Counselling and Psychotherapy provide the opportunity to speak in one's own terms in order to articulate the difficulties and the questions in one's life.  They offer the opportunity of clarifying the direction, or its lack, in one's life. In recent decades counselling and psychotherapy have had a major contribution to the alleviation of distress and suffering in the everyday human experience of loss, bereavement, trauma, depression, choice and relationships. Skills adapted from the fields of counselling and psychotherapy are now an essential part of many work roles and an expertise in this area can be the basis of professional development. Counselling and Psychotherapy have enjoyed significant growth in an Ireland that has seen great social change in recent years.

Please note that completion of a Foundation course in Counselling & Psychotherapy is not a pre-requisite for entry on to this programme. 

Key Features of this Programme 

• Recognised by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)

• The orientation is primarily humanistic / integrative / psychodynamic but it also introduces students to the principles of psychoanalysis, developmental psychology, existential psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

• Central to the course are personal development through personal therapy and process group work, supervised clinical practice (years 3 & 4) and theoretical study

• Teaching is primarily interactive and focused on the students' engagement with the material on the programme

• Learning is skills-based and experiential, in small group formats (maximum of 15 per training group, 12 per process group and 7 per clinical supervision group in years 3 & 4)

• We have a dedicated placement officer to assist students in finding work placements to complete their necessary client work 

• Of interest to those who would like to learn counselling skills and understand their basis in psychotherapeutic practice 

• Enhances students current work practices e.g. health and social care professionals, teachers, Gardai, community workers, voluntary sector workers and many more

• To inform about the potential contribution of the approaches studies as well as their limitations 

•  To provide experiential learning of counselling and psychotherapy skills in a classroom setting in years 1 and 2 and in clinical settings in years 3 and 4

•  To gain experience of the process of counselling/psychotherapy in both individual and group settings

• To gain knowledge of the main categories of psychopathology

• To acquire significant research and writing skills through essay writing and by carrying out primary research in the area of counselling and psychotherapy

• To prepare students to undertake the further training and education necessary to meet the relevant criteria for eventual accreditation by the appropriate professional bodies

• To have acquired a broad undergraduate education and the practical and intellectual skills required for postgraduate education and a variety of career paths.

The BA (Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy programme has been designed to meet the criteria of a core training course. It includes the required counselling skills, personal development and theoretical components which are the basis for it to be recognised by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) and awarded  by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). The orientation of the course is integrative/humanistic with a psychodynamic perspective. Students only being supervised client work following the completion of all modules and requirements at Level 1 and 2 of the programme and a decision regarding suitability to practice.

With our Part-Time Degrees, students can achieve a full Level 8 Honours Degree qualification, recognised by QQI and still have all the benefits of:

• Flexible, evening learning
• Academic support
• City centre location
• Expert academic staff

Find out more about Business, Marketing and Law Degrees at DBS here, and Arts Evening Degrees here. We have a range of programmes, from BA (Hons) Business to BA (Hons) Marketing, and many more!

Visualise your future success! Take the first step and register for our Online Open Evening.

We would love to welcome you in person as per usual, but unconventional times call for creative alternatives – we will now bring the DBS experience straight to your home from 5pm-6:30pm on Tuesday, May 11th. Our Open Evening offers the perfect opportunity to speak with our team of expert lecturers and gain first hand knowledge on programmes offered across a variety of disciplines including:

• Psychology
• Counselling & Psychotherapy
• Business
• Law
• Marketing
• Accounting & Finance
• FinTech
• Project Management
• Social Science
• Film & Creative Media
• Funded Postgraduate & Modular Courses
• ICT
• Computing
• Springboard+ Programmes
• Professional Diplomas and many more

We will facilitate breakout rooms for you to explore – covering all disciplines. Our faculty, admissions team, and welcoming staff will be on hand to guide you through the process, help you visualise your future success and answer any questions you may have.

This is a pre-registered event. Please register here in advance of the date. We will be in touch shortly with further information as we get closer to the event.

Hope to see you there! 

Team DBS