LEVEL 4 DIPLOMA - Fast Track (Evenings)

This course is essential for anyone wishing to become a counsellor. During this one year course  you will develop a core Humanistic model, complete a unit on working with children and young people, prepare yourself to work safely and ethically with clients, explore working within a counselling organisation, continuing to develop your self-awareness and complete supervision. 
  • Level
    Advanced
  • Cost
    £4000 - to pay in full or £250 deposit (non-refundable) plus instalments throughout the course
  • Start date
     September 2025
  • Guided Learning Hours
    300
  • Day/Time
    Monday & Tuesday 6:00pm-9.:30pm plus some Saturdays & two away days weekends 
  • Tutors

    Lead tutor: Carol Harmston-Dean


Please note before enrolment on this course you will be asked to attend an informal interview

Everything you need to know

WHY LEARN WITH JHD
COURSE DETAILS
COURSE CONTENT
CONTACT US

  • Our training centre has been awarded outstanding with commendation for the last five years running
  • We are partnered with NCC Education Ltd, an Ofqual regulated and internationally recognised awarding organisation. NCC Education endorse, validate and certificate all JHD courses  
  • Our tutors are experienced training practitioners and current practising counsellors 
  • Our tutors mirror the client-counsellor relationship 


"JHD are once again commended for maintaining their outstanding standards and quality of teaching and assessment. Reaching standards of excellence requires commitment, strong management and experienced tutors who can use their skills of teaching and assessment to prepare students and trainees for practice within the counselling arena. It requires more of the same to retain those standards - this Report can confirm that JHD have been successful in furthering their reputation as a centre of excellence in the delivery of its suite of counselling training programmes, which are now recognised by the NCC Education Ltd. JHD is once again commended for its outstanding performance as a Counselling Training Provider."

EXTERNAL VERIFIER’S/EXAMINER’S REPORT FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2021-22


Course details:
Start date: September 2025 
Time: Monday & Tuesday 6:00pm-9.:30pm plus some Saturdays & two Away Days weekends
End date: June 2026
Duration: 1 year. Our courses are term-time only.
All courses run subject to a suitable number of students applying and being accepted.

Study method: Split between online and face to face weekly sessions. 70% of the sessions will be delivered face-to-face, whilst the remaining 30% will be live online sessions.
Venue: To be confirmed 
Age requirement: 19+

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEVEL 4 and LEVEL 4 FAST TRACK

 The Level 4 Diploma in Counselling evening course, which is perfect if you are working, as it is part- time spread over two years.
Alternatively we offer a full-time Level 4 Fast Track Diploma in Counselling daytime course which offers you the opportunity to complete Level 4 in one year.
Fees:
Deposit: £250.00 upon booking (non-refundable)
Total course cost: £4000.00 (over 2 years)
Finance options:
Option 1 - course paid in full
Option 2 - monthly instalments of £312.50 starting in September 2025 until completion in July 2026. 

Payments are made by bank transfer and standing order. Please see the payment page upon enrolment for details.
No hidden costs. The above cost is inclusive of all tutoring, course materials, marking, help and support for accessing our online sessions and a validated NCC Education certificate.

Course requirements:
  • A computer with internet access
  • Students need to commit to at least 10 sessions of personal therapy whilst studying at Levels 3 or 4. It is recommended that this is done at Level 3 prior to commencing a placement
  • Students must attend 2 compulsory away weekends as part of the Level 4 course. This is a crucial part of their Self-Development work
  • Students will be asked to attend an informal interview

Level 4 Fast Track Course
Unit 1: Develop a core Humanistic model
Trainees will learn to use a number of approaches and counselling skills within the Humanistic model. Trainees will demonstrate, evaluate and analyse the counselling relationship, the key Humanistic concepts and the strengths and weaknesses of these. 
Unit 2: Working with children and young people 
Trainees will learn to use a number of approaches and counselling skills when working with children and young people in a therapeutic relationship. They will evaluate, demonstrate, review and reflect on the development of young people and the effectiveness of counselling, whilst looking at the ethical challenges and risks to counsellors.
Unit 3: Preparing for working with clients safely and ethically
Trainees will understand and adhere to the National Counselling Society (NCS) code of ethical practice. Trainees will compare, describe and reflect on the key features, constraints and challenges to ethical practice.
Unit 4: Working within a counselling organisation
Trainees will work within the ethical and legal framework of a counselling organisation as a trainee counsellor adhering to procedures and policies. They will demonstrate and reflect on the ethical and legal framework of the organisation, understand contracting, reviews, breaks and endings, whilst understanding the policies and procedures.
Unit 5: Supervision
Trainees will use supervision for support, guidance and advice for their 100 client hours. Trainees will monitor and identify their own limits, abilities and personal issues, whilst reflecting and evaluating the supervisor/supervisee relationship.
Unit 6: Self-awareness
Trainees will learn to increase awareness of self, whilst working as a trainee counsellor. They will reflect and explore on differences between self and client during the therapeutic relationship, challenge own beliefs and values, whilst understanding the importance of self-development. 
Assessment methods:
  • Reflective weekly journals
  • Presentations
  • Peer and tutor observations
  • Skills assessment
  • 1-2-1 tutorial
  • Case study of 7,500 words
  • Research project of 2,500 words
  • 100 supervised client hours
  • Supervisor reports at 50 and 100 hours and Placement Manager report at 100 hours

Benefits of choosing JHD Counselling for your Level 4 Diploma:

  • Two away weekends where the trainee will expand their awareness of self
  • Hands on play therapy where trainees will learn to work with stones, buttons, clay, postcards, collages, worksheets, drawing/ painting, puppets, toys/ figures and sand
  • Monthly group supervision at no extra cost
  • Access to discounted 1:1 counselling sessions

CONTACT US

Thank you for reading about our Level 4 Fast Track Diploma in Counselling 

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with us

Email: secretary@jhdcounselling.co.uk

Training venue: On Zoom and in person. 

Success Stories

Back in 2016, I was intrigued by a Facebook advertisement for an introductory counselling course - it turned out to be only half a mile away from home, so I signed up. I did not suspect at the time that those two Saturdays would be the beginning of a huge change in my life and career. I studied psychology at university many years ago, and the introductory course reawakened my interest in how minds work, so I immediately booked to do level 2. I soon realised that studying counselling was very different from academic psychology, as it involved deep personal introspection and self-development rather than neutral scientific detachment. As I progressed through level 2, the possibility of earning a living from counselling seemed increasingly appealing, so I went straight on to the fast-track level 3 and 4 course. I also did my 100 hours placement with JHD, mostly working with clients from Cambridge University colleges, so when this was complete it was a natural progression for me to join the qualified team. I've since started my own private practice which I enjoy enormously, but I still value the contact I have with other counsellors from being part of the team.

GUY SNAPE
JHD student 2016-2019
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