Counselling is skilled listening: helping people make sense of grief, anxiety and stuck places by sitting with them, not fixing them. It rewards life experience, so many people come to it in their thirties, forties or later, training part time while they earn elsewhere. Be clear eyed: qualifying takes years, placements are often unpaid, and the work asks a lot of you emotionally. It repays with depth, real usefulness and steady demand from schools, charities, the NHS and private practice.
A counselling day is a rhythm of sessions, about an hour at a time, with space between to write notes and reset. In training, your week mixes classes, practice sessions and a placement, plus your own supervision. Some clients arrive in crisis, most arrive stuck. You end tired in a particular, worthwhile way.
Notes, scheduling and the admin around a practice are increasingly handled by AI tools, and theory is easier to revise with one beside you. What can never be delegated is the relationship: presence, deep listening and the trust built in the room.
There are no formal entry qualifications, but relevant experience is necessary, and most employers expect you to hold or be working towards a counselling diploma or professional accreditation. A DBS check is likely.
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Youth worker · Family / community support worker