Online Psychology / Counselling / New Age Courses

UK College of Holistic Training:
Founded in 1994, UK College of Holistic Training is a British, private distance learning school based in London. We offer certificate and diploma courses in therapy-related, self-help and personal development fields. Our range has now grown to over 50 courses, with more under development. We welcome overseas students and have graduates in many countries.

Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy
Recommended study time approx. 9 months. Continuous enrolment.

This distance learning Diploma course leads to a private UK qualification in counselling and psychotherapy. It has been created in response to demand from students who, due to location or other circumstances, find themselves unable to attend tutorials or classes, or who wish to pursue the subject out of personal interest. The course will also benefit those who have been in practice for many years without a substantial formal qualification, or with qualifications other than counselling/psychotherapy, who now wish to consolidate and update their learning. The course takes an integrated approach drawing from dynamic, cognitive, brief therapy and self-therapy models within a framework of counselling and helping skills. Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK). Graduates living in UK may apply to register with a UK counselling organisation.
Recommended study time: 6 to 9 months.

Certificate in Counselling Skills
Recommended study time 1 to 3 months. Continuous enrolment.

This is a comprehensive short course in counselling for those who help people either voluntarily or in the course of their job, vocation or profession. This course focuses on such issues as: the nature of the counselling relationship, what to do and what not to do when starting to counsel, the process of listening, when to reveal one’s own feelings. The course also provides a useful overview of professional diagnosis by psychologists or psychiatrists, and of what every helper should know about the following: mental health diagnosis, drugs and alcohol, serious mental disturbance, depression, stress, personality disorders, sexual problems, HIV/AIDS patients, suicide, death and emergencies. Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Graduates living in UK may apply to register with a UK counselling organisation.

Certificate in Child & Adolescent Counselling Skills
Recommended study time 2 to 4 months. Continuous enrolment.

This course gives very clear and step-by-step practical guidance with many worked examples, backed by relevant theory so you understand what you are doing and why.

The child counselling skills module takes a practical all-round approach to child counselling, including the use of play therapy techniques. The basic counselling framework is explained in terms of goals, the relationship between counsellor and child, and the qualities needed by a children’s counsellor. The history of work with children is reviewed. Essential child counselling skills are introduced in a step-by-step way with examples. The psychodynamics of child counselling is outlined. A range of instructions and techniques for play therapy is given using different media and activities. The use of worksheets is introduced with sample worksheets.

The adolescent counselling module takes a practical all-round approach to adolescent counselling incorporating knowledge of adolescent peer communication. The unit begins with an understanding of the nature of adolescence and the changes and problems that occur during that period, identifying particular hazards of the adolescent period. A proactive counselling model is provided. A range of counselling strategies is explored with case studies. The course contains a discussion of professional ethics.
Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK). Graduates living in UK may apply to register with a UK counselling organisation.

Diploma in Stress Management with Counselling Skills
Recommended study time 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

INCLUDES FREE STRESS MANAGEMENT COACH CERTIFICATION. This Diploma combines two diplomas we have been running for years into one course: the full syllabus of our Diploma in Stress Management and Relaxation course plus the full syllabus of our Certificate in Counselling Skills course. See separate descriptions of those two courses. Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK). Graduates living in UK may apply to register with a UK counselling organisation.

Certificate in Humanistic Psychology of Carl Rogers
Recommended study time 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This certificate course comprises studies of a representative selection of the written works of Carl Rogers, including the following: Fascinating autobiographical material, The nature of therapeutic relationship, The concept of the person, Theory and scientific research, Rogers' view of education, The nature of the helping professions, Rogers and social psychology. Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Certificate in Cognitive-Behavioural Techniques for Self-Esteem
Recommended study time 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This course provides techniques drawn from cognitive behavioural (behavioral) therapy (CBT) and other methods to identify what is interfering with self-esteem and how to stop self-criticism, perform an accurate self-assessment, reduce stress and improve confidence. Specific techniques are outlined relating to specific self-esteem problems, including dealing with distorted thinking, forming healthy values, coping with mistakes, responding to criticism, being assertive in asking for what you want, goal setting, visualization and self-hypnosis techniques. There is also information on child self-esteem. The course can be taken as a professional development course for counsellors or therapists, or for personal interest. Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Anger Management
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

The course contains a complete cognitive-based programme for introducing anger management to clients; teaching them ways of altering their thoughts, feelings and behaviour; educating them in reducing the impact of triggering thoughts or events, and improving social skills; developing cognitive and rational coping skills; developing a realistic philosophy of life; forgiving others; and avoiding recurrence of problem anger. Different intervention plans are presented that can be used with different client groups, avoiding a “one size fits all” model. Sample client handouts, information sheets and step-by-step intervention schedules are provided. Tips for managing the therapist’s own anger are also included: therapy can be a stressful profession. Therapists are only human and can have similar feelings to clients.

This course is for therapists, counsellors, coaches and other helping professionals who would like a source of practical knowledge for helping clients to control and manage their anger. It is suitable for one-to-one practice or as a resource for group leaders. The course may also be taken for personal interest.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Diploma in Anxiety Management
Recommended study time 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

Through the study of this course you will familiarize yourself with a comprehensive self-help workbook for people suffering from anxiety and/or phobias, which will provide material for counselling and therapy “homework” and self-support including charts and written exercises. The course provides information on anxiety disorders and their symptoms, approaches to recovery, relaxation, exercise and nutrition, panic attacks, phobias (introducing the concept of exposure), cognitive strategies, personality styles and anxiety, common phobias, handling feelings, assertiveness and self-esteem, relevant medical conditions and medications, meditation, and finding a sense of purpose.

This course is for therapists, counsellors, coaches and other helping professionals who would like a source of practical knowledge for helping clients to control and manage their anxiety-related conditions (including phobias). The course may also be taken for personal interest.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Certificate in Skilled Helper Counselling & Coaching Skills
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

The Egan Skilled Helper Model is one of the most popular and practical models of counselling skills, guidance or coaching and is taught at many colleges and used in many formal and informal counselling settings including the workplace and voluntary helping. This model provides you with a framework for navigating through a counselling or helping session or series of sessions and helps you to refine your skills at interacting with clients most effectively.

The model consists of 3 steps or stages, further subdivided into elements that make learning and practice easier. The structure of the Skilled Helper model is very similar to some models of coaching and can be adapted for use by life and personal coaches. It complements many other models of counselling, talking therapy and coaching.

Two textbooks are used for the course. One provides the theory and the other is a workbook which takes students through simulated case studies and practised examples of the skills involved.

Students of this certificate course gain familiarity with the model and practice selected workbook exercises, giving details of fictitious clients, to hone important communication and counselling skills.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Diploma in Creative Therapeutic Journaling
Recommended study time 2 to 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This is a Diploma course in the art of journaling (personal creative writing) for the purposes of self-exploration, self-growth, self-expression and/or self-therapy. The course may be taken for self-development or by counsellors, psychotherapists and helping professionals who would like an additional tool for assisting clients, particularly those recovering from trauma.

The course may also help people thinking of writing their memoirs, life story or autobiography.

The course is in two parts. Part One introduces the student to the art of self-expression through writing through a set of warm-up lessons with illustrative essays. The lessons concern the emotions evoked by starting to write, handling memories, the process of allowing the writing to flow and fitting writing into your life, as well as about strategies to get you started, keep you writing, and use time, further reflection and editing skills to hone what you have written.

Part Two looks at how various writers have used poetry, prose and memoirs to tell their stories, and gives further instructions and exercises for creating your own work. Topics used as writing examples and/or stimuli include relationships, stages of life, childhood, trauma, illness, disability, caring, bereavement, and spirituality.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Advanced Diploma in Bereavement Counselling & Thanatology
Recommended study period 6 to 9 months. Continuous enrolment.

The course can benefit any person who regularly comes into contact with people suffering from bereavement, grief or loss, e.g. counsellors, therapists, doctors and nurses, professional carers, hospice managers and staff, volunteers, social workers, charity workers, pastors, police officers, magistrates, legal workers, funeral directors, etc.

Syllabus:

Interdisciplinary Study of Death and Bereavement (Psychological, religious and cultural aspects)
Grief Counselling and Therapy
Death, Dying and Bereavement
The Five Stages of Loss
Moving Beyond Death, Divorce and Loss
The Healing Power of After-Death Communication
Terminal Care and Bereavement Counselling
Scientific Evidence of life After Death
Final Project
The final project requires the student to write 3,000 to 5,000 words on a special aspect of death or bereavement, using the student's choice of books, articles & other sources. A list of suggested topics will be provided. The project may be cultural, philosophical, psychological, metaphysical, spiritual or based upon practitioner case studies.

Approx. 6 textbooks will be required for the core syllabus and the student will need to purchase the books.
Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Diploma in Positive Psychology
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

Positive Psychology is the psychology of personal growth, happiness and positive personal qualities. The history of clinical psychology shows a preoccupation with mental illness and disability and treatments for psychological problems. Positive Psychology is a new direction in psychology that looks at how we can feel positive emotions such as happiness and hope, and how we can foster creativity and wisdom. This course uses a key textbook that surveys the research done in this exciting new area and the theories that have emerged. Key concepts are explained and there are guides to further reading both of an academic and a self-help nature. Students are encouraged to answer self-reflective questions as well as to appreciate academic knowledge. Examples are given of how psychologists apply these principles and there are recommendations for how positive psychology can change clinical practice and ultimately help to change society for the better.
Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Diploma in Psychiatric Disorders Awareness
Recommended study time 2 to 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This course will benefit counsellors, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, general nurses, teachers, social workers, carers, healers and all those who come into contact with people who might show some signs of mental disturbance.

Counsellors and therapists are often taught not to attempt to treat serious conditions but are rarely given in-depth knowledge of how to spot unsuitable cases. An understanding of the behaviours and symptoms presented by possible sufferers of psychiatric disorders can help by (a) ensuring that lay, i.e. non-medical, helpers do not become involved with cases that are out of their depth, therefore making lay professional practice safer, and that (b) non-medical helpers and carers can assist people in seeking vital medical attention where needed.

A further benefit for lay therapists is increased ability to understand professional publications in the field of mental illness, and to communicate better with members of the medical professions. The course may also serve as useful interim study for people who wish to apply for relevant university courses later on, demonstrating interest and a certain amount of knowledge of the field. The course may be taken for personal interest.

The course introduces how medical professionals go about describing and diagnosing various mental illnesses, and gives detailed explanations of:

problems and disturbances of consciousness;
disorders of awareness of reality,
disorders of body and self awareness,
disorders of gender and sexuality,
disorders of emotion and personality disorders.

Within these sections, common serious and not-so-serious conditions such as anxiety disorders, phobias, schizophrenia and bipolar are described, as well as many rarer conditions and disorders that have neurological causes.

Hallucinations, delusions and other manifestations of mental disorders are clearly explained and discussed.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Diploma in Holistic Life Coaching
Total recommended period of study: approx. 3 to 6 months. Continuous enrolment.

This distance learning course is intended primarily for therapists who wish to make the transition to life coaching as an additional or new profession. The course is also available to others with suitable backgrounds or for personal interest.

The key differences between life coaching and therapy and counselling are an important part of the course. Study of these principles will help life coaches with liaison and cross-referral with therapists and will help you avoid overstepping professional boundaries.

The programme is taught in 6 modules covering one key skills model and drawing from four life coaching models (Attraction, Co-active, NLP and Coaching with Spirit), introducing a wide variety of life coaching techniques. As well as these five modules, there is a module on holistic philosophy and an integrative essay of 2,000 words is required. The focus of this essay will be how coaching relates to, or can be integrated with, your current work or practice.

No face-to-face or distant coaching is provided as part of the course. Some students will already have experience of life coaching and just wish to study in order to be certificated. Others may wish to arrange coaching for themselves - there are many on-line directories of life coaches and students are responsible for making their own arrangements for personal coaching.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Diploma in Stress Management and Relaxation
A Diploma suitable for self-help, as a professional development course, or as a stand-alone qualification in stress management. With FREE additional certification as a STRESS MANAGEMENT COACH.

Recommended study time: 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

Syllabus:

Theory of Stress
Breathing exercises,
Progressive relaxation,
Meditation,
Visualisation,
Applied relaxation,
Self-hypnosis,
Autogenics,
Brief combination techniques,
Anger training,
Refuting irrational ideas,
Focusing,
Worry control,
Coping skills,
Goal setting and time management,
Assertiveness,
Coping with job stress,
Simple nutrition,
Exercise.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Emotional Freedom Techniques Level 1 & 2
Home study, fully accredited practitioner certification course in Emotional Freedom Techniques (Levels 1 and 2) (Meridian tapping). Open entry - anyone can learn this technique for self-help or for helping others.

Recommended study time 2 months or less (distance learning). However as this is the equivalent of 2 weekend workshops, students with high aptitude can complete it very quickly.

This multimedia course comes on a PC CD-ROM (requires Windows and Internet Explorer) plus a pack of printed material. Examinations are taken at home and emailed to the college together with case studies. A printed certificate for each level will be issued. (Level 2 is the practitioner level). More advanced courses are also available.

Emotional Freedom Techniques is a simple and fast method using acupressure (finger tapping) on a range of points on face & body, for stress reduction and emotional balance.

This programme is fully accredited by the Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy, leading to eligibility for membership.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Energy Healing Science
Recommended study time 2 - 4 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This diploma course provides a solid grounding in the theory of energetic healing that underlies various complementary medical approaches and subtle-energy therapies. The course may be used as a professional development course for those who practice complementary medicine and who would like to know more about its underlying theory and relationship to other complementary fields. The course may also be taken by those contemplating training in complementary therapies to deepen their understanding.

Topics covered include:

Newtonian, Einsteinian and Holographic models,
homeopathy and subtle energy,
the discovery of energy medicine,
human multidimensional anatomy,
evolution of consciousness,
ancient Oriental approaches and subtle medicine,
development of technology,
energy remedies from Nature
(flowers, crystals, vibration, water),
investigation of psychic healing,
crystalline technology and spiritual qualities of crystals,
the chakra system,
holistic medicine and stress,
spiritual growth and evolutionary transformation,
some recent developments in holistic medicine.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK).

Advanced Diploma in Transpersonal Hypnotherapy (Spiritual Hypnosis)
Recommended study time 6 to 9 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This advanced diploma is for qualified hypnotherapists only. 10 textbooks are required which the student will need to purchase.

Spiritual and Transpersonal Hypnotherapy recognises that the use of altered states of consciousness to access other realities has a long history. Spiritual or transpersonal hypnotherapy can include:

Past life regression therapy
Future life progression
Meditative states and states of higher consciousness
Experiences of being between lives
Encounters with spirits and other beings
Releasing any unwanted spirit attachments or influences
Working with dreams (dream recall or hypnotic dreams)
Helping the client build his/her own model of spiritual realities
Helping the client to active self-healing
Manipulating energy states through symbol, metaphor and ritual to block unwanted influences and create a sacred space in which healing can take place (otherwise known as “psychic protection”)

The student will learn many tools and techniques for spiritual enhancement of sessions and to work in a holistic, multi-dimensional way with clients.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Accredited by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (UK). This course is approved by the Association for Transpersonal Hypnotherapy.

Advanced Diploma in Analytical Hypnotherapy (Hypnoanalysis)
Recommended study time 9 to 12 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This is a course for experienced and qualified hypnotherapists who work with, or would like to study, in-depth techniques of hypnoanalysis and other related techniques. Up to 11 textbooks are required which the student will need to purchase. No previous knowledge of psychoanalysis, Freud or psychodynamics is assumed as necessary concepts will be introduced as part of the relevant modules.

Syllabus:

Module 1: Review of General Clinical Hypnotherapy*
Module 2: Freudian Thought for the 21st Century
Module 3: Elman Techniques*
Module 4: Theory of Analytical Hypnotherapy
Module 5: Practical Techniques of Analytical Hypnotherapy
Module 6: Hypnotherapy and Gestalt Dreamwork
Module 7: Regression Hypnotherapy
Module 8: Hypnotherapy and Depression
Module 9: Understanding Dissociation
Module 10: Advanced Hypnotherapy and Hypnoanalysis
Module 11: Hypnosis and Inner Conflict Resolution
Module 12: Presentation of Case Studies

* Most students who have qualified as hypnotherapists via accredited or highly recognised training courses will receive exemption from these two modules.

Successful graduates will receive the Advanced Diploma in Analytical Hypnotherapy awarded by UK College of Holistic Training which is a private UK qualification. The college is accredited by the International Association for Distance Learning. Course graduates may use the postnominal designation Adv. Dip. Hypnoanalysis.

The course is accredited by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (which is linked to UKCHT) for professional development purposes

Certificate in Anorexia & Bulimia Awareness
Recommended study time up to 4 months. Continuous enrolment.

This textbook-based course provides an overview of previous physiological and psychological theories of eating disorders - specifically anorexia and bulimia.

The course introduces an important theory which unites the roles of body and mind in the maintenance and progression of these illnesses.

The certificate may be taken for personal interest or professional development purposes.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. Approved by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy.

Diploma in Family Therapy Studies
Recommended study time 3 to 6 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of family therapy theory and methods of practice. The material also includes a section on research findings on effectiveness.

Major schools of family therapy and introduced, their methods explained and their work evaluated, leading to an integrated model of how family therapy can be delivered.

The history and development of family therapy is covered.

Goals of family therapy are considered, including for diverse lifestyles and sexual orientations and families with disabled or mentally ill members.

The process of how family therapy works is explained according to its various stages, and different styles of intervention are described.

You will also learn about some of the methods and technologies that are used in the training of family therapists.

This course is mainly for helping professionals who are thinking of becoming a family therapist, who have an interest in the area, or who refer clients to family therapists. The course may also be taken for personal interest.

It is an introductory theoretical course and is not intended to qualify you as a family therapist. However this course can act as a complement to other courses or as a refresher. Qualified and practising counsellors, psychotherapists and hypnotherapists may find this course a welcome addition to their professional development portfolio,

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. The course is accredited by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy.

Diploma in Depression & Bipolar Management
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This course in Depression and Bipolar Management is aimed at professionals, wellness workers, coaches, family members and volunteers who would like to help people with depression and bipolar disorder (manic depression) to improve their lives and inform themselves about the treatment options available to them from the medical profession and complementary or talking-therapy approaches. The course may also be taken for personal interest. The accent of the course is on taking responsibility for one's own life, treatments and recovery, with the aid of the medical profession and complementary forms of help.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. The course is accredited by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy.

Certificate in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This course will be of interest both to survivors of traumatic events and those who, in their work, come across victims of traumatic incidents.

The specially selected key text is written by a former sufferer of PTSD who has done his own research into the problem of PTSD and brings together in a comprehensive volume knowledge of the symptoms, complications and causes of PTSD and information about some available treatment approaches.

Case histories are given and there is information about taking legal action, a discussion on debriefing methods, and essential reference material including Internet sites.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. The course is accredited by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy.

Certificate in Dissociative Disorders Awareness
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment. This course may be taken for personal interest or professional development.

Dissociative disorders can be hard to diagnose and hard to understand.

This group of disorders includes the syndrome that used to be known as “Multiple Personality Disorder”.

This course uses a text written by a medical doctor which introduces the concepts of dissociative disorders to other helping professionals in an accessible way.

Guidelines for available treatment strategies are noted and hypnotherapy is a feature of possible approaches.

Typical presenting syndromes are outlined so that doctors and other helping professionals can be alert to the possibility of dissociative disorder.

The role of dissociative disorders in post-traumatic stress, body-image problems, eating disorders, sleep disorders and sexual disorders is presented.

There is also material on family relationships where a family member is dissociative.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. The course is accredited by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy.

Certificate in ADD/ADHD Awareness
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment. This course may be taken for personal interest or professional development.

This course focuses on solid, evidence-based scientific information on understanding attention deficit disorder in children, adolescents and adults.

The course includes:
The nature of the ADD syndrome and the brain;
how ADD affects children, adolescents and adults
how people cope with attention disorders;
the differences between ADD and just not paying attention;
other disorders that can accompany ADD syndrome;
medications and other treatments in use including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy;
possible future developments in the field.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. The course is accredited by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy.

Professional Diploma in Spirit Attachment & Invasive Energy Release Work
A specialist diploma for hypnotherapists, psychotherapists and spiritual workers.
Recommended study time 3 to 6 months. Continuous enrolment.

A spiritual and multi-dimensional view of the psyche is being accepted by an increasing number of lay therapists and medical doctors, aided by evidence suggesting survival and case experiences that do not fit traditional psychological models. Such a view includes the assumption that consciousness survives death, and that the spirits of deceased persons may sometimes influence our behaviour or our subtle energy fields with varying effects. This course covers the theory of spirit existence and how it is possible to work with clients in altered states of consciousness to identify unwanted influences and then to communicate with the source of the problem and to peacefully facilitate the “release” of the encountered spirit. This work is a specialised type of spiritual counselling in which the welfare of both the client and any co-existing spiritual consciousness is taken into consideration. The course also covers the positive benefits of spirit contact.

Please contact us if you would like full details of this course. The student will need to acquire 5 textbooks.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training. The course is accredited by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy and approved by the Association for Transpersonal Hypnotherapy.

Diploma in Parapsychology
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

Although we provide a separate, extended Advanced Diploma in Parapsychology, we recognise the need for a shorter but intellectually satisfying course for those who wish to study the subject in a more concise format. This new Diploma course uses a single university-level textbook that is separate from the books required from the Advanced course. This Diploma may be taken on its own, or as a preparation for the Advanced Diploma in Parapsychology.

Topics include:

History of parapsychological research
ESP – phenomenology and research
Psychokinesis
Psi theories
Survival after death
Poltergeists
Near-Death and Out-Of-Body experiences
Apparitions
Reincarnation
Belief in the paranormal and related beliefs
What use is parapsychology?
Is parapsychology scientific?

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training.

Advanced Diploma in Parapsychology
Recommended study time 9 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This comprehensive distance learning course is a professional-level programme of study at further education level, designed to give the student a broad knowledge of paranormal phenomena, an appreciation of the history of paranormal and psychical research using experimental designs and studying spontaneous phenomena, to develop an open-minded attitude towards the causes of parapsychological events, as well as to educate the student in ways of approaching and investigating alleged paranormal occurrences.

We will also introduce students who have Internet access to the vast resources on parapsychology, paranormal and spiritual topics available on the World Wide Web, for additional research, study and support.

This course will be of great benefit to anyone who has a deep personal interest in psychic or paranormal phenomena, to those who would like to study the subject systematically, and to all those who might become involved with such phenomena either directly or indirectly, including: counsellors, hypnotherapists, psychotherapists, ministers, mental health workers, law enforcement agents, psychic investigators, cult investigators, researchers, journalists, mediums, psychics, healers, dowsers, workers in the tourism industry, and persons working or living in or near reputedly haunted sites.

The student will need to acquire 10 textbooks.

Please contact us for full details of this distance learning course.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training.

Advanced Diploma in World Religions
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This course focuses on the world-wide development of religions throughout history.

The enormous diversity of religion is revealed as well as its ability to develop and take new forms in response to changes in society, war, conquest and colonization. Against this background, accurate and concise portraits of faiths and aspects of religion are presented.

Religions are understood in the context of diverse worldviews and secular worldviews such as Marxism are also introduced.

Ancient and classical religions covered include those of South Asia, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, the Ancient Near East, Persia, Greece, Rome, and Africa plus Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

The post-1500 period covers the Reformation and European changes in Judaism and Christianity, religion in N. America, post-WWII religion, modern religion and ideology in S. Asia, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia, Japan and its new religions, Islam and modernization, Pacific religion and colonialism, Religion during and after the Soviet Union, changes in African religion, and developments in Latin America and the Caribbean.

A final section reflects on twentieth-century changes and argues for a pluralistic religious education.

No specific religious conviction is necessary in order to study and enjoy this course, and those of any faith or none are welcome.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Amish History and Culture
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

The course will inform you in depth about Amish origins, life and beliefs and you will learn a great deal about this fascinating group of communities.

Syllabus (this syllabus is subject to change):

Understanding Amish society
Origins of Amish culture
Emigration to America
Principles of Amish beliefs and society
Agricultural life and the family
Child rearing and life transitions
Ritual, customs and symbolism
Relationship to American society and institutions
Change and diversity amongst the Amish
Physical and mental illness amongst the Amish
Insights into Amish life
Can the Amish survive?

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Western Esoteric Traditions
This distance learning course for anyone interested in choosing a Western esoteric spiritual path or simply curious about comparative religion or spirituality. This course will also interest the counsellor or therapist who encounters clients with alternative spiritualities.

This course provides a thoughtful and clear overview Western esotericism in its diverse forms, including disciplines influenced by non-Western traditions that found their place in Western metaphysics. The fields explored and discussed are:

Jung and the archetypes,
Gnosticism,
Esoteric Christianity,
The Kabbalah,
Magic,
Witchcraft and Neopaganism,
Shamanism,
Hermeticism,
Gurdjieff,
Sufism,
Secret Societies,
The New Age.

No specific religious conviction is necessary in order to study and enjoy this course, and those of any faith or none are welcome.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Dead Sea Scrolls Studies
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This course, summarising some 50 years of research, provides a detailed account of the discovery and preservation of the Dead Sea Scrolls, their relationship to the Old and New Testaments and to apocryphal scriptures; the belief systems and culture of the Qumran group; and controversies and fringe theories surrounding the Scrolls. The set text provides new perspectives on interpreting the Biblical evidence. It explains the diversity of ancient scriptural and related texts and how the Scrolls have helped scholars revise their theories about the provenance and significance of the Biblical documents. The non-Biblical scrolls which comprise about 75% of the collection are also discussed, revealing the beliefs and rules of the Qumran community. This unit is suitable for students new to Scroll study or for advanced students.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Gnosticism
Recommended study time 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment.

This course is a study of the philosophy of Gnosticism as expressed in many different forms from its remotest origins in ancient Egypt, Greece, India, Persia and the Middle East to modern cultural forms. This complex field covers both personal approaches to divine realisation and different spiritual systems and sects throughout the ages. It is not only a form of alternative or early Christianity – it has taken various religious, spiritual and cultural forms and in recent times has been part of Western Esotericism, Anthroposophy, the works of Carl Jung, and has been an influence on twentieth-century occultism, arts and popular music. The basic message of Gnosticism is that human beings are gods in potential, and that rigid theological/ideological systems and also materialism both stand in the way of the perception of our free and divine nature. Gnosticism also acknowledges that the world we live in is neither wholly good nor wholly evil but that there is an ongoing and ancient conflict between two opposing forces, an idea that has been expressed more dramatically in some forms of Gnosticism than in others.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Ecotourism
Ecotourism is about the joys of visiting unspoilt places in various beautiful and inspiring parts of the world, leaving as little environmental impact as possible and in doing so, helping to contribute to conservation and the local economy. This course asks whether the ecotourism industry is really as green as it appears, and seeks to define what true sustainable development in tourist hotspots means for business, local people and for holidaymakers.

There are special sections on the ecotourism industry and its impact on the local environment and economy in the following areas:

The Galapagos Islands,
Costa Rica,
Tanzania,
Zannzibar,
Kenya,
South Africa
the United States.

The course uses a core textbook of over 500 pages. Students will need to write essays/reports based on the textbook, and to do a final essay/mini-project on any aspect of ecotourism or sustainable development, based upon either fieldwork or literature research.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Business Leadership & Supervision
Total recommended study time: 3 to 4 months or less.

People who are promoted or who move to supervisory or managerial positions from technical or professional backgrounds often are “thrown in at the deep end” without formal management training. The material in this course demystifies management and offers a comprehensive guide to what to expect and how to cope with people and tasks, and a highly practical overview of the principles and practice of effective leadership for small to medium-sized organisations. The course handbook provides essential learning in easy chunks, accessible explanations of theory and tips, techniques and tools to enable leaders to become effective in every area of the organisation.

Topics include understanding the organisation, exploding myths about management, the corporate board, the CEO, core leadership, self-management & communication skills, strategic leadership of the organisation, recruitment, and personnel management.

Web references are integrated in the textbook providing explanations, examples and further study of key topics.

The course material is American-based and suitable for the international student. Though students may apply from any country, gap year students seeking to work in the US, or those hoping to emigrate to the States, may find it provides useful background. Most of the course material is based on general principles and is very similar to what is expected in the UK. However, the course does not cover UK business and employment law and regulations, and students needing knowledge of business-related laws in any specific jurisdiction will need to supplement the course with other reading and study. Many firms, though, provide on-the-job training and education in such matters as part of induction and employee development.

There is a two-phase assessment - a comprehensive multiple-question paper tests the student's knowledge of the course content. This method of assessment allows the busiest of executives to be able to complete the course in a timely manner. There is the option of writing an essay in order to gain a Distinction level in the qualification. All assessment work may be done at home or office and e-mailed or posted to the college.

Please contact us to ask for full details of the course.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training

Diploma in Nonprofit Leadership & Supervision
Total recommended study time: 3 to 4 months or less.

People who join the boards or management of nonprofit organisations, trusts or charities from different backgrounds can be “thrown in at the deep end” without formal management training. The material in this course demystifies nonprofit management and offers a comprehensive guide to what to expect and how to cope with people and tasks, and a highly practical overview of the principles and practice of effective leadership for small to medium-sized non-profit organisations. The course handbook provides essential learning in easy chunks, accessible explanations of theory and tips, techniques and tools to enable leaders to become effective in every area of the organisation.

Topics include understanding the organisation, exploding myths about management, the nonprofit board, the CEO, core leadership, self-management & communication skills, strategic leadership of the organisation, recruitment, and personnel management, all presented in a way that is relevant to the activities of the non-profit.

The course material is American-based and suitable for the international student. Most of the course material is based on general principles and is very similar to what is expected in the UK. However, the course does not cover UK charity procedures, law and regulations. Essential free information about running UK charities is available on-line and links will be provided.

Please contact us to ask for full details of the course.

Awarding body: UK College of Holistic Training