Overview of Our Courses

Counselling Concepts

A 30 hour programme designed to give trainees basic skills that can be used in every day life or as a taster to longer term training at the Institute. This course is validated by ABC Awards and offers a Level 2 qualification.

Foundation Access

7 months part-time
Designed for those wanting an access course before undertaking a longer programme, and for those who wish to move onto the BSc or Masters programme but who need to enhance their study experience in preparation for this.

BSc (Hons) in Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP Accredited)

3 years full-time*
BSc (Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy is validated by Coventry University and accredited by BACP. This course evolved from our previously BACP accredited Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy. The course is delivered in 8 x 3 day workshops (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays). 24 Training Days in total per year. This course adopts a Humanistic and Integrative approach that draws on contemporary theories that implement and promote a therapeutic relationship.

* Students study 120 credits per academic year (360 credits over three years) which constitutes a full-time undergraduate degree. For funding purposes, due to our method of delivery at the weekend, Student Finance England classify the course as part-time for funding purposes.

MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy & Counselling

4 years part-time
A developmental-relational approach that uses a synthesis of Humanistic Psychology, Object Relations Theory and Psychoanalytic Self-Psychology.
The result is a unique integration of approaches designed to help with working through childhood issues in order to be fully available for the richness of current relationships, both with clients and in their personal life.

MSc in Person-Centred Psychotherapy & Counselling

4 years part-time
This course follows Carl Rogers' work in identifying the best 'conditions for growth' and learning how to provide these within the therapeutic relationship. This is supported by other ideas and practices from Humanistic psychotherapy that allow the individual to release themselves from restrictive habitual patterns and move into a fuller 'way of being'.
We believe this integrated approach provides a high standard of counselling / psychotherapy training and leaves graduates well-placed to become competent practitioners in the field.

Diploma in Clinical Supervision

1 year part-time
Training for those wishing to become clinical supervisors: as professionals in counselling/ psychotherapy/the helping professions - in the voluntary, public or private sectors
The programme examines the various different models of supervision, and explores all aspects of the supervisory relationship.

MSc in Clinical Supervision

3 years part-time
Three year training for qualified and registered counsellors and psychotherapists. One year of this programme shares a common core programme with the diploma in Clinical supervision. In the third year students work towards the submission of a research dissertation. This course aims to support professionals from a range of backgrounds with a high level of academic input coupled with significant clinical experience to become autonomous supervisors of counsellors and psychotherapists. SPTI are staying abreast of current developments in respect of the regulation of the profession.

all our courses...

...are designed to be managed alongside current occupations.
...have a maximum of 26 training days a year.

Are all suitable for those who:

  • Want to train to become professional psychotherapists and counsellors or
  • Want to develop the counselling or psychotherapy component in their current work and/or
  • Want to make a serious commitment to furthering their own self-development

Each of our courses is unique and yet they share at their core similar values and ideas. These are:

  • The relationship between therapist and client (and trainer and trainee) is a core part of therapeutic healing and growth work.
  • The client has an inner sense of what is right for them. Part of the job of the therapist is to help the client to learn to listen to their inner sense
  • People have an innate capacity to grow and to change, to fulfil their potential.
  • People are ultimately responsible for their own lives.
  • People are valued regardless of race, gender, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation.
  • Patterns of thinking, feeling and behaviour are formed early in life and can become fixed in ways that are not always helpful to us, restricting our choice and our freedom. The therapeutic process is about regaining both of these.
  • Awareness - knowing ourselves - is an important aspect of regaining freedom and choice.

Most of our Masters courses are accredited by Coventry University and all our courses, apart from Counselling Concepts, Foundation Access and Masters/Diploma in Supervision are accredited by the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and/or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).