Dear Ian
I am not entirely in disagreement with your comments. However, here
are a few 'oppositional points':
> 'cos: (1) It's bloody expensive,
The BSc Counselling that we developed here was actually cheaper than
many Diploma courses.
> (2) you can't work full time and do a day-time course
The course only required attendance on one afternoon a week for the
first year and one term of the second year - the rest of the course was
taught in the evening.
> (3)In London, the damn centres are virtually impossible to get to if >
you don't live in North London
Ours wasn't in London. 8-)
> (4) because academia seems to be committed to making it a graduate-
> only profession
I'm in partial disagreement on this one in so far that I think you are
saying that you don't see the necessity for this? I know of some very
good Diploma's around the country - and some less than good. I don't
think that it would be either 'good' or 'bad' for it to be a 'graduate
profession'. Our degree was a two-year 'Top-Up' degree, which (in
effect) 'converted' a students Diploma into an honours degree and
acted as a 'bridge' for those that might want to go on to study for a
Masters, but hadn't the 'academic' preparation.
> (5) because the NHS only likes CBT, so it is difficult to making a living
I think that the NHS are (as usual) 'strapped for cash' and therefore like
to see therapies etc that have 'speedy' outcomes. Those of us in this
line of work know that's not the most satisfactory answer, or even that
simple. But without being able to argue our corner we have no reason
to expect others to listen to us.
We developed our course as a 'BSc' because it was (and still is) my
belief that we, as therapists, needed to become more research aware,
and that merely saying "It works" without being able to offer evidence
wasn't good enough. This isn't a prerogative of 'academia' or 'graduate
professions'; however, IMHO, there are too few Diploma courses that
pay more than 'lip service' to the need for evidence based practice. It is
only when we have THAT, that we can then say that CBT is not the
only answer, and for some cases may not be the 'best'.
> (friend of mine made a grand total of £3500 last year).
No argument with that. 8-)
Best wishes
Paul Carney
Paul Carney
Senior Lecturer
School of Health & Social Science
Coventry University
Priory St
Coventry England CV1 5FB
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