Level 5 Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic Skills – awaiting approval

Start date: Monday 19 October 2026 (Fortnightly, 10:00 AM- 16:00 PM – Applications open

This course is delivered online with a live tutor.

Tutor: Dom Bryan

This qualification is for candidates who are already working as counselling
practitioners and who want to develop their skills in Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy (CBT) and use these skills as an integral part of their work.
Candidates are expected to be working with clients within a professional
framework in order to apply their learning on this course and to meet the
assessment requirements.
It is designed to enhance the employability of counsellors in organisational
settings and as independent practitioners by giving them a solid grounding in
CBT skills and theory. CBT is one of the National Institute for Health and Care
Excellence (NICE) recommended psychological therapies and counsellors with
CBT skills are often sought after in multidisciplinary psychological therapy
teams especially within NHS Talking Therapies (formerly known as IAPT –
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies).
Career progression opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• An autonomous counsellor in private practice or agency settings.
• Work as a senior counsellor in a counselling agency.
• A private counsellor working for an organisation, for example in a
  wellness/ mental health setting.
• Employment in NHS and private health care settings.

Additional Qualification Requirements
Client work: a minimum of 30 hours one-to-one client work with at least
three different clients using the CBT model.
Clinical Supervision: either group or one-to-one supervision – as per the
supervision ratio requirements of the candidate’s chosen ethical framework
or professional membership association.

This qualification is mapped to the requirements of the Scope of Practice and Education (SCoPEd)
framework.
✓ The CPCAB Level 5 Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic Skills and Theory, building on the
competence of Level 4 prior practitioner training, fully meets the requirements of SCoPEd Column A.

What you will learn:

The history and core principles of CBT

Techniques, behavioural techniques, including exposure therapy

Case formulation, treatment planning,

Client assessment and risk assessment

Managing complex issues and applying CBT to a wide range of client issues, including anxiety, depression and stress

Use of the framework to structure a session

Personal and professional development with the use of supervision and self reflection

Why CBT?

CBT is one of the most researched and widely used therapies. recommended by NICE and is evidence based and highly prized for its structured, practical approach. It is a nice a therapy to combine with Person Centred, as CBT provides the practical elements and Person Centred provides the warmth.

Evidence-Based Success: CBT is one of the most extensively researched and scientifically validated psychotherapies. Extensive research shows it is highly effective for treating anxiety, depression, phobias, and trauma.
Skill-Focused Methodology: Unlike traditional open-ended therapies, CBT teaches you actionable, measurable skills to identify negative thought patterns, reframe perspectives, and test behaviors in real-world scenarios.
High Employability: With mental health initiatives expanding, certified CBT therapists are in high demand across public health systems (like the NHS) and private practices.
Lifelong Application: A core goal of CBT is teaching individuals how to “become their own therapists.” Learning its concepts gives you a personal toolkit for managing daily stressors and gives your client’s tangible tools to manage stressors outside of the therapeutic space.

Entry requirements:

A CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling OR equivialent.

You will need to provide a tutor reference from your previous Level 4 Diploma or equivalent

Ability to form a therapeutic relationship, have a good level of self awareness and an openness to receiving feedback and the ability to challenge and be challenged

Ability to work with difference and Diversity

Academic and emotional ability to work at this level

Course fee:

£2600 External Students

2500 Internal students

Deposit: £600 Balance in full or by monthly instalments

Simms does not have access to government funding however, you can check for City and Guilds Foundation for Bursaries here 
 

Simms does not have access to government funding however, you can check for City and Guilds Foundation for Bursaries here