Humanistic Counselling

Humanistic counselling is an approach to therapeutic practice grounded in the belief that each person has an inherent capacity for growth and self-understanding, and that the role of the therapist is to create the relational conditions that allow that capacity to develop. Drawing on the traditions of person-centred therapy, existential therapy, and Gestalt, humanistic approaches emphasise the therapeutic relationship, the subjective experience of the client, and the importance of the whole person rather than just symptoms or behaviour patterns.

At Portsmouth this two-year DipHE programme is designed for students who already have a background in counselling or psychology and a level 3 counselling qualification. It develops the practical knowledge, interpersonal skills, and theoretical understanding needed to pursue a career as a humanistic therapist. You will deepen your knowledge of the major humanistic theories and their application in practice, develop your skills in therapeutic relationship and intervention through supervised client work, and engage with the ethical, professional, and personal dimensions of counselling practice.

The programme includes a year abroad, providing an international perspective on humanistic approaches to therapy and counselling practice.

Graduates are prepared to work as humanistic therapists in counselling services, NHS mental health settings, employee assistance programmes, voluntary sector organisations, educational settings, and private practice. The humanistic tradition is widely respected within the broader counselling and psychotherapy profession, and graduates who want to develop further can pursue additional qualifications to achieve full professional registration with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy or equivalent bodies. Many graduates also continue to degree-level and postgraduate study in counselling or psychotherapy.