Nora, a recent completer of our Counselling Diploma Level 3, sat down with us to discuss her experience on the course. Despite the challenges she faced as an international student in her first distance learning course, she learned that with the support of her personal tutor, Annette, she could overcome any academic hurdles in her way. She’s now well on her way to a thriving counselling practice with her first client! Read on to hear about Nora’s inspiring journey, and how distance learning can open doors to unexpected places.
From English Teacher to Counsellor
Nora splits her time between the UK and Hungary where she has been a private English teacher, working with people to improve their language skills. It was during her time as a teacher that she first became interested in pursuing a career in counselling.
“I chose this counselling course because, during my 30 years as a teacher, I experienced that people needed support with their mental health. I discovered the field of psychology was the closest to my interest. I like teaching, but I was more open to helping people with their lives,” Nora shared.
Nora’s quest to do good led her to the UK, where she started work as a self-employed carer. It was here that she was inspired to look into distance learning.
Discovering the Association of Learning
“In 2017, I started working as a carer in the UK. Through this work, I met a psychologist who was the daughter of an elderly couple I was caring for. It was her that suggested the Association of Learning! I’m so grateful to her for that,” Nora said.
However, as an international student, Nora had some concerns about enrolling on a distance learning course.
“Sometimes I’m in the UK, and sometimes I’m in Hungary with my daughter, who is 19 years old. So taking an online course seemed to be the easiest for me. I’m self-employed, so it was important that whatever counselling course I took would allow me to continue being self-employed. My goal was to add counselling services to my caring ones,” Nora explained.
Navigating the Counselling Course Options
As someone who was not familiar with the English education system, Nora found the different levels of counselling courses to be confusing.
“I am Hungarian, and I didn’t know anything about the English system. When my psychologist friend suggested I take the Level 3 course, it was completely new to me! I didn’t know how many levels there were. I think I could have started with the Level 4, but I don’t mind that I started with Level 3, because it was very useful. I’m planning to move onto Level 4 next,” Nora said.
Despite her initial confusion, Nora found the course to be very accessible and was impressed by the support she received from her tutor.
“The website was easy to use, and the support from my tutor was so helpful! Annette is her name, she was very kind and so supportive! I want to thank her for what she did for me. She went on holiday while I was studying, and even though she was away, she still responded to me and helped me with my work. It was a really positive experience,” Nora shared.
A Bright Future Ahead
Now that she’s completed her diploma, Nora is determined to continue on her path as a counsellor. She has been working hard to get insurance, and has registered with the ACCPH, the independent body for counsellors and coaches. Nora has also set up her website, and is excited to help as many people as possible.
“I’m not a technical person, and I can’t make the investment to pay a developer, so I decided to try and learn some web design. I made a very simple website for counselling, and last week somebody asked me for my help. This is my first opportunity to help someone, and I feel very grateful for this course giving me the ability to.”
Looking Forward
Nora’s journey is far from over, and we’re thrilled to see her determination and passion for counselling continue to grow. Her story is a testament to the things that can happen when you take the first step towards your dreams. We wish Nora all the best in her future endeavours and are excited to see what she will accomplish next.
To learn more about the counselling courses we offer, click here.
To browse our course catalogue and see if your interests could turn into a career, click here.
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