Susan Fenny

I am so glad I chose to train at CTTM.  The training has been robust and well thought out.  I have felt appropriately challenged, yet well supported at all stages of my training.  As well as excellent teaching sessions, the course includes a great deal of personal development and the resulting change in my self-awareness has been enormous.  I began the course wanting to become a counsellor and as I reach the end of my training, I realise how much I have developed as a person too. 

Anita Day

I remember when I first signed up for the entry level 2 course and meeting the tutor.  The place had an indescribable warmth to it, didn’t feel like a stale, cold, grey lecture hall for ‘intellectuals’.  One of the things I learnt about myself on this journey is that I am actually one of those intellectuals I despised in my earlier years.  I never used to think of myself as smart but through the course all my definitions of words I thought I knew, and in particular how they relate to me has forever changed.

The training is comprised of a rough equal mix of experiential and theoretical with a dash of personal development that continues when the class is not in session.  One of the things I felt surprising when I first came on the course was the trust given to us as students to learn and to develop.  The message is: you are here if you want to be and the effort you put into it is your choice.  You have to be willing to engage with the theory, trust in it, so that when you are with clients you aren’t trying to pull out rabbits from a hat like a magic trick.  If you trust in the theory and in the client’s own autonomy, that’s where the magic really happens.

I never expected to gain so much from the centre than I have when I first signed up.  I thought it was a comforting place that would help me to relate to clients.  I never expected to learn so much about myself on this journey.  It’s like a plane ride to a holiday destination, by signing up you are boarding the plane, getting used to the surroundings and people around you.  Once you buckle your seatbelt and lift off anything can happen, and it generally does.  Your meal might taste great and the film selection superb, you might fall asleep on the plane or have a really great chat with a stranger.  You might be annoyed at a nearby crying baby, or the lack of leg-room.  You will at times hit turbulence but by landing time the excitement of arriving is truly magical.  

Thinking back to that first time I met my tutor and saw the centre, I am glad I chose CTTM instead of a more institutionalised training centre.  I really don’t think I would have gained so much knowledge about myself and others and I don’t think I’d be the counsellor or the person I am today.

Rachel Dyer

As a student I’ve found teaching sessions at CTTM to be informative, creative, growthful and fun!  Teaching incorporates a comprehensive academic grounding in the person-centred approach as well as considerable opportunity to practice counselling through regular practice groups.  Furthermore, the centre also encourages students to consider issues around their self-awareness which enables greater personal growth and resilience.  I’ve found the tutors to be warm, approachable and nurturing, but also serious about what they do.  Their tentative, gentle encouragements have enabled me to develop myself, not just in my counselling work, but as a person too.  

Although CTTM focuses solely on the person-centred approach, the Level Three course provides information on other therapeutic modalities, enabling students to make an informed choice before they commit to professional training.   In addition, the centre’s location is conveniently placed and its facilities are comfortable and conducive to professional training.   

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at the centre and will be sad to leave. I’ve learnt so much, not just about counselling but about myself as well, and have made some great friends.  If you are serious about training as a person-centred counsellor, I would most earnestly recommend CTTM.  And I guarantee you, your life will never be the same again!

Helen Muniappa 

I completed Level 2, 3 and L4 two-year diploma at CTTM. I think the training offered is in depth and to high standards. The classes are small compared with other training providers, which means the tutors are supportive of each individual on a personal level.

This was my second attempt on Level 4; unfortunately, my personal past experiences haunted me all the way through and I know this is what made it especially difficult for me. Doubting myself, my capabilities and feeling like I would never be good enough to achieve my certificate. At one point, I thought about leaving the course, without the support I received from my tutors I do not think I would have qualified!

I think CTTM teaches high standards and ethics to work safely with clients. With emphasis on ethical practice, self-care and supervision. The tutors are able to adapting lessons to individual students learning needs rather than sticking to an agenda, I found this particularly helpful when I struggled to understand specific topics.

The way they design their teaching programme is exceptional, it is aimed at providing the best possible learning experience to prepare for client work, theoretically, practically and personally. If you experience difficulties on the course, you can share your concerns with the tutors for support.

CTTM is a recognised college providing high standards of teaching, and I would highly recommend them to anyone who chose to train to become a counsellor.

For me, in a good and not so good way self-awareness exercises were enlightening, discovering things about myself, I was unaware existed, part of my learning process to prepare for client work. In my daily life, I am able to empathise and be non-judgemental; this has positively enhanced my personal relationships.

Gillian Stuart

I am a current student studying for my Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. I found CTTM quite by accident and I’m so glad I did. 

The quality of training has been excellent, with the tutors being keen to emphasise the need for academic standards alongside the personal development that is required to become a person-centred counsellor. 

If I’m honest I expected a qualification from this course that allowed me to practice as a counsellor; what I got was so much more. 

If you want to study the basics and get a certificate without having your outlook on life challenged and be encouraged to wrestle with theory and its application, then don’t study here. 

Counselling Training the Midlands has provided me with training that has more than equipped me for client work and given me the skills to continue developing through my counselling career. 

I would recommend this training centre to anyone who is interested in counselling as a career, it will not be easy, but it will be worth it, and you will be given all the support and encouragement you need.