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Counselling for Depression (CfD) general information

10325_cfd top banner.jpgWhat is Counselling for Depression (CfD)? 

Counselling for depression is a manualised form of psychological therapy as recommended by NICE (NICE, 2009) for the treatment of depression. It is based on a person-centred, experiential model and is particularly appropriate for people with persistent sub-threshold depressive symptoms or mild to moderate depression. Clinical trials have shown this type of counselling to be effective when 6 - 10 sessions are offered. However, it is recognised that in more complex cases which show benefit in the initial sessions, further improvement may be observed with additional sessions up to the maximum number suggested for other NICE recommended therapies such as CBT, that is, 20 sessions.

CfD training courses

CfD counsellor training is available to person-centred qualified and experienced counsellors. It consists of a five-day taught programme, followed by a period of supervised, assessed clinical work, during which a minimum of 80 hours of CfD client practice must be completed. Therapists wishing to train as CfD supervisors must have completed the CfD counsellor training successfully.

Official CfD training providers

BACP works in partnership with a number of Higher Education Institution (HEI) partners to deliver Counselling for Depression counsellor and supervisor training as CPD to the NHS. It is a Department of Health requirement that IAPT Hi-Intensity training is quality assured and monitored by the relevant professional body. BACP-approved CfD training providers are HEIs who's CfD training team has been inducted and trained according to BACP procedures.

BACP is working with the following CfD training providers and endorses the CfD training provided by them:

Colchester Institute

Keele University

Metanoia

University of Nottingham

York St John University

IAPT: accreditation of CfD training

CfD training availability

Trainig is only available where IAPT regions or local NHS organisations have commissioned training (it is not available privately). Training places are only available by nomination/invite. To find out about what training might be avaialble in your area, please contact your service manager, regional lead or IAPT Hi CfD as appropriate. If you are looking more information about CfD incuding curriculum and training materials, competences and commissioning guidance, please visit the IAPT webpages:  IAPT Hi CfD BACP is unable to answer general enquiries about how to become a CfD counsellor, access CfD training or whether your region will offer you training

Commissioning CfD training

If you would like to commission CfD CPD training for qualified counsellors or supervisors in your NHS region and are in a position to do so, please contact Allie Griffiths BACP's Project Manager for Courses & CPD. All CfD training providers are inducted and quality assured by BACP.