Counselling Skills and Therapeutic Communication

Practical listening skills taught through structured triad work, observation and supervised feedback. Students build the micro-skills of counselling while learning where the helper role ends and therapy begins.

• Demonstrate core listening and reflecting skills
• Build and maintain a therapeutic working alliance
• Manage silence, emotion and challenge appropriately
• Practise within clear ethical and competency limits

1. 01Demonstrate nine core counselling micro-skills
2. 02Sustain a twenty-minute helping session under observation
3. 03Contract clearly with a client on purpose and limits
4. 04Identify when to refer or end support
5. 05Reflect constructively on recorded practice

• Recorded triad session with reflection
• Supervised skills observation
• Written skills and ethics portfolio

• Open access
• Willingness to engage in experiential group work

• Helpline and support worker
• Pastoral or mentor role
• Progression to diploma in counselling