Training more registered counsellors

Dr Jaclyn Lotter, Academic Head at SACAP, says: “Despite South Africa’s increasing mental health concerns and the great need to increase our force of mental health care workers, especially at a community level, SACAP is one of the country’s few higher education institutions which is training Registered Counsellors. We believe in the role of Registered Counsellors like never before. Escalating deprivation, violence, addiction, trauma and stress in South Africa underpin the prevalence of anxiety and depression, as well as substance abuse and many other mental health conditions. We have to make quality mental health care far more accessible, and Registered Counsellors deployed in communities can make an incredible difference in connecting people to the help that they need.”

Registered Counsellors provide psychological services focused on prevention as well as primary intervention for people with psychological difficulties. They can work in a variety of community settings, making a vital contribution to the promotion of mental health and combatting stigmas associated with mental health conditions. SACAP’s BPsych Equivalent Programme qualifies them to perform psychological screening, basic assessment and psychological interventions; provide preventative and developmental counselling services; and deliver psycho-education on a range of topics.

“Our BPsych Equivalent Programme has already proven highly successful at our Johannesburg and Cape Town campuses, and we are delighted it has been approved for Pretoria now,” says Lauren Martin, Head of Teaching and Learning at SACAP’s Pretoria Campus. “SACAP is committed to the training and development of knowledgeable, skilled and ethical Registered Counsellors to help address the enormous shortfall of skills in the psychology profession. There’s a great need for diversity and innovation in the mental health care landscape, and Registered Counsellors play a critical role in delivering quality services and improving community well-being.”

The BPsych Equivalent programme is in line with SACAP’s unique educational philosophy and facilitated learning style where classrooms are intimate and students work in close contact with expert educators in Applied Psychology. Only 15 students are accommodated on each campus. Applications for the 2020 academic year are open. Enrol now for the BPsych Equivalent programme at SACAP in Pretoria, visit the SACAP website.