Placements

Student placements

Please note that we are currently closed for training placement applications. However, we anticipate reopening applications later this summer, so please stay tuned for updates.

At the moment, we are accepting applications from qualified counsellors who have completed BACP, UKCP or BPC accredited training courses. SBC offers an excellent opportunity to join a supportive community of therapists and provides valuable assistance in accuring additional clinical hours.

 

Student placements are a vital part of every counselling or psychotherapy training and enable students to apply their knowledge and develop their skills safely under supervision.

Here, at South Bucks Counselling we have been offering student placement opportunities for many years. Our students come from a wide range of BACP, UKCP and BPC accredited integrative or psychodynamic trainings. We also have our own comfortable premises which are used solely for the purposes of counselling in the heart of High Wycombe, right next to the train station.

We provide free supervision in return for the hours which you give to us. You will be allocated to a weekly 1 ½ hour supervision group. Our supervision groups consist of a maximum of 4 participants and are facilitated by experienced psychoanalytic or integrative psychotherapists.

As you progress in your training, you will have the opportunity to develop your skills in clinical assessments and join other senior practitioners in the assessment team. Unlike many other counselling services, South Bucks Counselling is open for 51 weeks of the year. This will ensure that you are able to accrue your training hours to meet your course requirements.

Harleyford

This is what some of our training providers say

“At the Counselling Foundation we are very proud of our external partnerships with other organisations and their ability to support our students in placements with them. The relationship we have with South Bucks Counselling is no exception. It is testament to SBC that students who go there on placement continue with them when their training is finished. The students talk of exemplary supervision which is of high quality as evidenced in their ability to talk and reflect on their client work in the seminars. What is also highlighted for the Foundation is that the students are trained and supported in carrying out assessments. The students have a confidence about them in this regard and so they should. We are delighted with our partnership and wish to continue working with SBC long into the future.”

Our requirements for training placements

  • To be on a BACP, UKCP or BPC accredited integrative or psychodynamic training.
  • To see up to 4 clients each week and commit to attending weekly supervision.
  • To be in weekly personal therapy for the duration of your training.
  • To take your breaks when required however to not take breaks of more than 3 weeks at any one time.
  • Trainee Counsellor Agreement

 

What you can expect from SBC:
  • Free weekly group supervision.
  • Free Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities across the year, including:
  • Termly Reflective Practice Groups
  • Termly Clinical Discussion Forums
  • An annual CPD event
  • The opportunity to continue with SBC after qualification, with the potential for progression to our assessment team.
  • An invitation to SBCs Annual General Meeting (AGM).
  • Access to a comfortable, secure, and private workspace that complies with Health & Safety regulations.
  • Personal accident and professional indemnity insurance.
  • Comprehensive administrative, clinical, and IT inductions before starting, along with ongoing support from a dedicated and experienced management and clinical team.

Qualified counsellors

 

We offer honorary placements to qualified counsellors from BACP, UKCP, and BPC accredited training courses. If you’re looking to remain part of a supportive community of therapists, South Bucks Counselling provides a warm welcome. Many of our trainees choose to stay with us after qualification, continuing to accrue their hours toward professional accreditation. Additionally, we offer a contribution towards your supervision costs to support your ongoing development.

Harleyford

This is what some of our trainees say

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a trainee with SBC. As a low-cost fee-paying service based in the centre of High Wycombe, there is the opportunity to work with a highly diverse range of clients. This has been extremely valuable in terms of the breadth of my learning and is something not all placements can offer. Another huge benefit of a training placement with SBC is the paid for supervision groups. Run by an experienced supervisor, these groups are both a vital support network and a safe place to learn from each other's experiences. The more open and honest we are in the group, the richer and more in depth the learning has become. I would recommend a training placement at SBC to anyone.”
Oxford University, placement student

“I am very grateful to have had my placement at South Bucks Counselling. As a trainee, I have been well supported by my clinical leads, supervisors and colleagues. SBC has provided an environment for my confidence and skills as a counsellor to grow at a steady pace. I have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of clinical presentations and have benefited greatly from the experience. The team at SBC understand the anxieties that come with being a trainee and have given me the guidance and containment I needed on my path. I highly recommend SBC as a placement choice.”
Birkbeck placement student

“SBC was a great place to do my placement for The Counselling Foundation. I was fortunate to experience a varied caseload, excellent supervision and supportive colleagues. I was also able to work on the intake team which was a valuable learning experience. After my training finished, I chose to stay on at SBC to further my development as a counsellor, which was a great opportunity. Overall, being at SBC made a huge and very positive difference to my training experience.”
The Counselling Foundation placement student

“When starting my search for a placement, SBC came highly recommended from peers at my training institution. Instantly, I felt supported and nurtured; the provision of weekly group-supervision ensured a collaborative learning space, where insight from fellow trainees and experienced supervisors proved critical in honing my clinical practice. As a trainee, SBC has continually encouraged growth and autonomy, while providing the key foundations to develop my role as a counsellor. The frequent CPD opportunities and community-centred events has enhanced a real sense of belonging; this has been invaluable in bolstering my skills and confidence while in the initial stages of my clinical practitioner journey.”
Birkbeck placement student

“I found working at SBC through my training years an extremely valuable and enriching experience both through working with patients and the professional relationships that I formed with supervisors and colleagues which I am sure will last long.
 
I arrived at SBC with no prior clinical experience and I felt supported all throughout in a way that has been carefully tailored to my growth over the years. I particularly value the experience I gained in doing assessments, which is not a constant feature during trainings and yet I believe a very important stepping stone to reach before starting a career, being that in private practice or the NHS.”
The Society of Analytical Psychology placement student

Everyone who joins SBC, whether they are a trainee or already qualified, becomes an important member of our vibrant and reflective community. We will also ensure that you are fully prepared for starting your clinical work with us by offering an administration, IT and clinical induction. You will also receive ongoing support from your supervision group, supervisor and the clinical management team of SBC, as well as being invited to in-house training and CPD.

Next steps

Send an email to enquiries@southbuckscounselling.org expressing your interest and attaching your CV and personal statement. Please follow this link for guidelines for writing personal statements – Guidelines for writing a personal statement.

You will then be contacted by a member of the South Bucks Counselling clinical management team. If you are invited to an interview, it will be a 45-minute online interview. This will take place with the Clinical Director and Clinical Lead. This is an opportunity for us to find out about you, as well as a chance for you to get to know us and ask any questions that you might have.