Chrysalis courses
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Highly Recommended Course & Provider
Before I start, overall, I am extremely pleased I choose to train with Chrysalis. My second two years were fantastic due to having a tutor who was simply brilliant. She shared her practical experiences with us regularly and really helped our group gel and brought the theory to life. I feel ready to set out on my journey as a newly qualified therapist. I am just about to complete year three. I have completed all of the theory aspects and final SSP. I have also had my final placement supervisor report. I have been with Chrysalis for the entire three years. I am a senior lecturer at a University and have significant experience of the provision of higher and adult education. I have read a number of the reviews going back for all of the years I have been on the course. Some of the points concerning, communication, documentation and the learning platform are fair but some now out of date. Some of the pre-learning videos could be improved with different presenters in different formats, generally there is a need for higher energy levels. Additionally some new videos with tutors demonstrating how they might deal with a client would have been beneficial particularly with the more tricky situations. My particular observation is that many of those leaving negative reviews seem to be missing the point that this is a self directed learning course. I really thrived in this approach. I have many friends who have been on the journey to being a counsellor through the FE or HEI routes and have had far less freedom to explore theory and themselves. I do feel, that at times, the framing of some of the messages during year two are rather constraining. We were told so many times what we couldn't do at this stage in our training and I felt this really undermined my confidence. Especially as almost as soon as you get into year three you can then work with clients. Much of what I do, in training future professionals, is about preparing them for their new responsibilities, this means growing confidence, not diminishing it. Some of the student documentation is not written as well as it could be. Some of the module notes could be restructured and reduced in length. The placement documentation is particularly complex with multiple people involved. This does need to be addressed, as does the placement process itself. It was very stressful. Chrysalis does recommend certain organisations. Somehow this does not short cut the process, it should. I liked the platform most of the time and it has improved over the time I was training. So I have left a long list of improvements. Yes there is work to be done. I have seen them work hard to improve and be receptive to feedback (mostly). I think we have to recognise that this is a course structured to allow adults to keep working and study. It is a very competitive price and I enjoyed my time. Having nearly finished my placement hours, of course things came up that I wasnt fully prepared or ready for but I have taken so much away from the course and cant wait to start my own private practice. Thank you Chrysalis for all you have done to set me on my way.
