Irish Enterprise Awards 2021

EU BUSINESS NEWS /2021 Irish Enterprise Awards 63 , Best Counselling & Psychotherapy Training Provider 2021 PCI College is this year celebrating thirty years of providing third-level education and professional development courses specialising in Counselling and Psychotherapy to students across the Island of Ireland. At a time whenmental health awareness is dominating national conversation, PCI College is lending its vast resources and expertise to supporting Ireland and the mental wellbeing of its community Feb21093 With mental health awareness on a rise that has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the pressures on both the physical and mental wellbeing of the global population, PCI College (originally named the Personal Counselling Institute) in Dublin, and with campuses nationwide, is currently seeing high demand for its services. Moreover, given that the move towards regulation is ongoing within Counselling and Psychotherapy in Ireland, and the topic of supporting mental health entered the political, media and public agenda, PCI College is leading a significant revolution in care of the mind. Established in 1991, PCI College is today Ireland’s leading provider of third-level educational and continuing professional development courses within the fields of Counselling and Psychotherapy, including personal and professional development. The college aims to make significant and lasting contributions to individuals and society as a whole by providing tailored, expert professional training and education in mental health and wellbeing. The expertise of the college is sought by a broad spectrum of clients, from individuals seeking ‘second chance’ education, to students and qualified professionals seeking qualifications within the field of counselling and psychotherapy, to a learning environment that is inclusive, supportive and devoted to shaping the next generation of professionals within the sphere of Counselling and Psychotherapy. In achieving this mission for its student and staff community, PCI College simultaneously aspires to develop itself as a successful and profitable business, aiming to become a well-established centre of excellence and innovation in mental health and psychological wellbeing training and education in Ireland. While contributing to the potentially life-changing learning experiences of its students, the college also aims to make positive contributions academically and professionally to its communities throughout Ireland. The PCI College mission has been undeterred by the global Covid-19 pandemic, despite the universal disruption to teaching and education systems. However, despite the transition to more online teaching practices, PCI College recorded a rise of 97% in BSc student enrolments between the 2019 academic year and 2020 academic year. As a result, the college continues to lead its courses online, maintaining the live, experiential and collaborative nature of its teaching so that students can engage on a personal and practical level in their subject matter so as to become even stronger mental health professionals once they have completed their training. government bodies, multinational and commercial companies, and voluntary institutions looking to bolster the care of the mental wellbeing of employees and partners. Working in partnership with Middlesex University, PCI College delivers a number of programmes that includes a BSc Honours degree, two Master’s programmes, and two Advanced Diploma. Characterised by an integrative approach to counselling and psychotherapy training, the programmes introduce students to all the main theorists and important topics such as Anxiety, Loss and Sexuality, with the option to delve further into a number of specialisms. The courses are taught by experienced, qualified, accredited professionals with a passion for counselling and psychotherapy education and mental health advocacy. Despite the traditional hierarchical structure that exists at the heart of PCI College, the open-door policy and people-centric environment that the team has created means that the college is always a welcoming and supportive space for students and staff alike. The college’s operations all are underpinned by core values that can be categorised into nine key areas; Excellence; Accountability; Ethics, Nurture; Responsibility; Diversity; Equality; Collaboration; and Aspiration. In total, these values equate to Having continued teaching with minimal disruption this year, PCI College is able to make further plans as the leading training provider in its field, developing its participative and experiential programmes so as to offer high quality, inspiring, memorable, positive, professional and potentially life-changing learning experiences that honour the prior life experiences of each individual student. Its leading position in the market also enables the college to make further contributions to its community and lead the national and international conversation about mental health. Thus, as PCI College celebrates its thirtieth year of life-changing service with a brand-new website, the college is also sharing an important message during this time which is challenging for the mental health of so many. Their highly qualified counsellors are on hand to help through low-cost counselling services that are accessible regardless of circumstance or geography. Counselling can be sought for many, many reasons, and PCI College provides a safe, non-judgemental space to all those who are feeling lost, sad or insecure in this period of crisis. PCI’s team of counsellors are available to chat and help however they can be reached at: https:// www.pcicollege.ie/counselling- service/lowcostcounselling Contact: Carolina Cirillo Company: PCI College Web Address: www.pcicollege.ie