CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (TC-L4)
Training for CPCAB Level 4: Becoming a Professional Counsellor
If you’ve completed your CPCAB Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications, you’re likely already familiar with the power of counselling work—both in terms of personal growth and the impact it can have on others.
Stepping into CPCAB Level 4:
Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling is a bold and exciting move. It’s the point where theory becomes practice, and your identity as a professional counsellor truly begins to form.
What Is CPCAB Level 4?
The Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling is a two-year, vocational qualification that trains you to become a fully qualified, ethical, and competent counsellor.
It’s the final step before professional registration and independent practice, and it includes both academic learning and real-world client work.
This course is not just an extension of Level 3—it’s a leap into becoming a therapeutic practitioner.
Rooted in the core values of counselling—trust, diversity, growth, and compassion—this course is where your identity as a counsellor truly begins to take shape.
When you train at Level 4 with Aspire, you’ll benefit from:
Expert tutors who are practicing therapists with real-world experience
A nurturing, professional group environment that fosters deep personal and peer development
Practice-based learning that bridges advanced theory with real client work
Flexible study options to support your learning alongside life’s responsibilities
A strong commitment to ethical practice, inclusivity, and personal reflection
Our Level 4 trainees come from a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds—many are already working in helping professions like education, healthcare, and social care, while others are pursuing counselling as a new and meaningful career path.
At this stage, you’ll begin working with real clients through a supervised placement, developing your skills, confidence, and professional identity under expert guidance.
If you're ready to take the next step toward becoming a qualified counsellor, Aspire provides the structure, support, and inspiration to help you grow—both personally and professionally—every step of the way.
At its core, the Person-Centred model provides the foundation, emphasising empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence as essential conditions for growth.
This is complemented by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques, which focus on identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, offering clients practical tools for change.
Transactional Analysis (TA) adds further depth by exploring relational patterns and ego states, helping both counsellor and client understand recurring dynamics in communication and behaviour.
Finally, the Psychodynamic perspective introduces awareness of unconscious processes and the impact of early experiences, allowing for exploration of underlying patterns that influence present relationships.
Together, these modalities create a holistic framework, enabling counsellors to respond to the unique needs of each client with flexibility, depth, and a broad range of skills.
Advanced counselling skills and interventions
In-depth understanding of major therapeutic approaches
Mental health awareness and working with risk
Working within ethical frameworks and professional boundaries
Developing a counselling identity and theoretical model
Diversity, equality, and anti-oppressive practice
Supervision and reflective practice
Case studies, assessments, and client work
Most importantly, you’ll complete at least 100 hours of supervised counselling practice with real clients, usually through an approved placement.
What Makes Level 4 Challenging—and Rewarding
CPCAB Level 4 is a demanding course, both emotionally and academically. It requires:
Commitment to regular attendance, study, and placement work
Openness to personal development and emotional processing
Reflective journaling and in-depth written assignments
Working with supervision and receiving constructive feedback
Developing a professional mindset and therapeutic boundaries
But with that comes growth. Many students describe Level 4 as life-changing—not just for the skills gained, but for the insight, resilience, and purpose it brings.
&
Placement
Have completed CPCAB Level 2 and Level 3 (or equivalent qualifications)
Are ready to work with real clients in a structured placement
Want to become a registered counsellor with bodies like the BACP or NCPS
Feel passionate about supporting others through life’s challenges
Are committed to ongoing personal growth and professional development
The Importance of Placement
One of the core components of CPCAB Level 4 is your placement.
You’ll work with real clients under supervision in an agency or organisation.
This is where your learning comes alive—putting your skills into practice, dealing with ethical issues in real time, and gaining confidence as a developing practitioner.
Most training centres, like Aspire Counselling Academy, help you find and secure placement opportunities and support you throughout the process.
BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)
NCPS (National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society)
UKCP (if progressing to postgraduate level)
You can then begin working as a qualified counsellor in private practice, in agencies, schools, health services, or charities.
Final Thoughts
Training for CPCAB Level 4 is a serious commitment—but one that leads to meaningful, rewarding, and impactful work.
It’s not just about becoming a counsellor.
It’s about becoming a trusted, ethical, and compassionate professional in a world that deeply needs human connection.If you feel ready to take that step, the Level 4 Diploma is where you begin to turn your passion into practice—and your training into a career.
Testimonials
Courses
Level 4 - CLASSROOM BASED
Date: 11/9/25 @ 6pm Location Suite 2, Church Walk House, Basildon, SS14 1JG Price:£1950 (PER YEAR)
Level 4 - Evenings Course
Date: 22/1/26 (Thursdays) 6pm - 9:30pm + one Sunday a month online (daytime) Location Suite 2, Church Walk House, Basildon, SS14 1JG Price:£1950 (PER YEAR)
Level 4 - DAYTIME Course
Date: 21/1/26 (Wednesdays) 9am - 3:30pm + 2 Saturday workshops Location Suite 2, Church Walk House, Basildon, SS14 1JG Price:£1950 (PER YEAR)
Key Information for Level 4
Purpose of Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Successful completion of this course means you will be able to provide a therapeutic counselling service – initially within the context of an agency’s service framework but later (with experience and support from the supervisor, or by completing PC-L5 or its equivalent) may progress to independent practice.
This qualification meets all the requirements of SCoPEd Column A and provides candidates with a route to membership and accreditation with professional associations in counselling approved by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) e.g. BACP, NCPS, ACC.
Industry recognised qualification
This qualification has been given Recognised Professional Qualification status by the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and, subject to the Society’s Terms & Conditions, is a route onto a national register of counsellors which is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
This qualification is officially approved as a Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) by Skills England. HTQ status confirms that the TC-L4 meets nationally recognised, employer-defined occupational standards and prepares learners for skilled roles in the counselling profession. As an HTQ, it carries enhanced credibility with employers and supports learners progressing into professional practice or further study.
This qualification has been approved by BACP, meets the BACP Counselling Skills Competence Framework, and allows graduates to sit the BACP Certificate of ProficiencyThe qualification is formally recognised by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) as meeting their standards
Entry requirements
Qualification information
500/8088/X
Qualification Structure7 mandatory units:
- Working ethically, safely and professionally as a counsellor (R/600/9346)
- Working within a counselling relationship (T/600/9355)
- Working with client diversity in counselling work (J/600/9358)
- Working within a user-centred approach to counselling (F/600/9472)
- Working with self-awareness in the counselling process (H/600/9478)
- Working within a coherent framework of counselling theory and skills (K/600/9482)
- Working self-reflectively as a counsellor (F/600/9486)
420 hours (minimum)
Total Qualification Time:
1204 hours
Credit value;
120
Minimum age:
19 years
Progression
- Level 5 Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
- Level 5 Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic Skills & Theory
- Level 5 Diploma in Counselling Children & Young People
- Level 5 Diploma in working with Suicide & Suicidal Ideation
- Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision
- Open University Foundation Degree in Counselling
Course Payments
Level 4 course fee is £1950 (PER YEAR)
This includes all CPCAB registration fees
Initial deposit of £400
followed by monthly payments of £155 (x 10 payments)
Payable by monthly invoice or bank transfer
application forms
Application Form for ONLINE courses
Please download our application form to register your interest in enrolling onto one of our online courses. Please email completed application form to: Courses@Aspirecounsellingacademy.co.uk
Application form for CLASSROOM course
Please download this form if you are applying to learn one of our courses through being in the classroom (in person learning) based at Arnhem House, Bentalls, Basildon, SS14 3BX Please email completed application form to: Courses@Aspirecounsellingacademy.co.uk
Suggested Reading list
Core & Integrative Counselling books
Suggested Reading
The following texts are recommended to support your learning, but they are not essential. You may find some especially useful depending on your preferred way of learning or areas you want to explore further.
Person-Centred Counselling in Action (Counselling in Action series)
Mearns, D., & Thorne, B. (2013)
Amazon link : https://amzn.eu/d/hIxxdRO
An Introduction to Counselling (6th ed.). Open University Press.
McLeod, J. (2018)
Amazon link : https://amzn.eu/d/cRUiey0
Learning and Being in Person-Centred Counselling. PCCS Books.
Merry, T. (2014)
Amazon Link: https://amzn.eu/d/hP4Bl6g
Skills & Practice
Skills & Practice
Suggested Reading
The following texts are recommended to support your learning, but they are not essential. You may find some especially useful depending on your preferred way of learning or areas you want to explore further.
Practical Counselling and Helping Skills: Text and Activities for the Lifeskills Counselling Model (5th ed.). Sage.
Nelson-Jones, R. (2014)
This is one of the team member slots you can have for your company. You can replace their picture and add any text you want here for describing your employees.
Basic Personal Counselling: A Training Manual for Counsellors (9th ed.). Cengage.
Geldard, K., & Geldard, D. (2019)
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Person Centred
Person Centred Books
Suggested Reading
The following texts are recommended to support your learning, but they are not essential. You may find some especially useful depending on your preferred way of learning or areas you want to explore further.
On Becoming a Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy. Constable.
Rogers, C. (2004)
Amazon Link: https://amzn.eu/d/fYl95mY
Person-Centred Therapy: 100 Key Points. Routledge.
Wilkins, P. (2016)
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Suggested Reading
The following texts are recommended to support your learning, but they are not essential. You may find some especially useful depending on your preferred way of learning or areas you want to explore further.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Basics and Beyond (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
Beck, J. S. (2021)
Amazon Link: https://amzn.eu/d/gPreoKO
An Introduction to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Skills and Applications (3rd ed.). Sage.
Kennerley, H., Kirk, J., & Westbrook, D. (2017)
This is one of the team member slots you can have for your company. You can replace their picture and add any text you want here for describing your employees.
Transactional Analysis (TA)
Transactional Analysis (TA)
Suggested Reading
The following texts are recommended to support your learning, but they are not essential. You may find some especially useful depending on your preferred way of learning or areas you want to explore further.
TA Today: A New Introduction to Transactional Analysis (2nd ed.). Lifespace Publishing.
Stewart, I., & Joines, V. (2012)
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Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy: An Integrated Approach. Routledge.
Clarkson, P. (1992)
Amazon Link: https://amzn.eu/d/eqtSxuy
Psychodynamic
Psychodynamic
Suggested Reading
The following texts are recommended to support your learning, but they are not essential. You may find some especially useful depending on your preferred way of learning or areas you want to explore further.
The Presenting Past: The Core of Psychodynamic Counselling and Therapy (4th ed.). Open University Press.
Jacobs, M. (2012)
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Counselling Skills: A Practical Guide for Counsellors and Helping Professionals. Open University Press. (includes psychodynamic insights in accessible form)
McLeod, J., & McLeod, J. (2011)
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