• About Us
  • |
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
Memberships Members Login

To facilitate provision by Christians of quality counselling and pastoral care

To facilitate provision by Christians of quality counselling and pastoral care

  • Find a Counsellor
    • Find a Counsellor
    • What is Counselling?
    • Why use an ACC Counsellor?
    • Choosing a Counsellor or Psychotherapist
    • Knowledge Base for Counselling
    • Questions for your Counsellor or Psychotherapist
    • Network Representatives
    • ACC European Contacts
    • How do I complain regarding a counsellor?
    • How do I complain about staff or ACC?
    • Complaint Hearing Outcomes
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Become a Counsellor
    • What is Christian Counselling?
    • So you think you want to become a counsellor?
    • Advice & Training
    • Different levels of Training
    • Counselling Training Courses
    • Become an Accredited Counsellor
    • Frequently Asked Questions 1
    • Frequently asked Questions 2
  • ACC Membership
    • About ACC
    • Vision And Values
    • ACC Ethics and Practice Document
    • Join ACC membership
    • Membership Categories table
    • Fees Table
    • Renew your membership
    • The Benefits
    • ACC Networks
    • Welcome Page 
    • Become an Accredited Counsellor
    • Membership essentials 
    • Join the Accredited Register
    • Join the Student Register
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • The ACC Accredited Register
    • About the ACC Accredited Register
    • Information for the public
    • Register Advisory Panel
    • Check the Accredited Register
    • Join the Accredited Register
    • Accredited Registers Communications Toolkit July 2016 
    • How to Join the Register information for non ACC members
    • Renew your registration
    • Join the Student Register
    • Check the Student Register
    • Dual Registration
    • Guidance on Complaints from other professional bodies
    • Complaint Hearing Outcomes
  • Professional Development
    • Janina Fisher special offer
    • Events organised by organisations affiliated to ACC
    • Supervision Guidelines
    • Careers and Jobs
    • Accreditation application forms and documents 
    • How to Book your Training & Events
    • Upcoming events listing
    • Professional Bodies Training Standards
    • Counselling Logs Template 
    • CPD Criteria 
    • Find a CPD Training Provider
    • Accreditation Frequently asked Questions
    • Counsellor Guidance Documents 
    • Useful Articles and Links
    • Near Miss Reporting 
  • Publications
    • Products
    • Resources available for purchase
    • ACC public documents
    • ACC Member only Documents 
    • accord magazine
    • accord articles 
    • Accord Extra
  • News
    • ACC / PCUK Conference 2019 February 8th to 11th
    • Blogs
    • Combatting stress and burnout Premier radio interview with Sue Monckton-Rickett
    • Mental Health Podcast
    • Avoiding the Stiff upper lip
    • Prayer Points
    • Latest News
    • Useful links
    • Accord headlines
    • Annual Review
    • Board Members and Agenda for meetings
  • Pastoral Care
  • Pastoral Care
Banner Image

What is Counselling?

Counselling is a carefully arranged opportunity for people to talk through issues that are affecting their life, with someone specifically trained to help.
ACC defines Christian counselling as activities which “… seek to help people towards constructive change and growth in any or every aspect of their lives, through a caring relationship and within agreed relational boundaries, carried out by a counsellor who has a Christian worldview, values and assumptions.”
Counsellors can be found working in various settings such as GP surgeries, hospitals, educational settings, voluntary organisations, churches and in private practice.
Counsellors use many different approaches or models in their practice, depending on their training and what they find to be effective. Some but not all Christian counsellors may use specific Christian models or theory to underpin their practice and this may be something you wish to enquire about during your first visit.
Christian counsellors are those who hold a personal Christian worldview. However, they do not make any assumptions or have any requirements about your faith, belief or values, and they will not impose their faith on you.

ACC counsellors

The Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC) is a registered UK charity. Founded in 1992, it is the leading organisation representing Christian counsellors, and pastoral carers, in the UK. ACC aims to be a catalyst for excellence through the standardisation of good practice, accreditation, recognition of training, its journal accord and its conferences.

ACC does not seek to make all Christian counsellors think the same or counsel in the same way. It is expected, however, that ACC members hold a recognised Christian worldview that is consistent with the ACC Statement of Faith and is generally expressed in the words of the Creed. ACC counsellors are from a wide range of Christian traditions.

ACC counsellors are also required to work under and follow ACC’s guidance on Ethics and Practice and related policies and statements that are issued (e.g. January 2014 Statement), from time to time, by the Board of Trustees.
ACC acknowledges that ethical dilemmas can arise at times or that ethical principles may clash in a particular situation. These may need to be held in tension until a suitable way forward can be found. As every situation is different it is not possible to set out a specific hierarchy of norms. However, ACC believes that applying broader Christian ethical norms such as love, grace, holiness and forgiveness may help in resolving dilemmas.

Occasionally, things may go wrong and are not easily resolved. In such cases, ACC has a Complaints Procedure

Block Image

Looking for Pastoral Care?

Click Here

Block Image

Check The ACC Accredited Register

Check the Accredited Register

Privacy policy | Cookies | Data Protection | Copyright | Sitemap

© 2019 ACC UK | Registered Charity 1018559; Company, limited by guarantee, registered in England 2791541

Website designed by image+