Counselor in the psychosocial field (HFP) :
9 Provider

You can become a counsellor by completing a counsellor training course, which should be recognized and certified by the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB). This is because they train psychologically oriented counsellors from the fields of individual, couple and family counselling as well as from the field of counselling for groups, institutions and organizations. With the Psychosocial Counselor training, you will be able to counsel people with the aim of managing their lives independently, overcoming crises and developing themselves further. Those who successfully complete the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) become experts in the profession and can use the protected title "Counselor in the psychosocial field with a federal diploma".

In order to be admitted to the Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education (AFPE) in Psychosocial Counseling with a Federal Diploma, candidates must have a tertiary degree and at least six years of professional experience in the psychosocial field with a counseling function or eight years of professional experience without a tertiary degree. In addition:

• Proof of at least 20 counseling processes with at least 100 sessions, including 5 counseling processes lasting at least 5 hours.
• Proof of 40 hours of client-related supervision as a supervisor
• Proof of 40 hours of psychosocial counseling as a client
• Participation in at least 8 sessions of a supervision or revision group over at least 2 years
• Supervision by a supervisor for at least 1 year (at least 20 hours) in a counseling competence-related supervision

To be on the safe side, ask the educational institution of your choice about the applicable conditions.

Before taking the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) in "Psychosocial Counseling", 600 lessons plus self-study must be completed, which corresponds to three to four years of on-the-job training.

Here at Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch you will find a wealth of offers relating to training and continuing, further training in a wide range of specialist areas, including offers for consultant training. However, as most of the courses on offer do not lead to federally recognized qualifications, such as a Federal Professional Examination (FPE) or a Diploma of Higher Education (CHE), the courses are structured very differently depending on the school and award different qualifications, such as the Diploma in Stress Regulation, Intermedial Art Therapy or the Federal Diploma of Higher Education (SVEB 2). Therefore, please inform yourself comprehensively about the individual offers of the schools for a counselor training and have all the necessary documents sent to you by e-mail.

The following training consultants are frequently offered:

• Coaching and consultant training
• Psychosocial counseling training
• Systemic counseling training
• Psychological counseling training
• Life counseling training
• Family counselor training
• RAV consultant training

The training to become a couples therapist is not a federally recognized qualification, but it is recognized by the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB). In addition, this degree offers the opportunity to obtain a Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) to become a counselor in the psychosocial field with a federal diploma. Only 272 hours are required before the AFPE, of which only around 72 hours are face-to-face lessons, which take place in nine modules of eight lessons each and last around nine months. The course in couples therapy therefore provides the ideal basis for continuing your training to become federally recognized if required.