CPCAB Accredited Level 5 Diploma in Working with Suicide & Suicidal Ideation (TM5D/AO)

Advancing Your Practice: Training for CPCAB Level 5 
 
  • Online course & live lessons
  • Industry recognised qualification
  • Taught by counsellors
If you’re a qualified counsellor looking to deepen your practice and expand your therapeutic toolkit, the CPCAB Level 5 Diploma in Working with Suicide & Suicidial Ideation offers an exciting opportunity for growth.

This specialist qualification gives you the skills and confidence to  understand and work with clients presenting with Suicidal Ideation to those who are suicidal. —enhancing your effectiveness and expanding the ways you can support clients.

Why Train With Aspire
At Aspire Counselling Academy, our Level 5 Working with Suicide & Suicidal Ideation offers more than a professional development course - It's a deeply empowering step forward in your counselling career.

Rooted in the values of trust, growth, inclusion, and evidence - informed practice, this training prepares you to navigate one of the most challenging areas of mental health with skill, confidence and compassion. 

You’ll benefit from:
  • Expert tutors who are experienced CBT and integrative practitioners
  • A supportive, reflective learning environment
  • Skills-based training in suicide risk assessment, safety planning, and therapeutic interventions
  • A strong emphasis on ethics, diversity, and trauma-informed care

This qualification is designed for qualified counsellors—many of whom are already working in private practice, education, the NHS, or voluntary sectors—who want to extend their therapeutic reach into crisis-focused work. You’ll develop specialist competencies to support clients facing suicidal ideation, trauma, anxiety, low self-worth, and complex life challenges, using evidence-based, compassionate, and client-centred interventions.
Whether you’re aiming to deepen your current practice, meet growing service needs, or step into a new direction with clarity and care, Level 5 training with Aspire offers the credibility, capability, and confidence to support those in greatest need—while continuing to grow as an ethical, resilient practitioner.
 

What Is the CPCAB Level 5 Diploma?

The Level 5 Diploma is designed for qualified counsellors who want to gain a deeper understanding of working with suicide and suicidal ideation and how it can be applied in a variety of settings. The course focuses on the skills, theory, and structured approach —while still encouraging an integrative mindset grounded in the relational core of counselling. It’s not about becoming a rigid technician—it’s about becoming a more adaptable, evidence-informed, and ethically grounded practitioner.

 

What You’ll Learn

The CPCAB Level 5 Diploma blends theory with practical application to prepare you for effective, ethical suicide-focused counselling. Key learning areas include: Ethical frameworks, safeguarding, and confidentiality in crisis work Suicide risk assessment, safety planning, and inter-agency collaboration Working with anxiety, depression, trauma, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation Diversity, inclusion, and the impact of identity on risk and resilience Creative and experiential tools for emotional expression and relational repair Reflective practice, supervision, and therapist self-care You’ll apply learning through skills practice, case studies, supervision, and personal reflection, ensuring your growth as a practitioner is both grounded and supported.

 

What to Expect from the Course

At Aspire Counselling Academy, the Level 5 Diploma in Working with Suicide and Suicidal Ideation is delivered with a balance of professional depth and emotional support. This training offers a powerful opportunity to grow as a counsellor—both clinically and personally. You’ll engage in: Interactive classroom or blended learning, exploring theory, ethics, and practice Specialist skills development in suicide risk assessment, safety planning, and therapeutic interventions Supervised casework, supporting clients at risk with appropriate clinical and ethical oversight Reflective journals and written assignments to deepen your self-awareness and theoretical integration Supportive peer learning, experiential exercises, and space to process emotional impact This course not only builds your ability to work safely and effectively with suicide-related issues—it often reignites passion, purpose, and confidence in your role as a counsellor.

Who Is It For? 
This course is ideal if you're a:

Qualified counsellor (minimum Level 4 Diploma or equivalent)
Therapist looking to expand your skills in working with suicide, trauma, and complex client presentations
Practitioner wanting to integrate structured CBT tools into your relational work
Counsellor working in or preparing for roles in private practice, schools, the NHS, or voluntary sectors
Clinician drawn to trauma-informed, ethical, and inclusive approaches

Whether you’re newly qualified or experienced, this Level 5 training will deepen your confidence and competence in high-risk, high-impact client work.
Why This Training Is Important for Counsellors
Suicide and suicidal ideation affect people from all walks of life—and as counsellors, we are increasingly likely to encounter clients in deep emotional crisis. Yet many practitioners feel underprepared when it comes to managing suicide risk safely, ethically, and effectively.

This training provides the specialist skills, ethical grounding, and emotional resilience required to work with one of the most sensitive areas of mental health. It enables counsellors to:

  • Recognise and assess suicide risk with clarity and clinical confidence
  • Navigate complex ethical decisions, including safeguarding and confidentiality
  • Build strong therapeutic relationships that foster trust, hope, and safety
  • Collaborate across services to provide joined-up support for high-risk clients
  • Respond with cultural competence, empathy, and awareness of systemic factors

More than just technique, this training supports counsellors in managing their own emotional responses and boundaries, promoting reflective practice, supervision, and self-care.
For counsellors committed to inclusive, ethical, and responsive practice, this Level 5 course is an essential step towards safer, deeper, and more effective work with clients at risk of suicide.
The CPCAB Level 5 Diploma isn’t just about gaining new tools—it’s about transforming your practice. 
You’ll learn how to support clients in crisis using structured, evidence-based approaches, while still honouring the relational depth and human connection at the heart of therapeutic work. If you’re ready to take the next step, this training can open doors to more specialised client work, increased confidence, and new career opportunities—all while helping you make a lasting impact in one of the most important areas of mental health support.

course information

Level 5 Working with Suicide & Suicidal Ideation - ONLINE

Date: 18/4/26 Location ONLINE Saturdays 2:30pm - 8 pm ( includes breaks) course is over 26 weeks - term time only

Price: 2800
Apply Now  

Level 5 Working with Suicide & Suicidal Ideation - ONLINE

Date: 18/9/26 Location ONLINE Friday evenings 6pm - 10pm course is over 31 weeks - term time only

Price: 2800
Apply Now  

key information for level 5 working with suicide & suicidal ideation

This qualification is designed for qualified counsellors who want to integrate CBT theory and skills into their practice, with a specific focus on working with suicidal ideation and crisis support. It enhances professional confidence, clinical competence, and employability—particularly in settings where evidence-based approaches like CBT are prioritised, such as the NHS, IAPT services, schools, and private practice. The course offers a robust, ethical foundation for counsellors supporting clients at risk, aligning with NICE guidelines and multidisciplinary team expectations.

Qualified counsellors (minimum CPCAB Level 4
Diploma or equivalent)
● Minimum age: 21+
● Must be emotionally stable and able to engage in
emotionally demanding experiential work
● Actively seeking or currently engaged in client
work

Guided Learning Hours:
143 hours
Total Qualification Time:
388 hours
Credit value:
39
Minimum age:
21 years

1Foundations of Suicide Work
2Understanding Suicide and Suicidal Ideation
3Assessment and Initial Response to Suicide Risk
4Responding to Suicide Risk
5Safety Planning and Collaborative Support
6Crisis Intervention and Immediate Risk Management
7Safeguarding, Confidentiality, and Ethical Responsibility
8Working with Complexity and Uncertainty in Suicide Work
9Developing Case Understanding and Formulation
10Understanding Psychological Processes in Suicide Work
11Trauma, Loss, and Early Experience in Suicide Work
12Working with Suicide Bereavement and Families
13Culture, Identity, and Diversity in Suicide Work
14Ethics, Organisations, and Professional Contexts
15Assisted Dying and Ethical Complexity
16Deepening the Therapeutic Relationship
17Relational Rupture in Therapy
18Repairing the Therapeutic Relationship
19Systems, Community, Social Context & Working with Survivors of Suicide
20Assessment, Risk Levels, and Escalation in Practice
21Integration of Learning and Practice Development
22Working with Complex and High-Risk Cases
23Case Presentation and Reflective Practice
24Supervision, Support, and Professional Accountability
25Continuing Professional Development and Ethical Practice
26Endings, Transitions, and Working Towards Closure
27Sustaining Practice – Resilience, Burnout, and Longevity
28Readiness for Practice and Professional Identity
29Review of Learning and Portfolio Development
30Final Integration and Assessment Support
31Closure, Evaluation, and Next Steps
All course can be paid in full or by monthly payments

ONLINE COURSE
Level 5 course fee is £2800
This includes all CPCAB registration fees
Initial deposit of £400
followed by monthly payments of £400 (x 6 payments)

Payable by monthly invoice or bank transfer