Hi All

Anyone know of a good Psychology/councelling course that is run in English? Happy with distance learning!

Thanks for all suggestions.
Ali

No personal recommendations, but the Swiss National Association for Counselling might be able to help... there is a section with information about 'training' on their website.

And please don't take this the wrong way... but it's counselling. With an 's'. Might help you in future web searches.

Having said that, from experience (as a patient) you might find it better to study to be a registered psychologist. I say this because I know that my health insurance won't reimburse visits to a counsellor, and also that my psychiatrist refused to consider working with a counsellor (suggested by another member of staff at the hospital) because she (the counsellor in question) lacked some kind of accreditation (not that I could afford the private rates in any case...). So you might find it hard to make a living as a counsellor, because you would be depending on clients who had enough money to afford to see you privately, and who also (possibly) were not seeing other mental health professionals. Although I would hope the above association might be able to advise you on the question of accreditation.

On the other hand, psychologists here work under a psychiatrist, either in a private practice or in a hospital setting (with inpatients and outpatients), and their fees are reimbursed by health insurance (at least the hospital variety are, and I've never heard that the private practice variety aren't). So you would either be being paid by the hospital, or as part of a private practice. Which might be a more... stable option, financially.

The downside is that I would imagine a psychologist would have to have a good grasp of one of the national languages to work in either of those sectors. Certainly all those I have come into contact with (quite a few) have worked only in French. The fact that I can't seem to find any information on any kind of psychologists' association in English would seem to suggest that too...

Hope that helps.

Webster Uni does Masters, and I think undergrad, as well, in English, in Geneva. Counseling as one of the majors, just saw them at Expat Expo today. I won't link them to not advertise them here, but have a look yourself at their programs.

No matter what the counselling approach, I would strongly advise you not to do any distance courses. In fact, I imagine your pickings are scarce. Counselling isn't something that can be learned independently. Theory is nothing without practical applications. You need to do role plays as well as learn about yourself while challenging your own interactions with people.

Oops.... should I not have posted the link above? Is that against the new T&C?

Nooo, that's totally fine, you were being very helpful. I just didn't want to have Webster freeload on advertising here. But they do have programs in Counseling, and in English.

The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors http://www.aipc.net.au/
offers distance learning courses. I was initially very skeptical about the authenticity and quality. However, upon checking with some friends based in Australia, I was advised that they are quite genuine. And much, much cheaper.

Thanks very much everyone! Very helpful.

I think it depends on the health insurance.

Mine reimburses psychologists only up to a certain amount/yr, think it is 800 CHF. Which adminttedly is nice but f you are having therapy, will not get you too far as it will cover less than 6 sessions.

With a doc prescription it may be different.

Psychiatrists are of course reimbursed as they are doctors and as such fall under the general coverage.

Cheers,
K

This guy might help you,

http://www.englishforum.ch/jobs-want...-programs.html

That's interesting to know... all my therapy has been group therapy through the hospital, my psychiatrist referred me and then I was assessed for my 'suitability' for the therapy group.

They then had a system whereby the two or three psychologists running the therapy would divide the total amount of time spent on the group (including marking our 'homework') between the number of attendees that week.

And when the first group diminished from 12 to 2 attendees (yes, 10 drop outs), they cut back to just one psychologist per session to save the remaining two of us money.

Never had a problem with insurance paying up for any of it.