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I want to talk briefly about UK-based would-be counsellors.
If you do a quick check of the counsellors in your area, many are members of the professional body BACP.
Some people who get in touch with me feel unsure whether, as a new counsellor without that BACP recognition, they will get any counselling work against that competition.
So here are two reasons why you will succeed.
1. Most counsellors are poor at marketing themselves.
That’s not surprising. Most people who enter the profession do so to help others, not to engage is marketing. As a result, many people don’t discover that there is a local counsellor. On the Diploma course, we spend quite a lot of time explaining how you can best market yourself. This is borne out of the experience of our learners. We know what works and what doesn’t.
But the take-home message is: All counsellors have to market themselves. No amount of qualifications on their own will suffice. By doing more marketing and networking, you will get more clients.
2. Most clients don’t know what BACP is.
Our learners frequently overestimate the value of BACP credentials. Most clients have never heard of it.
There’s an old saying, ‘If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck’. In other words, if you present yourself as a calm, caring, efficient counsellor, that’s what clients will see. On the course, we cover the various ways you should present yourself, and the pitfalls to avoid.
That isn’t to say that BACP qualifications aren’t worthwhile. All of us need to continue learning. And gaining further qualification is a good move. But you can become a counsellor a lot faster through the Blackford Centre. Once you’re established, consider applying for accreditation.
