At present, the UK Therapy Guild counselling diploma is not BACP course accredited. BACP has confirmed its accreditation routes are changing, with new routes opening from February 2026. We will keep students updated as BACP publishes final requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Everything prospective students ask us about the Dual Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Clinical Hypnotherapy. If your question is not covered here, please get in touch or book a call with Nichola.
Accreditation and registers
Yes. The Certificate of Proficiency route is an entry route for BACP members who have not taken an accredited course and wish to join the BACP Register. Eligibility depends on BACP requirements at the time you apply.
SCoPEd is a sector framework that describes expected knowledge and capabilities at different levels of counselling and psychotherapy practice. As BACP aligns its membership routes with SCoPEd from February 2026, you may see clearer criteria and evidence requirements for each step. The safest approach is to check BACP requirements at the time you apply, as the final criteria may evolve.
UK Therapy Guild qualifications are accredited by recognised professional bodies including the NCIP (National Council of Integrative Psychotherapists), the ACCPH (Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists), and the GHSC (General Hypnotherapy Standards Council). Accreditation confirms that our curriculum meets the level expected of practitioners working at Level 5.
The Professional Standards Authority is accountable to the UK Parliament and runs the Accredited Registers programme for voluntary registers. A PSA-accredited register must meet additional public protection and governance expectations, making it a strong trust signal for clients. Accreditation status can change, so the safest way to verify current PSA Accredited Registers is via the PSA register search.
On completion of the Dual Diploma you are eligible to apply for:
- Registered membership of the NCIP.
- The BACP Proficiency Test, leading to BACP Registered Member status.
- The General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR), via your GHSC validated hypnotherapy diploma.
- The CNHC (Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council) for hypnotherapy, which is a PSA Accredited Register.
Each register sets its own application criteria, fees, and continuing professional development expectations. We recommend checking each body's website for current requirements.
The course
Two nationally recognised qualifications, awarded together over two years:
- Level 5 Diploma in Integrative Counselling, accredited by the NCIP and ACCPH.
- Level 5 Practitioner Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy, validated by the GHSC.
The Dual Diploma runs for two years part-time, one evening per week during term time. There are 370 guided learning hours in total, including 120 hours face to face. Most students allow additional time for independent study and reading alongside the taught sessions.
Teaching takes place on Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm at Our Lady's & St Swithin RC Primary School, Parkstile Lane, Croxteth, Liverpool, L11 0BQ. Sessions are mainly in person with some online teaching, designed to be interactive and practical.
The integrative curriculum covers Person Centred, Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis, CBT, Attachment Theory, Narrative Therapy, Grief Counselling, Family and Couples Counselling, NLP, and Clinical Hypnotherapy. The Counselling Diploma is delivered across 16 units and the Hypnotherapy Diploma across 18 units, 34 units in total.
Counselling: written and verbal assignments, case studies, and skills assessments including an audio-recorded session with written critique. Feedback is detailed and formative throughout.
Hypnotherapy: at least three case studies covering single and multi-session work, with ongoing observation of practical skills. Assessment is by your course tutor with independent sampling for moderation.
A minimum of 80% attendance is required across all scheduled teaching sessions for each module and for the overall programme. Falling below this may mean you are ineligible to submit assessments, progress to the next stage, or receive the final qualification. Where attendance is affected by genuine circumstances, please speak to Nichola as early as possible.
The course is led by Nichola Doyle, Founder and Course Director, an experienced integrative counsellor and hypnotherapist with a background in education. She is supported by Nick Buchanan, Course Supervisor, and Erin Rawlings Doyle, Administrator and teacher. All tutors remain in active practice alongside teaching.
Entry and suitability
No. Prior counselling training at Level 2 or 3 is not required. Comprehensive training is delivered within the Dual Diploma itself, building from foundational skills through to integrated practice. Students without prior experience may need to attend additional CPD sessions to reach Level 3 before progressing within the Level 5 programme. If you want to get a feel for the subject before committing, our free introductory course is a good place to start.
We assess each application on its own merits, looking at education, prior qualifications, relevant life experience, employment history, and your future goals as a practitioner. There is no rigid academic prerequisite. If shortlisted, you will be invited to a personal interview with Course Director Nichola Doyle. Not sure if you are ready to apply? Try our free introductory course to get a sense of the subject and how it feels to study with us.
We do not set an upper age limit. Many of our students come to counselling as a second career, drawing on rich life and professional experience. Applicants should be 19 or over at the point of starting the course.
Lived experience can be a real strength in counselling work. We ask about medical and psychological background as part of the eligibility enquiry so we can have a supportive conversation about readiness, not to screen people out. Decisions are made in conversation with you, with your wellbeing at the centre. If you are unsure whether counselling training is right for you at this point, you are welcome to complete our free introductory course to get a feel for the work before applying.
Yes. Counselling is a profession of trust and you will work with vulnerable people during placement. We ask all applicants to disclose criminal convictions on the eligibility enquiry. A previous conviction is not an automatic bar to training, but undisclosed convictions discovered later may be.
The Dual Diploma is delivered in person in Liverpool with some online teaching, so you will need to attend Saturday sessions at the Liverpool venue throughout the two years. We do not currently sponsor study visas. Applicants from overseas should ensure they have appropriate right to study in the UK before applying.
Placement and supervision
You need to complete 100 client hours of supervised counselling placement. For hypnotherapy, a minimum of 20 practice hours is strongly encouraged, which can often be gained within your existing counselling placement work.
Students are responsible for sourcing their own placement. We actively support you in finding one and can recommend providers that accept student counsellors, including Marie Curie, which offers student placements.
BACP guidance requires that at least 51% of your placement hours with adult clients are delivered in person. UK Therapy Guild Counselling Services offers virtual sessions only, so any hours completed through us count towards the remaining 49% at most. Availability through our service is also subject to client demand, so students should not rely on it as their primary placement source.
We will guide you through this process and help you identify the right placement for your developing specialisms.
Clinical supervision is mandatory from the moment you begin any client work. The minimum requirement is 1.5 hours of supervision per month and at least one hour of supervision for every eight hours of client work (12 supervision hours in total across placement).
At least 50% of your supervision hours must be individual one-to-one supervision. Group supervision of up to four peers counts at 50% towards your total. You must have a supervision contract in place before your first client session, and your chosen supervisor must be approved by the Guild before you begin.
UK Therapy Guild offers monthly group supervision from Year Two at a reduced cost to students.
Students who complete our free introductory course will receive a certificate of completion, which can be redeemed against one free supervision session. Terms and conditions apply: the free course must be completed before your diploma cohort begins and cannot be completed once you have started the programme; the free session is only available to students enrolled and training with UK Therapy Guild, it cannot be claimed if you qualified or are completing placement with another training provider; and all course fee payments must be up to date at the time of redemption.
Yes. Students must arrange student counsellor insurance before starting placement. A recommended provider is Holistic Insurance, which offers cover suitable for trainees on placement.
UK Therapy Guild operates under the BACP Ethical Framework and the Codes of Ethics of the NCIP, covering safeguarding, confidentiality, boundaries, data protection, and professional conduct. You will be expected to work within this ethical framework throughout your training, and ethics is taught and revisited across multiple units.
UK Therapy Guild Ltd is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR. Your data is processed lawfully, fairly, and securely, and is only used for the purposes set out in our privacy policy. Student records are retained for six years after the end of your training, in line with professional body and insurance requirements.
Fees and payment
Full course fee details are included in our prospectus, along with a breakdown of what is covered, what falls outside the fee, and the payment options available.
Want the full picture before applying? Request the prospectus and we will send it straight to you.
Course fees can be paid in full upon enrolment, or via a payment plan through Klarna. Full details of both options are set out in the offer letter you receive on acceptance. If you have questions about payment before applying, you are welcome to book a call with Nichola.
In addition to the course fee, you should budget for:
- Student counsellor insurance, required before placement begins.
- Clinical supervision costs beyond the sessions included within the course fee.
- DBS check.
- Personal therapy, if required by your professional body or supervisor.
- Professional body membership fees once you qualify.
- Recommended reading materials, though core texts are suggested rather than mandatory.
- Travel to the Liverpool venue.
In line with UK Consumer Contracts Regulations, you have a statutory right to cancel within 14 days of accepting your place, provided the course has not yet started and you have not accessed digital course materials.
Once the course has commenced, the full course fee remains payable regardless of whether you complete the programme. This applies whether you are paying in full or through a Klarna payment plan. Non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal.
In genuinely exceptional circumstances, such as serious illness, the Academy may consider alternative arrangements at its discretion. Full details are set out in our Enrolment, Fees and Refund Policy, which you will receive with your offer letter.
The Dual Diploma is a private professional qualification and does not currently fall under Student Finance England undergraduate loans. Some students fund their training through employer CPD support or career development grants. We recommend speaking to your employer about funding if relevant.
After you qualify
Graduates work in private practice, in voluntary and charitable sector roles, in EAP and workplace wellbeing services, in education settings, and within NHS Talking Therapies pathways once they meet relevant employer requirements. The Dual Diploma equips you to practise as both an integrative counsellor and a clinical hypnotherapist, giving you a broader scope than a single-modality qualification.
Yes. Qualified counsellors are welcome to continue with UK Therapy Guild Counselling Services after completing their training. You remain fully self-employed, practising under your own professional registration, with UKTG providing the infrastructure, software, and client referrals around you.
A grace period of one year is available after the planned course end date for students with outstanding requirements. In exceptional circumstances such as serious illness or bereavement, a one-time transfer to a future cohort may be considered, subject to availability and at the Director's discretion. We will always work with you to find a realistic path to completion.
Yes. A graduation evening is held on the final evening of the course, an opportunity to celebrate your achievements with peers and tutors and to mark your new status as a qualified counsellor and hypnotherapist.
Apply
The process has three stages:
- Complete the online eligibility enquiry, no payment is taken at this stage.
- If shortlisted, you will be invited to a personal interview with Course Director Nichola Doyle.
- If accepted, you will be invited to arrange payment and complete your enrolment documentation.
Suitability is assessed in relation to education, qualifications, relevant life experience, employment history, and future goals.
Start your eligibility enquiry using the application form, no payment is taken at this stage. If you would prefer to talk it through first, you are welcome to book a call with Nichola.