You can become a counsellor by completing a counsellor training course, which should be recognized and certified by the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB). This is because they train psychologically oriented counsellors from the fields of individual, couple and family counselling as well as from the field of counselling for groups, institutions and organizations. With the Psychosocial Counselor training, you will be able to counsel people with the aim of managing their lives independently, overcoming crises and developing themselves further. Those who successfully complete the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) become experts in the profession and can use the protected title "Counselor in the psychosocial field with a federal diploma".

The following activities are carried out by counselors in the psychosocial field with a federal diploma after psychosocial counselor training:

• Personal discussions with people seeking advice for help with a specific problem, the desire for personal development or the improvement of social integration
• work in various fields such as personal, educational, relationship, pregnancy conflict, student and addiction counseling or grief work
• At the beginning of a counseling session, inquire about the client's personal situation and, after thorough evaluation and weighting, derive the appropriate procedures and their main objectives
• Create a structured consulting plan in terms of content and timing
• Build up a personal relationship of trust in the first few sessions
• Designing the counseling process in relation to the situation - individually and creatively, taking into account the social and cultural environment (promoting personal responsibility and supporting personal efforts to further develop patterns of behavior and experience and improve personal well-being)
• apply different counseling approaches from the psychosocial counselor training (person-centered, process-oriented or body-oriented methods, transactional analysis or counseling on a religious level)
• Recognize crisis situations and react appropriately, refer if necessary
• Reflecting on and evaluating professional practice and continuously developing advisory skills through supervision, intervision or continuing education, further training
• are obliged to act ethically

At the start of the examination, the following prior training is required for the Counselor in the Psychosocial Field course:

• Professional qualification at continuing education and training / tertiary level or equivalent qualification and at least 6 years of professional experience in a psychosocial context

or

• without a tertiary degree at least 8 years of professional experience in a psychosocial context

and

• Proof of at least 20 counseling processes with at least 100 sessions, of which 5 counseling processes with at least 5 hours
• Proof of 40 hours of client-related supervision
• Proof of 40 hours of psychosocial counseling as a client
• Participation in at least 8 sessions of a supervision or revision group for at least 2 years
• Accompaniment by a supervisor for at least 1 year (min. 20 hours) in a counseling competence-related supervision

After the counselor training in the psychosocial field, there are the following further development opportunities as a counselor continuing education, further training:

• Courses from professional associations and training institutions
• Certified special education teacher (EDK)
• Bachelor's or Master's degree from a University of Applied Sciences in Applied Psychology or Social Work

No specific training or continuing education in couples counseling or another specialist field is required for admission to the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) "Counselor in the psychosocial field with a federal diploma". However, with a tertiary degree you must be able to demonstrate at least six years of counseling experience in a psychosocial environment, without a tertiary degree at least eight years. In addition, you must provide proof of 30 hours as a client in a psychosocial counseling session, 30 hours as a supervisor in a client-related supervision, counseling in at least 80 sessions with at least 15 counseling processes, as well as participation in at least eight sessions of an intervision or supervision group for two or more years. In addition, you must have been supervised by an accredited teaching supervisor for at least 15 hours over a period of one year or more and have received a recommendation from him or her.

The following training consultants are frequently offered:

• Coaching and consultant training
• Psychosocial counseling training
• Systemic counseling training
• Psychological counseling training
• Life counseling training
• Family counselor training
• RAV consultant training

The following is possible after the psychosocial counseling training:

• Courses offered by professional associations and training institutions
• Degree program at a university of applied sciences, e.g. Bachelor/Master of Science (FH) in Applied Psychology, Bachelor of Arts/Science (FH) in Social Work or certified special education teacher (EDK)