Diploma in
Stress Management
with Counselling Skills
including FREE Stress Management Coach Certification

(Dip. S. M. C.) - Two courses in one!   Distance Learning Course Details

   College accreditation: International Association for Distance Learning.
   Course accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy.
   Possibility of registration with certain other UK professional bodies.

Total recommended period of study: approx. 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment. No time limit.

Cost: £235.00  (235 Pounds Sterling - for currency conversion see www.xe.com )

(Two FREE textbooks will be included for students from the UK.  Students outside the UK will need to buy the textbooks separately.) 

Method of study 

Textbook study. Written assignments based on textbooks and exercises. Assignment questions are issued by email and students return their written work by email. Grades and feedback are issued by email.

Course introduction

This Diploma combines two diplomas we have been running for years into one course:  the full syllabus of our Diploma in Stress Management and Relaxation course plus the full syllabus of our Certificate in Counselling Skills course. The advantages of taking this combined course are:

• A considerable saving over the cost of taking both courses separately.

• You will receive a Diploma bearing the words "Stress Management with Counselling Skills". Because this is a counselling-related diploma, it will enable UK-resident course graduates to apply to a UK counselling organisation and register of practitioners, and to obtain registration as a counsellor (subject to acceptance) plus an additional certificate of registration (for which a small payment to the organisation will be required).  

• We have now added a FREE certificate as a Stress Management Coach for all students who successfully complete the Diploma.

Entry criteria and suitability 

This Diploma is for:

• People who would like to take the course for self-development purposes

• Personnel managers, supervisors, performers, frequent travellers and others who need to deliver or practise a repertoire of  techniques for stress management, recovering energy levels and informal counselling, listening and communication skills.

• People who would like  comprehensive  instructions on relaxation and stress reduction techniques plus introductory counselling skills in an easy to follow format, and to learn many new skills and techniques

• Practicing complementary therapists, life coaches, and health workers who would like an additional diploma in stress management and counselling skills to add to their qualifications or for CPD purposes (subject to approval of individual organisations)

• People who have some counselling role (including volunteers, managers, stress management practitioners, coaches, complementary therapists, teachers, etc.) or who would like to study an introduction to counselling.

• People who would like to take this course to give them confidence to pursue other educational opportunities such as advanced courses in stress management or diplomas in counselling, hypnotherapy and psychotherapy.

Syllabus

PART I -  Stress Management and Relaxation will include the following:
Theory of Stress
Breathing exercises,
Progressive relaxation,
Meditation,
Visualisation,
Applied relaxation,
Self-hypnosis,
Autogenics,
Brief combination techniques,
Anger training,
Refuting irrational ideas,
Focusing,
Worry control,
Coping skills,
Goal setting and time management,
Assertiveness,
Coping with job stress,
Simple nutrition,
Exercise.

PART II - Counselling Skills includes:

The nature of the counselling relationship,
What to do and what not to do when starting to counsel,
The process of listening, 
When to reveal one’s own feelings.

This module also provides information about what every helper should know about the following:

Mental health diagnosis,
Drugs and alcohol,
Seriously disturbed people,
Depression,
Stress,
Personality disorders,
Counselling persons with sexual problems,
HIV/AIDS patients,
Suicide,
Death and emergencies.    

Qualification

Successful graduates will receive the Diploma in Stress Management with Counselling Skills awarded by UK College of Holistic Training which is a private UK qualification. Course graduates will also receive an additional certification as a Stress Management Coach.

The college is accredited by the International Association for Distance Learning. Course graduates may use the postnominal initials Dip. S.M.C. and Certified Stress Management Coach.

The course is accredited by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (which is linked to UKCHT) and graduates may apply for membership.

Students and graduates of the course will be eligible to apply to register with "Counselling", a registered charity - see www.counselling.ltd.uk, and on successful registration the graduate will be entitled to the style "CCC Registered Counsellor." (Applies to UK only. "Counselling" does not accredit or approve the UKCHT course.)

Students will be entitled to exemption from parts of certain other UKCHT courses.

If you have other relevant qualifications in counselling you may also be recommended to apply for the appropriate grade of membership of the National Counselling Society (UK).  The National Counselling Society http://www.nationalcounsellingsociety.org/  will consider a wide variety of qualifications towards entry levels of membership and will advise on further study towards becoming an Accredited Counsellor.

If you wish to register as a coach specialising in stress management, we can recommend a professional coaching association you can apply to join. However if you wish to become a life and personal coach, further study is strongly recommended, for example our Diploma in Holistic Life Coaching.

Prospective students are responsible for checking whether they need any form of accreditation or licensing to practise as a counsellor or psychotherapist in their own country. UK College of Holistic Training is unable to give advice on local regulations in your country. However, "Stress Management" by itself is unlikely to be regulated.

This diploma is accepted by Calamus International University (a non-UK, private distance university with private accreditation) for credit towards a degree.

Further information

Please see our FAQs page for general information about practising counselling and psychotherapy in the UK and elsewhere.

We reserve the right to change the syllabus and other details of any course at any time. If any key textbook becomes unobtainable we will provide a substitute module based on another book.