Certificate in Couples Counselling 2027

Couples Counselling Training – Become a Couples Counsellor

Certificate in Couples Counselling from Basingstoke Counselling Service

Our hugely popular couples counselling training is back for 2027. 

Led by Heidi Renton, of Tavistock Relationships, this 50-hour training runs over five weekends over a five month period. Our course is open to qualified counsellors with a minimum of one-year post-qualifying counselling experience, who wish to add working with couples to their portfolio, or who are already working with couples and want to deepen their understanding of couples work.

Dates:

Our 50-hour couples counselling training takes place over five weekends on the following dates:

Sat & Sun 27 / 28 Feb 2027
Sat & Sun 20 / 21 March 2027
Sat & Sun 17 / 18 April 2027
Sat & Sun 15 / 16 May 2027
Sat & Sun 12 / 13 June 2027

Time: 10am to 4pm

Location: Basingstoke Counselling Service, Goldings, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AN

Course Content:

Our couples counselling training syllabus is experiential, underpinned by robust theory:

Weekend 1

Key principles of couple therapy:

• What is a relationship? The nature of attraction and role of idealisation
• The relationship is the patient
• The focus of the couple therapist: maintaining a ‘couple state of mind’
• The past in the present: using genograms; intergenerational patterns and shared sensitivities
• What individuals bring to their relationships: the internal couple and repeated patterns of relationship dynamics
• Working with the transference and countertransference

Weekend 2

The functions and meanings of desire and sex in a relationship:

• Development of sexual identity; cultural and societal influences
• Challenges to the sexual relationship, physical and emotional
• Fertility issues and loss
• Common sexual dysfunctions and causes: predisposing, precipitating and maintaining factors
• Betrayal and shame – pornography and sex addiction

Weekend 3

Attachment theory and patterns:

• Influence on couple choice; impact on the couple relationship
• The therapist as an attachment figure; breaks and containment
• Life stages in the couple relationship
• Working with triangulation and affairs
• Collusion and secrets in the consulting room

Weekend 4

Assessing the couple and contracting:

• The presenting problem and ‘why now?’ for choosing couple therapy
• Depression, mental health, and the ‘allocated patient’
• Issues of violence and child protection
• Helping couples understand, address and change damaging behaviours
• Sustaining positive change

Weekend 5

Endings and beginnings:

• Working with disappointment, blame, conflict and loss in the consulting room
• Separation and divorce
• New relationships and repeated patterns
• Blended families

Who is my tutor?

Heidi Renton MA, MBACP, RegCOSRT

You will be able to draw from Heidi’s extensive knowledge and experience of couples counselling training: she qualified for her Masters as a Psychodynamic Couple and Individual Psychotherapist at Tavistock Relationships in London and then specialised with a further qualification at the same institution, in Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy.

Heidi has since lectured and tutored on both the Tavistock courses, from which she graduated, and works there as a Senior Clinician in Assessment and Relationship Psychotherapy, alongside running her own private practice. In addition, Heidi trains and supervises NHS and Talking Therapies counsellors on the Tavistock’s Couple Therapy for Depression time-limited model.

She is a registered member of both the BACP and COSRT as well as a graduate member and international affiliate of the Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology (TIMP).

Heidi left a successful career in business and media education to dedicate herself to helping people find happiness in their personal and intimate relationships.

Cost: 

£1,375 early bird rate if booked by 30th September 2026
£1,545 thereafter

Welcome Back Discount! If you’ve previously completed a CPD course with BCS, use code BCSRETURN50 to receive a £50 discount (valid on the early bird and standard rate). Terms and conditions apply, see below.

Payment Plans:

We are happy to arrange payment by instalments, please email events@basingstokecounselling.org.uk so that we can set up a payment schedule for you and reserve your place.

There is a £25 admin fee for setting up the instalments as we do incur costs and unfortunately as a small charity, we do need to pass this on.

BCS Staff & Counsellors:

There is a 50% discount available on the full price (not the early bird price) for BCS Staff & Counsellors. This is limited to a maximum of two people, and they must be working with the organisation for the duration of the course.

Requirements for our couples counselling training:

• You must be a qualified counsellor, with a minimum of one-year post-qualifying counselling experience.
• Given the nature of this training, it is a prerequisite that you have completed at least 40 hours of personal therapy either during or after your core training as a counsellor.
• Full attendance at Weekend 1 is strictly mandatory. Due to the foundational nature of the content covered in the first weekend, participants who cannot attend Weekend 1 will unfortunately be unable to proceed with the course.
• You must achieve a minimum of 80% attendance to be eligible for your Certificate in Couples Counselling.
• You must achieve the appropriate standard in skills practice, as assessed by our trainer, Heidi, at the end of the course to achieve your Certificate in Couples Counselling.

Why choose Basingstoke Counselling Service?

• Tavistock Expertise: Taught by Heidi Renton, Senior Clinician at Tavistock Relationships and an experienced tutor in couple therapy.
• Practical & Experiential: Built specifically for qualified therapists to start working with couples safely or deepen existing work.
• Small Group Numbers: Ensures space for skills practice, direct tutor feedback, and case discussion.

Terms and Conditions:

The £50 discount code (BCSRETURN50) is applicable for both the early bird and standard rate. You will be required to provide the name and completion date of your previous CPD course during the booking process.

Please note that in order to receive the BCS discounted rate, you must remain a BCS staff member or counsellor for the entire duration of the course. Full course fees will be payable if you leave the organisation during the course.

In the unlikely event that unforeseen circumstances arise and BCS has to cancel the CPD course, you will receive a full refund. In the event of cancellation by you, the participant, BCS reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee as indicated by the table below. All requests for cancellations must be received in writing, with changes becoming effective on the date written confirmation is received.

Please ensure you meet the entry requirements prior to booking your place. If you do not meet the entry requirements, you will be unable to attend the course and your withdrawal will be treated as a cancellation and subject to the above cancellation policy.

Contact:

If you have any questions about the course then please email events@basingstokecounselling.org.uk or call us on 01256 843125.

CPD for Counsellors:

We run various CPD courses for counsellors throughout the year. Take a look at all our upcoming courses or join our mailing list to be the first to hear about our CPD opportunities.