Weekday - Daytime

Thursdays 9:00 - 17:00

or Fridays 9:00 - 17:00

Weekends & Evenings

1 evening per week 17:00-21:30 &

10 Saturdays per year 9:00-17:00

The CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling at The Counsellor’s Path is a BACP-approved practitioner qualification designed for counsellors who want to work safely and ethically with clients in professional settings.

This is a thorough, experiential training that develops you both personally and professionally. You will deepen your theoretical understanding and build self-awareness while developing the relational confidence required to work safely, ethically and effectively with clients experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties - including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship challenges and life transitions.

Successful completion enables you to directly apply for membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) as a qualified practitioner.

As part of the course, you will:

Undertake supervised client work within an approved agency placement
Engage in regular skills practice using different mediums i.e. face to face, online and phone
Develop a clear therapeutic approach, grounded in counselling theory, to support your clients and enhance your own self-understanding
Learn to work confidently within the BACP's ethical framework
Deepen your capacity for thoughtful self-reflection and insight
Learn to use Supervision effectively and build professional resilience

What you'll gain

A recognised practitioner qualification - the CPCAB Level 4 Diploma is widely respected across the UK counselling profession and meets the requirements of Column A in the SCoPEd Framework - opening the door to registration with the leading professional associations.
Immediate eligibility for BACP Registration. On successful completion, you can apply for registered membership with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. You will sit the BACP's Certificate of Proficiency as part of your Diploma course.

This qualification has also been given Recognised Professional Qualification status by the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and, subject to the Society’s Terms & Conditions, is a route onto a national register of counsellors which is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

Supervised real-world experience working with clients
A strong professional identity - you will graduate with clarity about your therapeutic approach, ethical responsibilities and professional boundaries.

Client Experience in an Agency Setting

A key part of the course is completing supervised client work within an approved counselling agency.

You will be required to:

Find and secure an approved counselling placement where you can gain real-life experience with clients
Complete a minimum of 100 supervised client hours, with at least 5 different clients
Attend regular supervision in line with BACP requirements (i.e. fortnightly, at least 1.5 hours per month)
Evidence safe and ethical practice

We provide guidance and support throughout the placement process to help you meet course requirements confidently.

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Next Daytime Course : 17th or 18th September 2026

Next Evening/Saturday course : TBC

Duration : 2 years

Total Price : £ 3,250 per year

Deposit : £500 payable to secure your place

Delivery Medium : 75% in-person and 25% online

Location : Bracknell

Links

CPCAB Course Info BACP Student Membership BACP-approved Practitioner Training SCoPEd Framework

Abi Gray

Level 4 Tutor

Charné Buissinne

Level 4 Tutor

"Studying the Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling with Abi has been a transformative experience. Her teaching style is clear, structured and comprehensive, with detailed feedback that genuinely challenges you to grow, all delivered with knowledge and dedication that is evident throughout.

Katherine S

“I have thoroughly enjoyed completing my level 4 therapeutic counselling course with Abi. She has a wealth of knowledge in transactional analysis and delivers each lesson with clarity, structure and depth. Throughout the course, Abi has offered consistent support, helping me gain a strong understanding of TA and I am now confidently applying it in my client work. I am truly grateful to have studied with her and to have trained within the transactional analysis modality.”

Rachael Brewer

“I found Abi's teaching of the Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling engaging, clear and very supportive. All the concepts have been explained in a way that made them easy to understand and apply during the skills sessions. During the 2 years of studying Level 4, I valued her use of examples whilst teaching, the class discussions, the feedback from the weekly reflective journals and assignments, and the extra work she put into checking in with the group to see if there was anything else we needed to support our development as counsellors. I found Abi's approach stimulating as she was always interested in our progress and willing to adapt the teaching where possible.”

Beatrice Mistretu

What are the entry requirements?

Applicants must:

have a CPCAB Level 3 Qualification and a CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (or equivalents*)
be at least 19 years old
evidence the academic and emotional readiness for practitioner-level training
have the capacity to undertake self-study, supervised placement work, personal therapy and regular supervision alongside attendance on the course days

* Equivalent courses must:

have covered similar content
be at least 75 Guided Learning Hours (GLH) for Level 2 and 90 GLH for Level 3
have been delivered 'live' - i.e. either in-person or online. We are unable to accept qualifications delivered via distance learning.

How do I apply for a place?

To secure your place on the course, please first request and complete the application form.

We’ll review your answers to confirm that you meet the initial entry requirements and let you know within 2 working days whether we are able to progress your application.

If you’re successful at this stage, we’ll invite you to an online interview for a more in-depth conversation about your readiness and suitability for the training.

We hold interviews every month, so you won’t have to wait long to find out if you’ve been offered a place on the course.

A decision is usually provided within 2 working days of your interview.

Once on the course, how will I be assessed?

You will build a portfolio of evidence of your learning over the duration of the course - it will include:

two written assignments (1 each year)
weekly learning journals (approx. 600-800 words each)
a written review of your learning on the course at the end of each year
two written case studies and two case presentations demonstrating your competence and progression in client work (usually completed in Year 2)
skills observations by tutors and peers
evidence of your contributions to class discussion
logs of your client, supervision and personal therapy hours
reports from your supervisor and agency manager

Towards the end of Year 2, you will have the opportunity to take the BACP's Certificate of Proficiency within your class time.

Do you offer a payment instalment plan?

Yes. A deposit of £500 is payable to confirm your offer of a place on the course. You then have two options for paying the balance:

Option 1 — Pay in full before the course starts The remaining balance of £2,750 is due in full before the course start date. No additional charges apply. Total payable: £3,250.

Option 2 — Pay by monthly instalments The remaining balance is paid in 10 equal monthly instalments of £280, with the first instalment due 7 days before the course start date. An administration fee of £50 applies to this option to cover the costs of managing the plan. Total payable: £3,300.

A similar instalment plan will be available for the Year 2 course fee.

What additional costs do I need to budget for?

In addition to the course fees (which include CPCAB's registration fee), you should be aware of the following additional costs:

BACP membership - you will need to be a student member of the BACP for the duration of the course. The 2025-26 annual fee is £92.

Personal therapy - 60 hours over the 2 years

Supervision - you need at least 1.5hrs of Supervision per calendar month when working with clients in placement. Some agencies cover all or part of this cost for you

Professional indemnity insurance (approx. £40-50) - you will need to hold this insurance to cover your client work in placement. Many agencies provide this cover for you.

Books - while we try to make some of the key texts available, you are likely to wish to buy text books to support your wider reading and assignment-writing.

Is personal therapy required?

Personal therapy is required at Level 4.

You will need to gain 60 hours of personal therapy over your two year course to support your development as a professional practitioner.

You will need to budget for this additional cost, which could range between £40-70 per hour

What does this course lead to?

On successful completion, you will gain qualified counsellor status, be able to register with professional associations (e.g. BACP, NCPS) and work in the field of counselling.

Then, as you gain experience, and with the support of your supervisor (or by completing a Level 5 qualification) you may progress to independent practice.

Potential job roles include but are not limited to:

A counsellor employed by a college
A counsellor working in the third sector
A counsellor employed by a charity
A Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner in the NHS Talking Therapies services
An ‘adult’ counsellor independent practice (with additional training and support)

Candidates who have completed this qualification may also progress to any of the following CPCAB qualifications:

Level 5 Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (PC-L5)
Level 5 Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic Skills and Theory (CBT-L5)
Level 5 Diploma in Counselling Children and Young People (CYP-L5)

What is SCoPEd?

The Scope of Practice and Education (SCoPEd) framework outlines the core training, practice and competency requirements for counsellors and psychotherapists working with adults.

It was developed by the Partnership of Counselling and Psychotherapy Bodies (PCPB), a collaboration of six counselling and psychotherapy bodies with Professional Standards Authority (PSA) accredited registers which between them represent approximately 75,000 therapists.

It gives clear insight into the full range of skills, knowledge, training and experience that member counsellors offer, helping counselling and psychotherapy to be better understood, valued and trusted by clients, employers, commissioners and the wider public. It also makes it easier to recognise qualified therapists and distinguish them from unqualified or untrained individuals presenting themselves as therapists.

How far do students travel in order to attend?

Our centre is based in Bracknell, which sits conveniently near the border between Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire — making it easily reachable from a wide area.

The venue is a 15 minute walk from Bracknell Train Station and students travel to us from Guildford, Camberley, Farnham, Woking, Reading, and beyond - most within a 30–40 minute drive.

We have designed our timetable with travelling students in mind, and our hybrid delivery means you won't need to make the journey every week.

CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling

Course Overview