News Item Published: 31/05/2012

Diploma in Addiction Counselling
- Open for applications for 2012/2013

Do you see yourself in the helping profession? Are you a good listener, good with people? Do you want a career that makes a real difference to someone’s life? Have you thought about studying Addiction Counselling? We are now accepting applications for the Diploma in Addiction Counselling for our next intake in August 2012.

The Diploma in Addiction Counselling is a one year full time programme that provides participants with an entry level Addiction Counselling qualification. The programme is offered in LIT Clonmel and is a Level 7, 60 credits programme which is the equivalent of Year 3 of a Degree. The majority of people who apply to the course do so because they already work in the field or they are looking for a change of career. For some people, they have always had an interest in the Addictions field and may not even know why. The main aim of the Diploma in Addiction Counselling is to produce high quality graduates with the ability to work with affected people to enhance their capacity to live without misuse of substances and live a fulfilled life.

There are 9 modules in this Diploma programme which include; the theory & history of addiction, treatment and counselling skills. The professional training is provided by Tom Needham who has extensive experience in the Addictions Services in the HSE in Ireland. It is also delivered by Mark Hepburn – a treatment centre Director from Glasgow. The modules are taught in 3 teaching blocks where students study for one month at a time. A key component of the Diploma is Placement. All of the students complete 3 Placement blocks which comes to a total of approximately 35 weeks of real life placement experience in a treatment centre. As John Taylor, a current international student states ‘The context is unique in that it provides for on-going academic training as well as the practical application of the theory in placement’.

A testament to the success of the programme is the fact that all of the graduates from the last 2 years of the programme are currently working as Addiction Counsellors or in Addictions Services.

Admission to the Diploma in Addiction Counselling is by interview and for further information or an application please contact Maureen Ryan – 0504 28112 or FLTipperary@lit.ie

This is a full time programme and fees for one year are €10,400.