss case material. The supervisor must registered as a philosophical counsellor  with the SPP or equivalent body overseas.

9. How often do you run the courses?
The SPP has been running annual level 1 courses since 1999. On occasions the level 1 course has been run more than once a year, depending on demand. The SPP has also run pre-level one 'taster' courses and is planning to run more advanced, level 2 courses. Tell us what sort of course you would like, and, if numbers permit, we'll do our best to put it on.

10. Once I get qualified, can I make a living out of doing philosophical counselling?
Philosophical counselling is a new field and offers both the possibilities and drawbacks that go with this. Philosophical counselling is largely unknown in this country - although the SPP gets increasing numbers of requests for counsellors all over the country – so you need to be very pro-active to make a living. Realistically it is better thought of as one part of a portfolio career. One way to do this is to combine it with psychological counselling, coaching and teaching.

11. What preparation would you recommend before taking the course
In additional to the required counselling skills course it would be advantageous to read about philosophical counselling. For example there are articles from the journal Practical Philosophy available on-line at http://www.practical-philosophy.org.uk/, or you could read LeBon’s Wise Therapy or Marinoff’s Plato not Prozac.

12. How much writing up is involved in the training course?
You will need to budget a couple of days work for part 1, the pre-course reading and assignment. The post-course assignment (part 3) is an essay for which there is a deadline of one year after the end of the course.

Booking Form Programme Course Details