What Comes After CPCAB Level 2? A Guide to CPCAB Level 3 Counselling Studies
Completing a CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills can feel like a significant step. You may have developed new listening skills, become more aware of yourself and others, and started to understand just how much there is to learn about counselling.
For many learners, it also raises a new question:
What comes next?
If you are considering continuing your counselling training, CPCAB Level 3 Counselling Studies is usually the next stage on the CPCAB counselling training pathway.
At South West School of Counselling, we often speak to learners who are unsure about the difference between Level 2 and Level 3, whether they are ready to progress, and what Level 3 actually involves.
Here is what you need to know.
What Is CPCAB Level 3 Counselling Studies?
The CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies (CST-L3) builds on the foundations developed during Level 2.
Level 2 introduces counselling skills and gives learners opportunities to practise using those skills within appropriate helping relationships.
At Level 3, the learning begins to deepen.
You explore counselling theory in greater detail, develop your understanding of the counselling relationship and continue to examine how your own experiences, values and ways of relating can influence your work with others.
It is an important stage between learning counselling skills and progressing towards training to become a professional counsellor.
How Is CPCAB Level 3 Different From Level 2?
One of the biggest differences is depth.
At Level 2, you are beginning to explore areas such as listening skills, empathy, boundaries, ethics, self-awareness and helping relationships.
Level 3 develops these areas further.
You begin to think more deeply about why people behave, feel and relate in the ways they do, while developing your ability to connect counselling theory with your practical skills and personal development.
There is also a greater emphasis on reflective learning.
Rather than simply asking:
“What did I do?”
you increasingly begin asking:
“Why did I respond that way?”
“What was happening within the relationship?”
“What does counselling theory help me understand about this?”
That deeper curiosity is an important part of developing as a counselling learner.
Do I Need Level 3 to Become a Counsellor?
If your aim is to progress through the CPCAB counselling training pathway towards professional counsellor training, Level 3 is an important next stage.
A typical progression route is:
CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
↓
CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
↓
CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Level 3 itself does not qualify you to practise as a counsellor.
Instead, it helps prepare you for the greater academic, personal and practical demands of practitioner-level training.
What Will I Learn at CPCAB Level 3?
Level 3 allows you to explore counselling at a much deeper level.
Your learning may include counselling theory, ethical practice, diversity, the counselling relationship, self-awareness and personal development, while continuing to develop your practical counselling skills.
An important part of the course is beginning to connect these different areas.
For example, rather than learning a counselling theory simply so that you can describe it, you begin exploring how theory might help you understand a person's experience and inform the way you relate to them.
This movement between theory, skills and self-awareness is an important preparation for further counselling training.
Is Level 3 Only for People Who Want to Become Counsellors?
No.
Some learners progress to Level 3 because they intend eventually to train as counsellors, but the course can also be valuable for people working in roles where relationships and communication are important.
This might include people working within education, healthcare, social care, support work, advocacy or other helping professions.
The skills and self-awareness developed through counselling training can influence much more than counselling practice.
Am I Ready for CPCAB Level 3?
Feeling completely confident isn't a requirement for progressing.
In fact, moving from Level 2 to Level 3 often comes with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty.
It may be the right next step if you found yourself becoming increasingly curious during Level 2 — not only about counselling skills, but about people, relationships, theory and yourself.
Being willing to reflect, receive feedback, participate in skills practice and explore your own development is an important part of Level 3 learning.
Choosing a CPCAB Level 3 Course
When choosing where to study, consider more than simply the qualification itself.
Think about the learning environment you need.
You may want to consider the experience and support offered by tutors, opportunities for skills practice, course format, class environment and whether the course provides a clear progression route for your longer-term plans.
At South West School of Counselling, our aim is to provide a supportive learning environment in which learners can develop their knowledge, counselling skills and self-awareness together.
We offer CPCAB Level 3 Counselling Studies courses online and in Dorset, with progression opportunities for learners who wish to continue their counselling training.
From Learning Counselling Skills to Understanding Counselling
Level 2 can introduce you to a very different way of listening.
Level 3 asks you to become curious about what sits underneath what you hear.
For many learners, this is where counselling training begins to feel deeper.
You are no longer only developing techniques. You are developing your understanding of relationships, theory and yourself — and beginning to consider what it might really mean to become a counsellor.
Ready for Your Next Step?
If you have completed CPCAB Level 2 and are considering continuing your training, explore our CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies courses.
Courses are available online and in Dorset, with flexible payment options available.
Explore CPCAB Level 3 Counselling Studies at South West School of Counselling.