12 Free Online Counselling Courses with Certificate

Do you know that you can start the foundation of a promising career in professional counselling by taking online counselling courses that offer printable certificate after completion? Yes, this is possible, and you can start from anywhere and anytime.

There are a good number of ways to improve your life and make your academic portfolio more robust and one of those ways is to take online courses to enhance a specific aspect of your life, and you ultimately make yourself more employable.

Taking online courses is one of the easiest ways one can redefine themselves and position themselves for greater opportunities in the future. All you need to do is to visit the official platforms offering these courses and start taking them.

Without much further, do, let us move to explore the free online counselling courses with a printable certificate.

What is counselling?

Counselling is a dimension of psychological therapy that tends to treat mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders and depression. It also tends to restore broken relationships. Many people consider Sigmund Freud and his theories of psychoanalysis to be the foundation of the discipline.

While Sigmund Freud worked with patients known to have hysterical tendencies, a number of people with personal problems are available today for advice. This change came in the 1940s and 1950s when counselling was offered to veterans of World War I and various conversational therapies became more acceptable in society.

What Does a Counsellor Do?

Counsellors get consulted by people to develop rehabilitation plans that will address professional, social, medical, and psychological needs. Counsellors provide information and advice on professional, relational, social (drug use, employment, ethical issues, etc.), and educational difficulties and problems, and work with people to help them identify and define their emotional problems using therapeutic models.

 Graduates in this field find that their newly acquired knowledge and skills make them the right people to take up positions in family counselling, grief counselling, conflict resolution, educational counselling, occupational social and social work, education, sports coaching and training, personal training, health care and rehabilitation, marketing and sales, mental illness, labour relations and management.

How to Identify a Good Counselling Online Course | Stages of a Counselling course

A Good counselling course should have a three-stage route which can take three or four years. During this process, you’ll spend a lot of time on independent study, placements, supervision and, in some cases, personal therapy.

A three-step route that can take three or four years to complete is recommended. In addition to attending courses, you will spend a lot of time on independent studies, internships, placements supervision and, in some cases, you will also be involved in personal therapy.

Below are some of the stages a good counselling course should take;

Also Read: Education Requirements for Physiotherapy

Stage 1: Introduction to Counselling

You are encouraged to take an introductory course to ensure that counselling is the right career for you. This will help you acquire basic counselling skills and give you an overview of what the training involves before fully committing.

These courses usually take place at local colleges and universities (FE) or adult education centres and last eight to 12 weeks. You can also take your study online.

Stage 2: Certificate in counselling skills

A certificate in counselling skills will develop your skills in counselling and give you a broader understanding of counselling theories, ethics and self-awareness. This level of online counselling course can also be useful if you want to advise or help people, even if you are not interested in becoming a therapist. These courses are taught online, at local universities and typically last a year on a part-time basis.

Stage 3: Core practitioner training

This is the main vocational training in counselling and should be the minimum level of a counselling diploma or psychotherapy degree or a diploma in the aforementioned field, but it can also be a bachelor, master or doctoral degree. It should be a comprehensive professional training program based on internationally recognized quality and competence standards and offering training in well-thought-out, competent and ethical practice.

What Am I Going to Learn in Counselling Course?

A good and complete online counselling class must involve chronological steps that have been discussed below. Therefore, make sure you look through the course you are about to take and make sure it captures the things that are mentioned herein.

1. Knowledge-based learning:

When taking a counselling course you should learn psychologically-based theories and their application to your practice, philosophy, human development, common medicines, ethics and law, group function and supervision.

2. Therapeutic skills:

Learn strategies and interventions, self-awareness, monitoring and evaluation, relationship building, communication, reflective practice and the use of supervision.

3. Research awareness:

For example, critical awareness of research results, methodology and application 

 Your course should be at least a year full-time or two years part-time. It should also include a fully supervised internship of at least 100 hours so that you can work within an organization and practice your skills with clients; you should be supervised during this process.

List of the Free Online Counselling Courses with Printable Certificate of Completion

The free online counselling courses with printable certificates are up-to-date and offered by the best platforms that are recognised.

These classes are of high quality; they have the capacity to transform your life and make you more valuable and relevant in society.

Introduction to Psychology by University of Toronto (Coursera)

This is a free online counselling course with a certificate offered by the University of Toronto. This comprehensive introductory psychology course is on Coursera. The course has a rating of 4.9. Anyone can sign up for the course and learn how to understand human nature, thoughts, feelings, and how they affect behaviour.

With 23 hours of course content, the courses guide you through various modules that cover history, scientific methods, brain structure and its processes, social psychology, mental illness and its treatments, and more. There are many external links and additional documents that you can refer to outside of this course for better understanding. 

What to expect from the course

• Explore the history and evolution of psychology and its scientific methods to understand its scope and perspectives.
• Understand the brain and its structure and processes such as perception, attention, memory, consciousness and attention in order to know how people perceive input and the resulting behaviour.
• Find out about various mental illnesses, their symptoms, diagnostic methods and treatments
• Use the knowledge of human psychology that you acquire here in your daily life for yourself and to help others in need.

Fully Accredited Professional Counseling Diploma Course (Udemy)

This is one of the free online counselling courses with a printable certificate with a rating of 4.4 on Udemy, this accredited course provides diploma certification to anyone who wishes to sign up for practical counselling.

This is a short and focused, but comprehensive, training program designed to help students acquire the important skills required to serve as counsellors. You will learn to develop your skills to better listen and understand people and their problems and to intervene with plausible solutions. The course also allows you to discover assessment tests for your customers to track their progress and improve their lives.

What to expect from the course

• Understand the roles and responsibilities of the consultant and the processes to serve them.
• Develop the skills needed to become an effective and influential counsellor.
• Help your clients deal with difficulties and conflicts in their life and relationships.
• Earn a Professional counselling certification to build a credible portfolio and build your private practice, or work with organizations to provide assistance

Positive Psychiatry and Mental Health by The University of Sydney (Coursera)

Positive psychology goes beyond the mental healing of people. It emphasizes having a positive attitude towards everything in life. The this University of Sydney online program helps students develop methodologies to improve positive attitudes and cultivate healthy mindsets in their clients.

One of the special features of this course is that you will also be listening to people with mental health problems as well as experts in the field. By learning from their experiences, you can develop better methods of intervention and subsequent behavioural changes.

What to expect from the course

• Understand what positive psychology is and what it means for our modern life.
• Learn about mind-body interaction to understand different relaxation techniques and mindfulness methods.
• Identify how work and relationships are an individual’s primary concern and how a conflict between these two elements can lead to emotional distress.
• Find out about the most common mental illnesses and their treatment methods.

Psychological First Aid by Johns Hopkins University (Coursera)

The Johns Hopkins University Psychological First Aid program on Coursera is the most popular psychology course.

This is one of the free online counselling courses with a printable certificate that focuses on the management of mental emergencies using the RAPID model: Reflective listening needs assessment, prioritization, intervention and disposition.

Each module of the course takes participants through a detailed understanding of this technique to enable timely intervention. You will also learn to distinguish critical cases from less severe cases to provide additional mental support. In six hours you will understand how to deal with mental depression with confidence!

What to expect from the course

• Gaining a deeper understanding of the RAPID model for dealing with mental crises and emergencies in order to provide first aid.
• Help in traumatic situations such as natural disasters, duels, suicides, robberies and similar events that have a greater mental impact on people.
• Get practical tips for thoughtful listening and steps to take care of yourself when dealing with critical situations
• Prioritize and differentiate cases based on their severity and the need for high-level medical intervention.
• Provide psychological first aid full-time or part-time in order to make a social contribution

The Arts and Science of Relationships: Understanding Human Needs by University of Toronto (Coursera)

This is one of the most popular Coursera free online counselling courses with a printable certificate based on the Personal Development program. Anyone can enrol for this course as it focuses on the art and science of building and maintaining relationships.

This is a beginner course and students will learn the learning and development system for strategies and the competence framework for daily social interactions. Using this model and real-world case studies, you will implement the concepts learned in your daily life to improve your social skills and relationships.

What to expect from the course

• Learn to manage your relationships by understanding human psychology and better managing conflict situations
• Get tips on improving your communication skills in order to become a better listener and express yourself clearly
• Understand the six realms of human life and how they apply to relationships.
• Get the direction and a goal to improve yourself and your relationships.

Counselling Children & Adolescents – ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE (Udemy) 

Understanding children and adolescents is a task in itself, and their counselling is different from that of adults. Practice counselling with children and teens with this Udemy-accredited certification course.

This free online counselling course covers the therapeutic frameworks that you can design as a counsellor for children and adolescents. They will acquire the skills to use the appropriate language and methods of speaking with this age group in order to cope with their mental health problems. Once you complete this course, you can start up your online or offline counselling settings to make a living.

What to expect from the course

• Understand how children and adolescents can be treated through different intervention methods.
• Learn about stress management, grief and pain management and conflict resolution for children to help them cope with their problems.
• Start your practice as a child /youth/teenager counsellor to have a side job and help people with it

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Practitioner Certificate (Udemy)

Over 131,000 students have completed this online cognitive behavioural therapy certification training and seen new and better career paths. With a rating of 4.6, it is the best-selling course in the international bestseller Kain Ramsay and Achology, the Academy for modern applied psychology.

You will learn the skills to help people deal with destructive chains of thought and find alternative growth options. In addition to helping others, you can also help yourself by becoming more self-conscious.

What to expect from the course

• Understand the techniques and practices used in CBT to become a certified therapist.
• Help people become goal-oriented and focus on improving their general mental wellbeing
• Enhance the skills of your understanding of people to influence the thought process of the people you help.
• Develop a deeper understanding of human needs and behaviours to improve relationships.
• Develop your practice as a cognitive behavioural therapist and earn a living in a society

Counselling Programs and Certifications (Coursera)

Coursera has compiled a list of over 25 free online counselling courses with a printable certificate that will give you the knowledge you need to begin a career in counselling on various aspects of health and disorders.

The courses are classified according to the level of difficulty, namely beginners, intermediate and advanced. Best options include an introduction to psychology, the morals of life, autism disorders, philosophy and science, schizophrenia, major population depression, an introduction to the genetics of human behaviour and how music can change your life.

What to expect from the course

• Understand problems and other related issues from the root and learn how to solve them.
• Research the principles of medicine and social science to prevent mental and behavioural disorders from occurring.
• All concepts are explained with appropriate demonstrations and examples.
• Try the tests that follow the modules to gauge your understanding of the topics covered.
• Discover best practices and benefit from expert advice in this area.
• Complete the graded assessments to receive the Certificate of Completion.

Psychology and Counselling (University of Oxford)

This prestigious institute presents a wide variety of theories, skills, and techniques that will help you understand the human mind and its functions. At the same time, you will receive a collective and individual assessment of our thought process.

In addition, the platform offers you the opportunity to take your studies to a higher level. Choose from Introduction to Existential Therapy, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Workplace Psychology, Philosophy and Psychiatry, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and more.

What to expect from the course

• The program elaborately covers every concept at a perfect pace.
• The lessons are short and therefore easy to follow.
• Many options are creditworthy.
• Learn through theory and skills and reflect on your learning to gain confidence.
• A range of resources and reading materials are suggested to complement the learning experience.
• Complete all coursework to earn credits and certifications.

Counselling Training & Courses Online (Udemy)

A thorough understanding of the school of thought and general mental health issues is essential if you are to become a good counsellor. Udemy gives you a number of options to help you become a general practitioner, relationship counsellor, or addiction counsellor.

Professional counselling, dialectical behaviour therapy, diploma, understanding of mental illness, psychology, relationships and child counselling are some of the best-selling trends on this platform.

What to expect from the course

• The courses are aimed at beginners, they do not require any prior knowledge in this area.
• The certification emphasizes the theoretical and practical approach and shows you how to deal with real situations.
• Lectures + downloadable resources + articles + lifetime access
• Registration is possible at an affordable price.

Counselling and Psychology Courses (Online Learning College)

The Online Learning Collge is a good platform to learn counselling techniques and understand the deep psychological workings of the brain. These free online counselling courses with printable certificate programs are great for those seeking a new counsellor qualification or for those looking for new skills in the complex science of psychology.

Explore the different levels of options in different sub-categories such as mental health, counselling, child psychology, criminal psychology, and cognitive behavioural therapy.

What to expect from the course

• A full guide to clearing any doubts will be provided for the duration of the course.
• Complex topics are broken down into simpler parts.
• Give your grey cells an extra boost with various exercises.
• Develop skills and information to understand your customers better.
• The emphasis on hands-on exercises using different tools and methods makes the course more interactive.

Counselling Skills Certificate Course (Beginner to Advanced) (Udemy) 

This is one of the free online counselling courses with a printable certificate that is a bestseller on Udemy with over 22,000 enrollments. Anyone who wants to get along better or wants to establish themselves as a consultant to help others in need can start with this basic training.

 With 45 hours of on-demand study material and over 250 downloadable resources and external links, you’re using up the knowledge needed to develop the skills needed to become a successful consultant. Not only can this course help you become a professional advisor, but it can also build your confidence and improve your relationships.

What to expect from the course

• Discover the theoretical and practical aspects of becoming a counsellor.
• Develop effective listening skills to improve your employees’ ability to help others through positive influence
• Be part of an exclusive online group with other like-minded consultants and solve their questions
• Adapt your study times to your current schedule by accessing MP3s of the course on the go
• Earn certification to start counselling and improve people’s lives.

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