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Heart of Worcestershire College’s (HoW College) Counselling Lecturer, Lisa O’Neill, recently achieved accreditation with the British Association of Counsellors and Physiotherapists (BACP). Gaining such accreditation is no easy feat; gathering large amounts of evidence, completing many tasks to show competency and a five month wait for assessment, are just some of the hoops Lisa had to jump through to achieve her accreditation.

The BACP is a recognised governing body that assists agencies in identifying that you are not just employable, but that you are working ethically within your field too.

You can apply for accreditation status with the BACP three years post-qualification and becoming accredited demonstrates to both clients and employers that you have achieved a high standard of knowledge, experience and development as a counsellor.

Speaking on why she wanted to achieve accreditation and the process involved, Lisa O’Neill commented:

“I chose to complete the accreditation to evidence my professional development as a counsellor, and to demonstrate the work I do as a counselling tutor. Everything I learn I apply to my teaching, as I aim to ensure that all students that choose to do their counselling courses with HoW College can gain valuable knowledge, a high standard of teaching, and can access support and guidance if they wish to further their studies towards becoming a qualified counsellor.

The process of accreditation includes written work of approximately 10 pages to meet different criteria which include; evidence of how I practice, my own self-awareness as a counsellor, evidence of my ability to work ethically within the ethical frame work set by the BACP, reports from my supervisor and evidence of how many hours counselling practice I have completed since qualifying. I also needed a sponsor who was a fellow counselling professional in order to achieve the accreditation; combining all of the above made it an incredibly lengthy process.”

It is clear to see that Lisa has put in an incredible amount of work to not only elevate herself, but to help elevate the quality of learning that her students receive.

HoW College Curriculum, Resources & Quality Leader, Yvonne Thomas, brought Lisa’s recent success to our attention.

Commenting on Lisa’s achievement, Yvonne said:

“Lisa has worked extremely hard to achieve accreditation, whilst studying for a degree as well.  It is thoroughly well deserved.  She is a valued member of the Health & Social Care team and I am extremely happy for her.”

HoW College would like to extend their congratulations to Lisa on such a fantastic achievement.