STUDENT COUNSELLOR PLACEMENTS

Real clients, proper supervision, and a service that takes your development seriously.

ABOUT OUR PLACEMENTS

Reach Out For Mental Health provides clinical placements for student counsellors who have completed a minimum of a Level 4 qualification in counselling, psychotherapy, or another talking therapy modality.

You'll work with adults experiencing moderate mental health difficulties — distress, bereavement, life transitions, and suicidal thoughts or ideation where risk can be safely managed within a short-term placement. Our clients sit in the middle space: not in crisis, but not coping well either.

Placements are available face-to-face at locations across Essex and online via Microsoft Teams.

This is not a tick-box placement. We take student development seriously, and we expect the same commitment in return.

Important: Supervision

We do not provide supervision. Students are responsible for arranging their own external supervision before starting their placement with us.

What's included?

Access to a clinical Head of Service — for guidance and support throughout your placement

Client work — one-to-one sessions with adults experiencing moderate mental health needs, including suicidal ideation where risk is manageable

Flexible delivery — face-to-face across Essex and online via Microsoft Teams

Structured induction — safeguarding training, policies, and service orientation before you see clients

Placement hours — logged and evidenced for your training provider

Clear boundaries — if a client's needs become too complex or information comes to light that makes their case unsuitable for a student to hold, we refer them in-house to a qualified counsellor. Your clients stay supported, and you stay within safe professional limits.

REQUIREMENTS

ESSENTIAL

Studying towards a counselling qualification at Level 4 or above
Minimum 8 placement hours already completed elsewhere
Enhanced DBS check dated within the last 6 months, or registered on the DBS Update Service
Your own external supervision already arranged
Commitment to ethical practice
Ability to commit to regular placement hours

HOW TO APPLY

If you're interested in a student counsellor placement with Reach Out for Mental Health, please get in touch with your CV and a brief cover letter explaining why you'd like to join us and complete the online application form below.

Apply for a Placement →

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions about student placements, please get in touch.

Email Us

DESIRABLE

Interest in working with adults experiencing suicidal thoughts
Understanding of short-term counselling models
Experience of working in mental health settings

FOR TRAINING PROVIDERS

We work with several training providers across Essex and are open to new partnerships. Every provider has different paperwork and requirements — we'll work with you to accommodate them.