Applications open for the September 2026 intake

CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills

Build solid counselling skills, confidence and self-awareness in a supportive, CPCAB-accredited training environment

The pace of the course was gentle and supportive. I learnt so much about myself and how I relate to others.

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Format

Part-time, online, In-person

Duration

30 weeks

Location

Online (Live sessions) Wednesday Evening from 6 pm to 9 pm

Schedule

St Ives, Cambridge PE27 3WS (Evening Courses) Thursday Evening from 6 pm to 9 pm

Course overview

The CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills is your first formal step into counselling training. It introduces you to core counselling and helping skills, ethical awareness and reflective practice, all within a warm and supportive learning environment.

This course is designed to help you explore counselling as a possible future direction while also developing skills that are valuable in many professional and personal contexts. You will build confidence in listening, responding and relating to others, while deepening your understanding of yourself and your patterns of communication.

Level 2 does not qualify you as a counsellor, but it forms an essential foundation for progression to CPCAB Level 3 and beyond.

This course is suitable for those who are:

New to counselling training
Exploring counselling as a future career
Working in helping, care, education or support roles
Seeking personal development and relational growth
Interested in progressing to CPCAB Level 3

Your tutors

This course is delivered by CPCAB-recognised tutors who are qualified, practising counsellors. They teach from lived professional experience, not theory alone.

Our tutors create a calm, nurturing and inclusive learning environment where students feel safe to ask questions, practise skills and develop at their own pace. Teaching is relational, supportive and grounded in real-world counselling practice, with a strong emphasis on ethical awareness and personal reflection.

What this course leads to

After completing this course, you will:

Hold a nationally recognised CPCAB Level 2 qualification
Have a strong foundation in counselling and helping skills
Be prepared to progress to CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
Gain skills useful in helping, care, education and support roles
Develop greater self-awareness, confidence and relational capacity

Course timings and content

September 2026 • In person and online options available

Course format, dates and schedule

Applications are currently open for the September 2026 intake.

This part-time course takes place through live, tutor-led sessions
The course runs over approximately 30 weeks
Courses will run on a Wednesday and Thursday Evening from 6 pm to 9 pm. We will also be running a condensed Level 2 course in January 2027.
You can study either in person or online via live tutor-led sessions
In-person option: Thursday evenings, 6.00–9.00pm at our St Ives centre
Online option: Wednesday evenings, 6.00–9.00pm via live sessions

The live format allows you to study from anywhere while staying connected with your tutor and group.

What you will learn

This course introduces you to core counselling and helping skills, including:

Using basic counselling and helping skills safely
Establishing and maintaining a helping interaction
Communicating understanding of another person’s concerns
Staying focused on the other person’s agenda
Understanding the importance of self-awareness
Developing listening and responding skills
Using feedback and review to support learning

How you will learn

Learning is experiential, relational and tutor-led. You will learn through:

Live interactive sessions
Skills practice with peers
Reflective exercises and discussion
Small group activities
Structured tutor feedback

Core skills and values you will develop

Throughout the course, you will develop:

Attentive and empathic listening skills
Greater self-awareness and reflective capacity
Confidence in communicating with others
An understanding of ethical boundaries
Respect for difference and diversity
Openness to feedback and learning

Assessment

There is no external exam for this qualification. Assessment is internal and portfolio-based.

You will compile evidence of your learning and development, which may include:

Reflective journals
Skills practice feedback
Tutor observations
Self-review and learning reflections

Course fees and what else you may need

The course fee is £1,150.00.

Additional costs may include:

CPCAB registration fees (payable to CPCAB)
Textbooks or learning materials
Personal therapy (optional)

Entry, study and attendance requirements

Entry requirements

You must be aged 18 or over
You must be literate in English
No previous counselling training is required
A willingness to engage in reflective and experiential learning

Study and attendance expectations

To benefit fully from the course and meet CPCAB requirements, you are expected to:

Attend at least 90% of sessions
Engage actively in group learning
Practise skills during and between sessions
Complete reflective learning tasks outside class

What our students say

It was a great experience, I have learnt so much and can see how much I have grown and changed as a person because of this course. I could not recommend it highly enough.

Any self-doubt that I had at the beginning of level 2 has now disappeared. I am confident that with hard work dedication and some internal work I will be able to complete Level 3.

I have enjoyed Level 2 and meeting new people. It has been a good experience from start to finish. I am looking forward to continuing on to level 3 and meeting some more people as well.