Psychological Counsellor I

Role Overview

As a Psychological Counsellor, you will serve as the first point of professional contact for individuals seeking emotional and psychological support, guiding each client from their very first session through to a clear plan of care. You will combine structured assessment, one-to-one therapeutic work, and careful clinical documentation to build an accurate picture of each person's difficulties and the most appropriate route forward. This role is central to the organisation's duty of care: by delivering consistent, ethically grounded counselling and making timely referrals where specialist input is needed, you help protect client wellbeing while maintaining the professional standards and records that the service depends on.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out structured initial assessments with new clients to establish presenting concerns, background history, risk factors, and immediate support needs.
• Explain and administer the counselling contract, covering confidentiality, session boundaries, attendance expectations, and the limits of the service, so clients give informed consent before work begins.
• Deliver scheduled individual counselling sessions using therapeutic approaches appropriate to each client's needs, circumstances, and stage of progress.
• Formulate a psychological explanation of each client's difficulties, drawing together assessment findings and session material into a coherent working understanding that guides intervention.
• Identify when a client's needs exceed the scope of the service and refer them to specialists, external practitioners, or other agencies, following up to confirm the handover has taken place.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential case notes, session records, and client files in line with professional and organisational record-keeping requirements.
• Monitor client progress across sessions and adjust the therapeutic approach or care plan as new information emerges.
• Uphold the ethical codes and practice standards of your professional body throughout all client contact and documentation.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Professional registration: Active membership in good standing with a relevant professional counselling or psychology body.
• Experience: A cumulative service period of at least three (3) years working at the grade of Psychological Counsellor II, or in a comparable counselling position.
• Education route one: A Bachelor's Degree in Counselling, Psychology, or an equivalent qualification from a recognised institution.
• Education route two: A Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Psychology, Occupational Psychology, Educational Psychology (Guidance and Counselling), Social Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, or Anthropology, combined with a Diploma in Counseling Psychology or its equivalent from a recognised institution.
• Core competencies: Sound assessment and case formulation skills, the ability to hold individual therapeutic sessions independently, and the judgement to recognise when referral to a specialist is the right course of action.
• Record-keeping: Demonstrated ability to document clinical work accurately and confidentially, and to maintain client information and records to professional standards.