Self-test: Is the "Consultant (Cert.)" course the right one for me?
Analysis of the activities of psychological counselors
What does the day-to-day work of consultants look like?
Psychological and psychosocial counsellors work in their own counselling practice or as employees of counselling centres, non-profit organizations, aid agencies, social and medical institutions or in group practices. They advise individuals, couples, families or groups on issues of personal development, conflict resolution, resource building, increasing personal resilience and developing crisis management strategies. Psychosocial counselors advise, accompany and support people, e.g. in coping with difficult life situations such as unemployment or the loss of a loved one or in resolving disabling behavioral patterns such as addiction, anxiety or relationship difficulties.
At the beginning of a consultation, we get to know each other, define the topic, evaluate the initial situation and jointly define the consulting assignment. From this, the counselor draws up a counseling plan. The methods used are diverse and range from process-oriented or body-centered approaches to talk therapy, transactional analysis and mental techniques to Christian or spiritually oriented counseling approaches.
Question 1:
Would I like to work as a psychological counselor?
Yes, if you like the actual job, you can assume that you are on the right track. The next question is what type of training is right for you to acquire the relevant skills.
If you only like the job to a limited extent or only individual parts of it, you could think about what interests you the most. And then look at subsequent training courses to see if there is one that appeals to you even more:
Who is the "Counselor (Cert.)" course suitable for?
Target group:
- People who advise and support people in their professional or voluntary work
- People who want to familiarize themselves with psychological topics and forms of counselling and become competent in them
- Persons seeking a federal qualification as a counselor in the psychosocial field
Personal requirements:
- Psychological interest
- Good linguistic expression
- Mental resilience
- Sense of responsibility and discretion
Course description:
Further important key points of the "Consultant (Cert.)" course are described here:
{#course descriptionLink#}
Question 2:
Are you generally interested in this course?
If you have already answered "Yes" to question 1, then this course seems to fit your expectations.
If you like the course but not certain parts of the job, you could first study job advertisements to see if there are job profiles that suit you better.
If you like the job description under question 1 and have marked "No" here, you can look under the following further training opportunities in related fields to see if you can find something that better matches your interests:
Admission to the course and the federal examinations
Admission to the course
Most schools do not require any specific prior education for admission to the course, only a minimum age of 20 years and professional experience.
Admission to the federal examination
The following conditions must be met for admission to the federal PET examination:
- Federal qualification at the level of professional examination, higher professional examination, higher technical college or university
- Six years of professional experience with a counseling function in the psychosocial field
- Own counseling practice in the psychosocial field with at least 15 counseling processes and a total of at least 80 sessions
- At least 30 hours of client-related supervision
- At least 30 hours of psychosocial counseling as a client
- Participation in at least 8 sessions of a supervision group over two years
- At least 15 hours of supervision by an accredited teaching supervisor for at least one year
Question 3:
Do I meet the requirements?
If you meet the requirements, you can start your training at the earliest possible date.
If you are not sure whether your further education qualification will be recognized for admission, you can obtain information directly from various providers or from theAssociation responsible for the audit.
If you do not have the required counseling, supervision or group lessons, ask a school about shortened preparatory courses for the exam.
Financing of further training
The course fees for the "Consultant (Cert.)" course are to be paid either at the beginning of the course or by the semester. However, in individual cases it is also possible to agree individual installment payments.
Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal higher professional examinations have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination.You can find more information here.
Question 4:
Are you in a position to pre-finance between CHF 13,000 and CHF 29,000 for the course fee, depending on the provider and other general conditions, until you are reimbursed the federal contribution after taking the final examination?
If you have marked "Yes" and would even be able to pay the full amount upfront, many schools will give you an additional discount.
If you have marked "Partly" or "No": First ask the schools about the actual costs you would have to expect. And ask your employer about cost sharing. And then ask your school about the possibility of individual installment payments. Or try to find someone in your private social circle who will support your specific further education project with a loan. There are also banks and credit institutions that grant educational loans.
If you are planning to take the federal diploma and meet the conditions for applying the hardship clause, you can apply to the federal government to have part of the refund paid out in advance.Further information can be found here.
Time spent on classroom teaching and learning (homework)
The part-time course lasts approximately three years. Depending on the provider, the face-to-face teaching of approx. 500 hours takes place on a fixed weekday, at weekends or in blocks of several days.
The amount of learning and practice required over the entire training period averages 10 hours per week.
Question 5:
Can I cope with the time and effort required for the face-to-face lessons and homework?
If the workload is even very manageable for you, you could check whether there are intensive courses for this training. This would allow you to complete the same training in less time if you are able to accept a slightly higher time commitment.
If you are short on time, look for courses that extend over a longer period of time and require fewer lessons and less time for homework each week. And if that's still not enough, you should check whether you can free up more time in another way. Perhaps someone close to you can take on certain tasks for you for the limited period of your training?
Conclusion
Will I graduate?
Some general success factors for successfully completing an apprenticeship are:
- Regular preparation and follow-up of the lesson material at home
- Committed cooperation in group work, case studies etc.
- Participation in learning groups for regular exchange
- Practise exam situations by working on previous exam tasks
Question 6:
Do I have the confidence to pass the final exams?
If you are confident that you can pass this qualification, the most you can do is consider whether you would like to achieve even better results using suitable learning and working methods or whether you would like to achieve the same results with less effort.
If you have marked "Partly" or "No", we recommend that you attend an information event about this course and ask the school management for information about support options. External help from learning therapists, kinesiologists, autogenic training providers or mental training providers can also be considered.
You can find suitable providers here:
Conclusion:
Before you want to complete a course as a "Psychological Counselor", you should be convinced that you really enjoy a conversation-oriented, counseling activity in the field of psychology. The course description should also appeal to you. If you have answered these first two questions with a clear "yes", you can continue to look into this course. If you are unsure about these questions, you should consider which other further training courses are also suitable for you.
Financing further training is not always easy. Several thousand francs have to be paid over 1-2 years. In individual cases, many schools offer the option of semester or even individual monthly installments so that the entire amount does not have to be paid at once. In addition, it is helpful for part-time courses that participants continue to work during the course and thus earn money for the entire duration of the course. If this is not enough to finance the training alone, it is sometimes possible to obtain a loan from a private source. Banks and credit institutions sometimes also offer educational loans. A good argument for financing further education is the relatively quick amortization of costs through wage increases. Do the following calculation: How much would a wage increase of 10% per year amount to? How many years would you need to recoup the costs of the course? How much more will you earn over your entire working life as a result of this pay rise? In most cases, this is a six-figure sum, which confirms that training or further education is the best personal investment there is.
The time required for training or further education should not be underestimated. Going out, vacations and spontaneous wellness weekends often fall by the wayside. However, this time usually passes relatively quickly. The prospect of better job opportunities and more pay should be motivation enough to get through this time. It often helps to organize yourself into study groups. It also makes sense to stick with it right from the start and schedule fixed study times. Good learning effects can be achieved by creating summaries and mind maps. Flashcard systems help with memorization. There are many tools and ideas to make learning easier. You can obtain the guide "The personal learning strategy" free of charge if you register with a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch.
If you have doubts about whether you will pass the final exam, you can expect that every school has an interest in ensuring that as many of your students as possible pass the final exams. Talk to your head teacher or course leader and ask about support options. But with good motivation, perseverance and hard work, it is generally possible to pass these exams. If you suffer from exam anxiety, good preparation, various practical tips, therapeutic treatments or, in severe cases, even medication can help. You can obtain the guide "Overcoming exam anxiety" if you register with a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch. Here you will also findsuitable providerson the subject of test anxiety.
The benefits of further training are usually measured in terms of a higher salary, more challenging tasks or promotions. This presupposes that you make an effort to change your professional position accordingly and, if necessary, are able to assert your demands. If you have already experienced that this is not always so easy for you, you could also check whether personal job coaching could be of benefit to you in addition to further training.
Now it's up to you to decide. If in doubt, seek personal advice from a school or external counseling center. If you contact a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch to enquire about course or training documents, you will receive a free educational or school consultation worth CHF 150.00 on request.
You can find a list of providers here: {#courseLink#}
We wish you all the best in your professional and private lives and a bright and exciting future!
The team of Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch
Linda, deine Weiterbildungsfinderin