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Humanitas The Humanitas Counselling Course

Counselling Courses in South Africa: Become a Practising Counsellor

Already have a psychology degree? Turn that theory into real clients, supervised experience, and 220+ practical hours. Join 750+ graduates across Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, or study live online.

4,9 144 Google reviews 750+ graduates completed the program
220 supervised hours 5+ real clients Weekly online supervision
Humanitas Counselling Course graduates in a practical training session
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This is a post-degree programme — a completed degree is required to enrol.

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4 months In-person or live online HICS-recognised R4 999 deposit + 3 payments

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September Intake '26

Phase 1, Theory: 28 Sep – 31 Mar 2027
In-person Full-time attendance required

R 19 999 R 4 999 deposit secures your seat Then 3 x R 5 000/month

Register & Enrol Now
91,9% reached 100 practical hours in 2025
140 Graduates in 2025
220+ Practical hours

What our graduates say

4,9 144 Google reviews Read all 144 reviews on Google → Write a review
Tracey McDougall
Tracey McDougall ★★★★★ 4 months ago

My experience with Humanitas has been one of the most meaningful and enriching learning experiences of my life. From the outset, the course exceeded my expectations. The lecturers have been exceptional; each brought not only depth of knowledge, but warmth, wisdom and humanity to the learning process. Being taught by them was inspiring, enlightening and genuinely a pleasure. What makes Humanitas so special is not only the quality of the academic training, but the people behind it. The entire team is incredibly supportive, kind and invested in their students’ growth. The student support team has been outstanding—responsive, organised and always willing to assist. The theoretical component is thoughtfully designed, relevant and immediately applicable, while the practical component has been profoundly fulfilling, illuminating and challenging in all the right ways! The supervision sessions have been invaluable, offering insight, encouragement and a space for deep reflection and professional development. This course has had a lasting impact on both my personal and professional life. It has deepened my confidence as a counsellor, challenged me to grow, and laid an incredibly strong foundation for my hope of one day opening my own practice. Humanitas has not only equipped me with skills and insight, but has opened doors and possibilities I had not previously imagined. I would wholeheartedly recommend Humanitas to anyone considering a path in psychology or counselling—it is an exceptional institution that truly cares, and one that has been life-changing for me.

Posted on Google
Siphokazi Kaduka
Siphokazi Kaduka ★★★★★ a month ago

Humanitas is a distinguished institution that equips psychology and social work graduates with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills needed to counsel with professionalism. As a graduate, I am proud of the transformative learning experience it provided. The program strengthened my sense of purpose, deepened my empathy, and enhanced my interpersonal and counselling skills through quality teaching, experiential learning, group work, and role-play. Its strong internship support, including weekly supervision and access to counselling services, reflects a genuinely student-centred approach. I am deeply grateful to Humanitas for nurturing both my personal and professional growth, and for celebrating our journey so meaningfully on our final day. BRAVO HUMANITAS - shaping counsellors with competency, empathy and humanity.

Posted on Google
sipho Mnguni
sipho Mnguni ★★★★★ a month ago

I'm one of the luckiest guys who received free counseling from Humanitas. I am grateful for the kindness and exceptional support throughout the journey. The counselor, Miss Vizuri, was very supportive and helpful

Posted on Google
Noni Counselling
Noni Counselling ★★★★☆ 2 months ago

My experience with Humanitas was amazing. The course was very informative, it came with a lot of unlearning and relearning, self introspection and personal growth. The lectures made practical examples and they were very patient. The students support team was responsive and very supportive. But I wish the theoretical component would take two months instead of one month. I would recommend this course to anyone willing to improve their counselling skills.

Posted on Google
Yolandi Louw
Yolandi Louw ★★★★★ 4 months ago

I started my journey with Humanitas Pretoria in January and have now graduated. It’s been such a meaningful experience — the facilitators are warm, supportive, and truly walk with you every step of the way. The training is practical, real, and gave me skills and confidence I’ll carry into my work and life. I’m deeply grateful for the safe space they created and the growth I've experienced.

Posted on Google

Frequently asked questions

A psychology degree is the most common background, but we also accept social work qualifications and other relevant NQF 7 qualifications with at least three years of psychology content. If you're unsure whether you qualify, email us with your transcript and we'll confirm.

Yes -- it's one of the most common reasons people enrol. Far more psychology graduates apply for Honours and Master's places than there are seats, so being turned away usually reflects how few spots exist, not your ability. This course is a practical, post-degree pathway: it builds on the degree you already have and adds supervised, hands-on counselling experience -- 220+ hours with real clients and weekly live online supervision -- so you can start practising in months rather than waiting years for a postgraduate place. It's a professional training programme, not a degree and not a substitute for an Honours or Master's. It is a HICS-recognised programme, and completing it is one of the requirements for the HICS Accredited Counsellor designation.

An undergraduate psychology degree is largely theoretical, which is why many graduates struggle to find counselling or clinical work straight after their studies. Adding supervised practical training is what opens doors. The course is recognised by HICS, and its 220+ supervised hours count toward the 200 supervised hours the HICS Accredited Counsellor designation requires. Graduates build a private counselling practice or offer supportive counselling in NGOs, schools, wellness, and community settings -- or combine counselling with an existing career in HR, education, or social work. The practical experience also strengthens future Honours or Master's applications. (HICS is a voluntary, non-statutory membership body. This course is not a route to HPCSA registration as a psychologist or registered counsellor.)

Four months total. Phase 1 is one month of full-time theory at your chosen campus (Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Durban) or live online via video conference. Phase 2 is three months of part-time supervised practicum where you see real clients under the guidance of a qualified supervisor. You'll log 220+ practical hours by the end.

The course is not SAQA/NQF registered as a formal qualification -- it's a professional training programme. The course is recognised by HICS, the Humanitas Independent Counselling Society, against its Entry Training Outcomes Standard. Completing it is one of the requirements for the HICS Accredited Counsellor designation, alongside a relevant degree, 200 supervised hours, personal counselling sessions and a written board examination. HICS is a voluntary, non-statutory membership body: its designation is a quality-assurance mark, not a statutory registration or a licence to practise. You may describe yourself as a counsellor, but never as a psychologist or registered counsellor, which are HPCSA-protected titles.

The course requires 90% attendance minimum during Phase 1 theory. It's a full-time commitment for that month. If you miss more than two days you may need to defer to the next intake. Phase 2 practicum is more flexible because it's scheduled around client availability.

You see real clients under supervision at one of our placement partners or an approved organisation in your area. You'll log practical counselling hours, attend group supervision, and receive individual feedback from a qualified supervisor. The 220+ hours include direct client work, supervision, and personal reflection.

Your deposit secures your seat and is non-refundable after Phase 1 begins. Before Phase 1 starts, a full refund is available minus a small administration fee. Monthly instalments are payable on a set schedule -- see the intake card above for exact amounts. If you need to withdraw mid-course, contact us directly -- we handle these case-by-case.

The course is a HICS-recognised programme, and completing it is one of the requirements for the HICS Accredited Counsellor designation. Graduates build private counselling practices, strengthen master's degree applications with practical experience, or specialise further (e.g. Play Based Intervention). Many graduates combine counselling with existing careers in social work, education, or HR.

Yes -- you can arrange your own placement with an institution or organisation of your choosing. Online counselling via Zoom or Microsoft Teams is also available, which makes the practicum fully accessible to students on our online intakes. Students are listed on the Humanitas free counselling page to receive online client requests.

The course is not offered part-time, but a live-online intake is available. Online intakes follow the same programme as the in-person intakes: Phase 1 theory is delivered live via video conference and still requires full-time attendance for the month, and Phase 2 practicum involves real client contact under supervision (online placements are available).

In-person placements are available in Pretoria, Cape Town, and Durban. Online placements are also available. If you're in a different city, you're welcome to arrange your own placement with a local organisation -- we'll help guide the process.

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