Short Campus-Based Counselling Course
INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN CARE AND COUNSELLING (ICCC)
A 5-day introduction to Christian care and counselling, designed to help you develop counselling skills for ministry, pastoral care, or everyday life.
| Dates | Apply By | |
|---|---|---|
| 26–30 October 2026 | 12 October 2026 | Apply Now |
- No prior counselling experience required
- Develop practical listening and helping skills in just 5 days
- Explore whether counselling training is right for you
- Grounded in a Christian understanding of care and relationships
- Ideal for ministry, pastoral care, or everyday life
| Mode | Length | Timing | Cost | Entry Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farnham | 5 days | Mon–Fri 10.30am–8pm Tuesday-Thursday 9:30am-8pm Friday 9:15am-1pm | £395 | None |
Key Features
Start with no prior experience
This course is open to anyone, with no previous counselling training required—making it an accessible first step into the field.
Learn practical listening skills
Develop core skills for supporting others, including attentive listening, understanding people’s experiences, and responding with care and clarity.
Explore Christian care and counselling
Engage with a biblical perspective on care, alongside practical approaches to helping others navigate life’s challenges.
Apply it immediately in everyday life
Whether in ministry, leadership, or personal relationships, the skills you learn can be used straight away to support others more effectively.
It is so good just to be surrounded with people that are open and honest and wanting to learn about themselves. It’s so important in so many jobs to be able to communicate; to talk well to people and be able to listen.
Riana
Course Description
Course Overview
This 5-day course introduces the foundations of Christian care and counselling, helping you develop practical counselling and listening skills. This course is also a great stepping stone to explore whether further training is right for you.
Course Content
Ideal for anyone who is:
thinking about full counselling training
wanting basic training for pastoral care
looking to help people in everyday life
leading a small group
in part-time or full-time Christian ministry
Most people need help at times as they journey through life. A sympathetic listening ear is always appreciated, but sometimes people need more. This course helps equip you to play a part in the lives of those who are struggling, enabling them to move forward and grow into what God has for them.
This course is reflective, interactive and personal, using practical methods and theory. You’ll learn how to understand yourself and others better from a Christian perspective.
Through skills practice and group learning, you will begin to develop confidence in listening well, responding appropriately, and recognising when someone may need additional support. The course introduces a simple framework for the counselling process, equipping you to offer care in everyday situations, ministry contexts, or as a first step toward further training.
Assessment
There is no assessment on this course. On completion, you may wish to apply for one of our counselling programmes.
Topics & Outcomes
Course Topics
The Biblical Basis for Care and Counselling
Reason and Causes for Problems
Developing Basic Counselling Skills
A Clear Framework for the Counselling Process
Course Outcomes
You will gain:
Understanding of yourself and others from a Christian perspective
Effective listening and counselling skills
Training to respond appropriately according to a person’s needs
Training to offer care in everyday situations
Training to recognise when someone may need additional support
Location, Fees & Requirements
Location
Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP
Accessibility Information
Waverley Abbey House is a Grade II listed property. Most courses take place on the first floor, which is accessed by stairs. In the event of a fire, participants need to be able to walk downstairs at an average pace without assistance. Due to the listed status of the building, a lift is not available.
Course Timing
Monday 10.30am–8pm
Tuesday–Thursday 9.30am–8pm
Friday 9.15am–1pm
Entry Requirements
There are no formal entry qualifications for this programme. Open to all Christians aged 18 or older.
Cost
| Course | Cost |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Christian Care and Counselling (ICCC) Includes lunch and dinner for 4 days. Includes £50 non-refundable deposit. | £395 |
| Optional: Shared room on-site accommodation with breakfast (per night) | £60 |
| Optional: Single room on-site accommodation with breakfast (per night) | £100 |
Full payment is required at the time of booking.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel, we offer the following refunds:
- 4 weeks prior to the start date — Refund of fees paid, excluding deposit
- 0–4 weeks — 50% refund, excluding deposit
- Once course begins — No refund
Further Details
Award
Waverley Abbey Certificate of Participation
Application guidance
You can start your application straight away. During the process, you may be asked to upload a few documents. It can be helpful to have these ready:
- Passport or driving licence
- A passport-style photo
- Name and email of a reference
You can also begin your application and return later with the documents.
If there’s no space on a cohort, you will be offered a future date.
If you have further questions
You have two options:
- Book a 20-min call with our team to explore the next step for you based on your current experience level, capacity, and goals.
- See our Frequently Asked Questions page for some of the most common questions we get about studying at Waverley Abbey College.
Get the Basics of Counselling
If you’re drawn to helping others, this course is a practical place to begin. Grounded in a Christian worldview, it will help you develop core listening skills and begin to understand how to support people well.
Places are limited, so apply early.
| Dates | Apply By | |
|---|---|---|
| 26–30 October 2026 | 12 October 2026 | Apply Now |