Training in Scotland to become a Chartered Counselling Psychologist
Most Trainee Counselling Psychologists currently living in Scotland are training through the route provided by the BPS, known as the 'independent route' to the Qualification in Counselling Psychology. This is not a course, but a template for a self-designed training programme and a diet of assessments that will allow you to demonstrate that you have the competencies required for Registration with the Society as a Chartered Counselling Psychologist. The programme equates to three years full time training and can be taken over quite an extensive period of part-time work/studies if that is what suits you best. The Qualification does not offer any higher degrees but demonstrates that you have reached, in the required areas of study and practice, a level equivalent to that of a practitioner doctorate. You might construct your programme to include gaining another degree from a University near you.
Information on this route is available as a free download from the BPS website ( www.bps.org.uk ). Follow the path to downloads/documents and then look for the Regulations for the Qualification in Counselling Psychology.
As there are currently no BPS approved courses in Scotland, some Scots trainees have persued courses in England and elsewhere. Information on all approved trainings are also on the BPS website.
Following the independent route, there will be a requirement to undertake, or to have undertaken since Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR), a postgraduate level therapy training, and other therapy studies. If taken post GBR such a course, e.g. Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling, will be counted somewhere towards required training hours and can help to build competencies that will be counted towards the Qualification - affording some prospective trainees a head start.
Potential Independent route trainees should in the first instance explore the process described in the Regulations for the Qualification in Counselling Psychology, accessed in Portable Document Format (pdf) via the Divisional web site (via link mentioned above). Having digested that, the next step will be to contact a Counselling psychologist who offers services to trainees. You could have a look at our list of such psychologists by following the "Training Services" link from DCoP Scotland homepage. The Co-ordinator of Training is the key person in helping you to design an individual Training Plan that reflects your interests and meets the requirements of the Qualification.
Society members are also entitled to join the Division of Counselling Psychology. This is most easily done by phoning the enquiry desk at the BPS who will put you in touch with the Membership Secretary. Through this you can access the Division Journal, Conference, etc.
Adapted, with permission, from a letter by Alan Frankland, BPS Registrar in Counselling Psychology
Update
Another option has become available in Scotland in the form of a Practitioner Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, offered jointly by Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian Universities. The link below will take you to the web site of the course. This is not an endorsement of the course which is not accredited by the Society. The Society accepts no responsibility for external sites.
 (Click the external link icon on the left for information about the Counselling Psychology Course at Glasgow Caledonian University.)
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