Frequently Asked Questions
The Academy for Emotional Therapeutic Counselling are here to help if you have any further questions please contact us and a member of our team will be available to help.
Do I need any qualifications to apply for the Level 3 Foundation course?
There are no specific entry requirements for the Foundation, just a keen interest in the subject and a willingness to embrace your own self-development and awareness.
We do, however, expect all students to have a thorough knowledge of both written and spoken English to satisfactorily complete the course. Please see our Fluent English Speaking Policy Statement for more information.
If successful in completing the Foundation level course, you are invited to join the Diploma.
I don’t live near your training venue. Do you have courses running anywhere else?
Currently, all of our cases are based in our Cheltenham training venue in Gloucestershire which is accessible from the M5. We have students coming from as far away as Devon and Manchester so we are as careful as we can be with keeping things central.
Those that come to us from further afield are easily able to access affordable overnight accommodation options via platforms like Airbnb. As a student member you’ll have 5% off flexible rate bookings with Travelodge.
I can't afford it. Do you offer any discounts or financial support to help with the fees?
Unlike other training providers, we offer payments by monthly direct debit, to lessen the financial impact. We also offer a pre-payment discount for our Foundation course if you choose to pay the whole fee up front. This is not available for our Diploma Course.
However, some localities do have private bursaries or charitable trusts that offer financial assistance to individuals meeting certain criteria, so it is always worth exploring what might be available to apply for in your own area. What we do at AETC is try to be as flexible as possible with students whose personal circumstances make paying for the course challenging and we are always open to talking about whatever payment arrangement might make it comfortably achievable for the student.
Will all the classes be face to face at the venue or are some of them online?
We do all our training face-to-face because the study days are very interactive, and our students get an enhanced learning experience by working together in person.
I’m really interested in studying with AETC, but I worry that I might be too old.
You don’t need to worry about your age or the fact that it may be a long time since you were last in formal education. We have a wonderfully diverse range of students attending our courses, with some fresh out of college and others who have already been retired for many years.
Everyone brings a wealth of life experience and insight to the learning experience, and you’ll find that you won’t be short of material and ideas to draw from for your written work.
I really want to join the next Foundation course, but I can’t make one of the weekends. Does this mean that I’ll need to wait months until the next Foundation course starts?
We’ve had students in this situation before and we have talked through some different options with them to enable them to sign up and get their training underway. Let our training department know what your situation is at training@emotionaltherapeuticcounselling.org.uk and we can look at how we can accommodate that.
If I miss the first day or so of the Foundation programme, can I join late and catch up?
The course is highly immersive right from the beginning, and we are not able to allow students to join the programme late. It just isn’t possible to cover what is experienced in the first weekend by remote learning.
I already have a Level 3 qualification in counselling obtained elsewhere. Can I go straight onto Level 4?
The invitation to go onto our Level 4 Ofqual equivalent Diploma course is only made to students who successfully complete our Level 3 Ofqual equivalent Foundation course which is the necessary precursor to the Diploma. The Foundation course is devoted to understanding Emotional Therapeutic Counselling (ETC) and exploring the techniques it uses a, and wish to join our level 4.
Over the course of the Foundation and Diploma programmes, students will collect and consolidate a comprehensive library of unique tools which is unique to the AETC.
I did the AETC Foundation course years ago; do I need to repeat it, or can I start on the Level 4 Diploma course?
AETC policy is that you have two months after completing your Level 3 Foundation course to embark on the Level 4 Diploma. Outside of this timeframe, we do require that you re-take the Foundation course.
What time do the course study days start and finish?
Each study day for all our courses commences registration at 9am for a 9.30am start. We finish each day’s session by 5pm.
Is there a set number of hours I need to have available each week to allow for studying?
The course is designed to be really flexible so there isn’t a prescribed number of hours you need to set aside for study. Like most things, you will get out of it what you put in. There is an extensive recommended reading list and we encourage students to read more than just the two books they need to select to do a review on for the Foundation course. However, it’s very much a matter of personal choice and the amount of extra research students do depends upon their particular areas of interest and their own personal circumstances.
Most of our students work full or part-time jobs alongside their studies, so they do more extra reading and exploration or less as they find it suits their lifestyles. You’ll get so much out of each study day that you’ll probably find yourself learning more just from your own environment and observations too.
How many breaks are there during the day and is there somewhere local to purchase lunch?
Each study day starts at 9am with an opportunity for students to fix themselves a hot drink and stow any personal snack/lunch items in the fridge before study starts at 9.30am. There is a 15-minute break mid-morning and another mid-afternoon. At lunchtime, you can stay in the training centre to eat a packed lunch, or you can pop out to get lunch from a local shop (a Sainsbury’s convenience store is a five-minute walk away) or from various local eateries.
We provide coffee/tea and biscuits for your use during all break periods, but if you have any alternative dietary needs, you will need to bring your own along. Please note that eating during class is strictly forbidden unless you have medical reasons for which you would need to provide evidence to the trainers.
Can I use my laptop/tablet in class?
Yes, you can, and many students do. There are occasions when we will ask you to ensure you have printed versions of the handouts and forms we send you in advance as working from a screen isn’t always the most appropriate method.
I’m dyslexic so the thought of lots of reading and writing worries me. Can I get any help with that?
There is a significant amount of writing that you will have to do to succeed on our courses, but you’ll be allocated a mentor from the outset who will be able to help you work out a manageable approach to staying on top of your written work and research. We do require students do book reviews as part of our courses and many students use audio books for this aspect.
I love the look of your Foundation course and would like to do it, but I am not that bothered about having a formal qualification. Do I have to do the assignment and book reviews?
No, for the Level 3 Foundation course, you can attend simply for your own self-development. We will issue you with a Certificate of Attendance once you have attended the ten study days.
At the end of the Foundation course, how long do I have before I need to submit the written assignment and book reviews?
You will have eight weeks after the final study weekend in which to prepare and submit your written assignment and the two book reviews required. You can start work on all of this at any point whilst the course is underway.
I’d like to go ahead. How do I reserve my place on the Foundation course?
That’s easy. Just click on our Level 3 Foundation course webpage and chose from the booking options.
Do I have to pay all at once upfront?
No, we have a payment instalment plan for each of our courses which means you pay as you go.
I can’t see the start date for the next Diploma programme on your website anywhere.
The Diploma is a rolling programme, so we don’t publish a start date as it just continues perpetually in a cycle. Students join whichever Diploma study day is coming after they successfully complete the Foundation.
What if I miss a day or a whole weekend on the Diploma course?
We do advertise the entire program a long way in advance and recommend not double-booking or booking holidays to avoid missing classes. If a day is missed as sometimes this can be unavoidable, we look at this, case by case This may, of course, affect how long it will take to attain your qualification.
For the Diploma, what written work do I need to do and what are the timescales for submission?
There’s a 1,500 word write-up required after each study day. This needs to be submitted within one month of the study weekend and before the next study weekend is attended. You’ll also have five book reviews to submit from the recommended reading list. These need to be between 800-1,000-word count and submitted one every three months.
You will need to have submitted two before you embark upon your 100-hours placement. Your mentor will help keep you on track.
Before your final Viva Board assessment at the end of the course, you will have a 4,000-5,000-word assignment to submit, and three case studies based on your placement and/or student counselling clients. We’ll give you lots more information about these aspects as the course progresses.
At the end of the Diploma course, you say I have to do a Viva Board assessment. What is that?
A Viva Board assessment is an oral examination; it’s a shortening of the Latin term ‘viva voce’ which literally means living voice. It is comprised of a committee of two internal assessors and one external assessor who look through your work and interview you to determine whether or not you have reached the required standard to pass the qualification. The interview lasts about one hour and consists of a variety of questions related to your assignment and one case study which will have been selected from the three you submitted.
All of the examiners will have read your assignment and the selected a case study prior to the beginning of the interview, and each will have compiled a list of questions. It is your responsibility to answer these questions satisfactorily in order to pass.
Am I required to have counselling while studying for my Diploma?
Yes, as part of the requirements of the Diploma course, you need to do a minimum of 10 personal counselling sessions with a qualified ETC counsellor. We have a directory of ETC counsellors who offer discounted rates for AETC students.
Will I be assigned a mentor on the Diploma course and how does this work?
Yes, you’ll be assigned a mentor when you embark upon the Diploma course. This person will be a practicing ETC Counsellor and part of the AETC staff team. Your mentor is there to provide you with guidance and support throughout your learning journey. The Diploma requirements are that you have six formal mentor sessions over the duration of the course.
At the end of the Diploma course, will I be a qualified counsellor?
Yes, after passing your Level 4 Diploma Viva Board assessment, you will be able to work as a self-employed ETC counsellor or apply for counselling positions within organisations. You will be able to apply for accredited membership status with the NCPS.
If I do your Level 3 and Level 4 courses, how soon could I qualify as an ETC counsellor?
From starting the Foundation course to completing the Diploma course will take 24 months to complete which includes your 100 hours placement and student counselling hours, (This is based on 100% attendance). You may then proceed soon afterwards to your final assessment.
This is assuming that you have kept on top of your student responsibilities and have reached the required standard of qualification.
You can really tailor the timeframe to work for you. The Foundation course time frame is six months from the first study
weekend to the deadline for submitting your work for assessment. From the point
that students join the Diploma programme (if invited to do so following
successful completion of the Foundation course), there are 40 months in which
to complete it and present for the final assessment.
Do I need to subscribe to any organisations as a student counsellor?
Yes, when you embark upon the Diploma course, you are required to join the Foundation for Emotional Therapeutic Counselling (FETC) as a student member.
You will be able to take advantage of all the membership benefits and have full access to the members area and course materials along with guidelines on becoming a qualified counsellor. The annual cost for student membership is £25.00.
You will also be encouraged to join the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (formerly NCS) as a student member.
Subscribing to these are mandatory for students to embark on their placements.
If I study the Diploma with you, will I then be able to apply to the BACP register?
Successful graduates of our Ofqual Level 4 equivalent course are able to have Accredited Membership with the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). The NCPS is a national counselling professional body that is registered with the Professional Standards Authority and it is equivalent to the BACP in that regard.
If you have specific questions concerning your eligibility to undertake BACP proficiency tests, you will need to take this up with the BACP directly. AETC works with NCPS as the accrediting agency and cannot speak for what the BACP requires for membership criteria.
However, with the adoption of the recently announced new SCoPEd shared standards framework (adopted by both the NCPS and BACP), it will not have much bearing in the future which professional organisation you belong to as the membership levels will all be harmonised under SCoPEd. You can access a helpful PDF about the framework here.
Do you have a Level 5 Advanced Diploma course?
Yes, this is in the process of re-development and will be ready in 2025. It will be an NCPS-accredited Level 5 Ofqual equivalent qualification.
I have a Level 4 counselling qualification that I obtained elsewhere, so it’s not ETC but I am really interested in this modality. Can I do your Level 5 course once it becomes available?
Yes, we are opening our Level 5 course up to anyone with a Level 4 counselling qualification.
What qualification do I need to become a trainer in ETC?
We run a train the trainer course available to students who successfully complete our Level 5 which will enable you to train at AETC.
Do you do courses on qualifying as a clinical supervisor for ETC?
Yes, we will be running our next course in 2025. This will enable you to supervise AETC student counsellors and qualified ETC counsellors. You are required to attain your Level 5 qualification before you continue on to the supervision course.
If I am invited onto the Level 4 Diploma course, do I have to start straight away?
No, although most of our students like to progress straight onto the Diploma course, some find it works best for them if they take a short break. You have up to two months to embark on the Diploma programme from the point at which you are invited to join.
If I complete the Level 3 Foundation course, do I have to continue on to the Diploma?
No, although in practice very few of our Foundation course students choose not to progress to Level 4. However, it’s an entirely personal decision and if you have completed your Foundation course and decide that you would like to leave it at that, you can do so. There will be no pressure put on any student to continue if it’s not what they think would work for them.
What are the acquired TQT hours for the entire Diploma course?
The Diploma course will comprise a total qualification time of 458 hours, excluding the mandatory supervised 100-hour counselling placement.
Will I be issued with a certificate upon completion of your courses?
Yes, for all our courses, we can issue your qualification certificate electronically or in paper format or both once you have successfully completed the course.