Certificate in Essential Counselling Skills
Course Overview
Develop key life skills essential for counselling and a wide range of other professions
This is an ICHAS course delivered at Griffith College by ICHAS.
The Certificate in Essential Counselling Skills is delivered by the Irish College of Humanities & Applied Sciences (ICHAS) and serves as an excellent introduction to the area of counselling.
This course focuses on the development of professional skills; while it does not sit on the national framework, the module is drawn from ICHAS’s suite of QQI-validated degree programmes. This course leads to an ICHAS certificate.
Why Study Essential Counselling Skills at Griffith College?
This part-time certificate is designed for those who have little or no professional experience but wish to extend their knowledge of interpersonal and counselling skills prior to undertaking more advanced educational training in counselling at degree level. It is also relevant for healthcare professionals, teachers, social workers, managers, customer services, sports coaches and others.
- Students gain practical experience in all aspects of counselling which they can later apply both personally and professionally.
- Students are taught key life skills including the value of respect and genuineness and listening and understanding communication.
- Classes are conducted on a part-time basis, comprising of one evening a week for 10 weeks.
- Small class sizes ensure that you get the one-on-one attention needed to perfect your counselling skills.
- Graduates can apply for further higher-level studies in the field.
Course Highlights
- The value of respect and genuineness.
- Characteristics of effective counselling.
- How to question effectively and phrasing enquiries to avoid offence.
- Attending, listening and understanding communication.
- Helping relationships and the culture of helping.
- Goal setting within the client relationship.
- The therapeutic/working alliance.
- Paraphrasing, clarifying and summarising communication.
- Reflecting content and feeling.
Intake Dates
- Cork - Part-Time - March 2025
- Limerick - Part-Time - March 2025
- Cork - Part-Time - October 2025
- Limerick - Part-Time - October 2025
- Dublin - Part-Time - October 2025
- Dublin - Part-Time - February 2026
- Limerick - Part-Time - February 2026
- Cork - Part-Time - February 2026
Course Details
The Certificate in Essential Counselling Skills is scheduled to commence in October 2023 in Griffith College Dublin and Griffith College Cork.
- The value of respect and genuineness.
- Characteristics of effective counselling.
- How to question effectively and phrasing enquiries to avoid offence.
- Attending, listening and understanding communication.
- The helping relationship & the culture of helping.
- Goal setting within the client relationship
- The therapeutic/working alliance.
- Paraphrasing, clarifying and summarising communication.
- Reflecting content and feeling
Timetables
Dublin Main Campus
On-Campus Delivery - This course is scheduled to commence on September 2025. This part-time course will run one day per week (Saturday) over 4 weeks.
Year 2025
Timetables will be made available closer to the course start date. Contact professionalacademy@griffith.ie for further information.
Cork
On-Campus Delivery - This course is scheduled to commence on Saturday, 8th March 2025. This part-time course will run one day per week (Saturday) over 4 weeks.
Year 2025
- Mar: 08, 22
- Apr: 05, 12
Contact admissions.gcc@griffith.ie for further information.
Limerick
On-Campus Delivery - This course is scheduled to commence on Saturday, 8th March 2025. This part-time course will run one day per week (Saturday) over 4 weeks.
Year 2025
- Mar: 08, 22
- Apr: 05, 12
Contact admissions.gcl@griffith.ie for further information.
How to Apply
Entry Requirements
Open entry to participants who have an interest in studying the field of counselling.
How to Apply
To apply, please fill in the following application form and upload copies of the relevant documentation.
Fees
Please note that not all study modes may be offered at all times; for confirmation, refer to the Intake dates on the Overview tab.
Study Mode: Part-Time
Fee: EUR 600.00
Flexible Payment Options
Students wishing to avail of an instalment plan should contact professionalacademy@griffith.ie
Sponsorship
Is your company paying for your course?
They will need to complete a Griffith College Sponsorship Form and send this to professionalacademy@griffith.ie
Progression
Academic Progression
Graduates of the Certificate in Essential Counselling Skills course are eligible to advance to progress to any of the Level 7 BA programmes in the field of Counselling Skills & Psychotherapy Studies, Counselling Skills & Addiction Studies or Counselling Psychotherapy and Youth Studies within ICHAS.
Career Progression
Graduates of the Certificate in Essential Counselling Skills will have a good basis for professional progression in the counselling sector while they will have developed key life skills that can be applied freely to other professions.
