Beth Jaromski talks about her course, future plans and the support she has received, especially during the current pandemic.
Why did you apply and how did you get a place on the course?
I applied for psychology and counselling because a counselling career within the NHS is my dream, specifically I want to help people, especially individuals with mental health difficulties. Therefore I knew this was the perfect course to give me an idea of the career I may enter!
I applied for this course through UCAS after completing my BTEC’s in Sixth Form. I feel that I got a place on this course because of my passion for mental health and my previous volunteering experience with a mental health charity.
What has been the best part of the course so far?
I would say my favourite part of the course so far has been the counselling modules. This is because we have been able to put theory into practice. We have done this by engaging in counselling sessions where we practice counselling skills with peers on our course.
I have also been able to develop as a person which I feel is a quite unique aspect of the course, as others courses may not contain modules where personal development is integrated throughout.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome so far and how have you overcome them, while studying with us?
I would say one of my biggest challenges have been trusting other people on my course. Within counselling modules, topics and discussions can get personal and sensitive so you do have to put trust in your fellow students to keep confidentiality. However, I have overcome that now because we are always reassured by our tutors that if confidentiality was broken then there would be repercussions. This really does help you with feeling comfortable sharing your personal experiences.
I would also say keeping on top of your workload can sometimes be difficult, as you often get multiple pieces of work from various modules. Therefore, it is important to plan ahead. I often decide which assignments to complete first based on my deadlines while also making sure I give myself time to relax to stop myself from getting too overwhelmed. It’s about getting that work life balance.
What are your next steps and plans for the future?
I want to go on complete my postgraduate in psychotherapeutic counselling, to eventually gain the professional counsellor status. I am particularly interested in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy therefore, I may take a couple of years out then decide to complete a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy course after my postgraduate course. I eventually hope to work within the NHS counselling service or mental health wards, where I hope to be working with either young adults or individuals in crisis.
Would you recommend our course to others?
Yes definitely! The course is so interesting, the modules are engaging and the support from the psychology and counselling team is impeccable. Especially during the coronavirus pandemic, tutors have reached out, checked on our mental health via emails while also checking on us during live online classes. They have also supported us by giving us extended deadlines and alternative assignments to try and make things as easy as possible for us. I couldn’t thank them enough!
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