Are you a qualified Counsellor or Psychotherapist interested in broadening your practice to work with young people?
The Listen Project youth counselling service in conjunction with PCI College are offering a fully subsidised 7 day Professional Certificate in Child and Adolescent Counselling beginning in September 2025.
The course, which is supported by the HSE, will be delivered in person and will rely on a participative and experiential learning style. It will explore and discuss the main theorists in the field of child and adolescent counselling and psychotherapy augmented by discussion and experiential exercises in pairs, small groups and large groups with lecturer guidance and input. Learners will also be required to undertake independent study, library /internet work to prepare for classes and an assignment in line with a flipped learning model of delivery which promotes learner led learning.
The proposed course dates are:
- Day 1: September 13th, 2025 – Welcome & Induction
- Day 2: September 20th, 2025
- Day 3: October 11th, 2025
- Day 4: November 1st, 2025
- Day 5: December 13th, 2025
- Day 6: February 7th, 2026
- Day 7: May 30th, 2026 – Follow-up with students, celebration & awarding of professional certificate ceremony.
The syllabus will include topics such as:
- Introduction to Humanistic and Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy
- Child Development Theories – Piaget, Erikson, Bronfenbrenner
- Theoretical foundations of therapeutic play (psychoanalytic, attachment, humanistic, cognitive, systemic, narrative)
- Assessments: parent, adolescent, child and assessing risk
- The Listen Project 9-session model
- Consent and Contracting – working with parents and schools – practical application
- Introduction to child-centred play therapy and the therapeutic relationship
- The Dimensions Model and clinical formulation frameworks (e.g. 5P model)
- The Embodiment Projection Role (EPR)
- Assessment, formulation, and therapeutic interventions across developmental stages and family systems
- Ethical and legal considerations in child protection, including Children First Guidelines and mandatory reporting
- Working with children and adolescents in diverse settings: schools, communities, and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs)
- Supporting neuro-divergent youth including ADHD and ASD
- Reflective practice, note-keeping, supervision, and counsellor competencies
Some of the benefits for course participants are:
- 50 hour facilitated placement on ‘The Listen Project’ youth counselling service.
- Counselling venues and bespoke data system provided€25 placement rate paid per attended counselling session.
- 2 group supervision sessions provided.
- Clinical governance oversight and support.
- Opportunity to support the work of a youth service charity while developing your youth counselling practice experience.
- Exemption from the first module of the PCI MSc Programme should you wish to progress.
*Please note there is a €150 fully refundable deposit required to secure your place and places are limited.
*The deadline for application submissions is Monday, 14th July 2025 (by close of business). For any queries, please email: listenprojectsurvey@gmail.com
To apply, please complete the online for here.
