DPsych in Existential Phenomenological Counselling Psychology Regent's University London

The DPsych programme aims to develop counselling psychologists who meet British Psychological Society (BPS) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards of competency.

Our training is rooted in existential phenomenological philosophy and its application to clinical practice.

This highlights the nature of counselling psychology as a field that emphasises subjective/lived experience, dialogue, and a holistic/relational view of human nature and psychological difficulties.

This programme is validated by the Open University, UK. More information about the Open University validation.

Key skills, aims and objectives

• Be competent, reflective, ethically sound, resourceful and informed practitioners, able to work in therapeutic and non-therapeutic contexts
• Value the imaginative, interpretative, personal and intimate aspects of the practice of counselling psychology
• Commit to ongoing personal and professional development and enquiry
• Understand, develop and apply models of psychological inquiry for the creation of new knowledge which is appropriate to the multi-dimensional nature of relationships between people
• Appreciate the significance of the wider social, cultural and political domains within which counselling psychology operates
• Adopt a questioning and evaluative approach to the philosophy, practice, research and theory which constitutes counselling psychology

Completion of this course will enable you to apply for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society (CPsychol) and full membership of the Division of Counselling Psychology (DCoP), and to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Counselling Psychologist.

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Entry requirements

In accordance with BPS and HPC admissions criteria, we require a minimum of a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree in psychology*, a Certificate in Psychotherapy & Counselling of a minimum of 120 hours**, and a minimum of six months’ face-to-face counselling work. We also require Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS guidelines).*** Applicants are required to have the capacity to undertake doctorate level research and to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills and self-reflective capacities. Other international qualifications, as recommended by the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) will also be accepted. For those applicants whose mother tongue is not English, we also require evidence of English language proficiency. Please refer to our website for further details. Please note: applicants will be expected to attend an interview day before an unconditional offer can be made. *In exceptional circumstances, such as for individuals with extensive clinical experience, or who hold a Master’s or PhD degree, we will consider a 2:2 award. ** It is desirable to have completed RUL’s Certificate in Psychotherapy & Counselling. *** GBC was previously referred to as GBR (Graduate Basis for Registration). Both will be accepted as proof of appropriate prior training.