Run by our sister organisation, the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education (IATE) this course comprises a wealth of therapeutic interventions, clinical skills practice, latest research in adolescent psychology, sociology, neuroscience and medicine. As well as working one-to-one with troubled teenagers, the course will also equip practitioners with evidence-based psychoeducation for teenagers.
The course qualifies delegates for BACP registration to work with 12 to 25-year-olds. This means being able to work in both colleges and universities.
"The Teenage Counselling Diploma was outstanding. I felt it was a great success and incredible to think it was all delivered through a pandemic!!"
Frances Ackland-Snow (author of the book and film, starring Jeremy Irons The Little Girl with No Voice)
VISION AND AIMS
This course offers a comprehensive blend of age-appropriate therapeutic interventions, clinical skills practice and cutting-edge theory drawn from adolescent psychology, sociology, neuroscience and medicine. Students are trained to work one-to-one with troubled teenagers while also delivering evidence-based psychoeducation that supports young people to process painful experiences and make informed choices around issues such as social media, substance use, relationships, identity, self-harm and emotional wellbeing. The programme equips participants to teach psychology-informed PSHE, run structured therapeutic mental health groups, and ground all practice in developmental, psychoanalytic and neuroscientific understanding. Ultimately, the training supports practitioners to help young people move from distress and relational difficulty towards greater self-compassion, healthier relationships and a more secure and hopeful inner world.
WHAT YOU WILL GAIN FROM ATTENDING
- Work therapeutically with teenagers to high ethical standards across professional settings.
- Assess emotional needs, identify risk and respond effectively to mental health difficulties.
- Integrate theory with practical clinical skills for confident, evidence-informed practice.
- Support teenagers to process feelings and build healthier relationships.
- Develop reflective skills to monitor and strengthen your clinical work.
- Use arts, metaphor and symbol to explore teenagers’ inner worlds.
- Run structured therapy groups and psychology-informed PSHE sessions.
- Facilitate short-term parent–teen sessions to improve communication and connection.
Who it is for
TISUK Practitioners passionate about helping teenagers.
Cost
£8,595 - 50%Funding Bursaries are available for TISUK Practitioners.
COURSE STRUCTURE
1yr, weekends, in person at IATE London, next course start Oct 2026. This course will be delivered predominantly over weekends running from February to February each year. This course comprises of classroom-based tuition and a supervised placement of 100 client hours. We have a designated placement coordinator for the course. Client groups are pre-assessed as suitable. This is supervised practice. All students are required to attend weekly personal therapy and independent supervision at their own cost.
The course will provide you with a placement to see teenagers for counselling. Alternatively, you can put forward to the Placement team a setting of your current work. This can be considered, if there is no dual relationship.
QUALIFICATION RECEIVED
The award of 'Diploma in Counselling Teenagers' will be granted upon successful completion of the training programme, completion of 36 personal psychotherapy hours, and receipt of a signed clinical log recording a minimum of 100 clinical hours.
On receipt of your diploma award, you will be eligible to apply for BACP registration (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) to be a nationally recognised registered counsellor.
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
If you have qualified from the Diploma in Trauma and Mental Health Informed Schools and Communities and receive a recommendation from your Course Director, you will be able to apply for the Diploma in Counselling Teenagers (Higher Education College The Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education, academic partner of University of East London).
All applicants will be required to attend an IATE taster day (including 2 arts-based workshops and a group interview). Full details of the taster days can be found here https://artspsychotherapy.org/to-apply.
The Diploma in Counselling Teenagers course is for people who are passionate about helping teenagers (12-25 years), this means being able to work in both colleges and universities helping clients.
BURSARIES FOR TISCUK PRACTITIONERS
Bursaries are available for TISUK Practitioners towards the cost of the Diploma in Counselling Teenagers. The bursary covers 50% of the course fees (approx. £4.1k), participants are also required to pay for travel, accommodation, and personal therapy and supervision costs. Please email info@traumainformedschools.co.uk for further information and an application form. The deadline for the next round of applications is 31st March 2026.
