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
Designed for practitioners working with young people, the course equips participants to work therapeutically with teenagers experiencing emotional distress, relational difficulties and mental health challenges. Alongside developing advanced counselling skills, students learn to deliver evidence-informed psychoeducation that helps young people understand themselves more deeply and navigate issues such as identity, relationships, social media, risk-taking, self-harm, substance use and emotional wellbeing.
The programme also prepares practitioners to facilitate psychology-informed PSHE, therapeutic groups and parent-teen interventions, integrating developmental, relational and neuroscientific perspectives throughout.
Ultimately, the training supports practitioners to help young people make sense of their experiences, strengthen emotional regulation, build healthier relationships and develop a greater sense of self-understanding, agency and hope.
WHAT YOU WILL GAIN FROM ATTENDING
- Work therapeutically with teenagers to a high ethical and professional standard.
- Assess emotional needs, recognise risk and respond appropriately to mental health concerns.
- Integrate developmental, attachment, psychodynamic and neuroscientific theory into clinical practice.
- Support young people to understand, process and communicate difficult thoughts and feelings.
- Develop confidence in working with issues including identity, relationships, self-harm, anxiety, trauma and emotional regulation.
- Use creative, arts-based and symbolic approaches to deepen therapeutic exploration and engagement.
- Facilitate therapeutic groups and psychology-informed PSHE that promote emotional wellbeing and resilience.
- Deliver brief parent-teen interventions that strengthen communication, connection and understanding.
- Develop reflective practice skills to enhance clinical effectiveness and professional growth.
- Help young people move towards healthier relationships, greater self-awareness and improved emotional wellbeing.
Who it is for
TISCUK 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. Applications for the next intake are now closed and will reopen in 2027.
