I've had bad experiences with online courses — how is this different?

Created by Colette Kelly, Modified on Thu, 7 May at 11:03 AM by Colette Kelly

At a Glance

If your previous experience of online learning was passive video-watching, no interaction, and "support" that never materialised — your scepticism is fair. This course was built differently. It is centred on live interaction, observation, and community, not on solo video-watching.

What you may have experienced before

Many of our students arrive carrying scar tissue from previous online training:

Recorded webinars with no live element

Forums where questions went unanswered for days

Promised "communities" that didn't materialise

Tutors who were unreachable

Technology problems with no help

"I was a bit anxious about doing this online because I have experienced poor quality delivery and little or no support in previous online courses."

That experience is worth taking seriously. We are not going to pretend it doesn't exist.

What's different here

A few things were designed specifically to address what online learning often gets wrong.

Live, full-day sessions

Six full days on Zoom over the course. This is not "watch these videos." Live tutor demonstrations, breakout-room practice, and personalised feedback are the centrepiece of the course. The self-directed learning supports the live work, not the other way round.

Multiple tutors per cohort

Live sessions are staffed by multiple tutors at once — one leading, others observing breakout rooms. This is what enables actual practice and feedback rather than passive listening.

Capped cohort sizes

Numbers are limited deliberately so every student gets personal attention. You are not one of hundreds.

Dedicated tech support

A dedicated technical host runs the digital environment during live sessions — so tutors can focus on teaching and you can focus on learning. If something goes wrong with your audio or screen, someone is there to fix it.

A real community

Private chat-style cohort groups, peer triads, buddy pairings, and the Alumni group of 1,500+ graduated supervisors. The connections that form during the course often last for years.

What graduates say

"This could not be further from the reality of this course."

"I found the live sessions inclusive and less isolated than other online courses I have completed."

"Online training can feel impersonal and difficult to engage with sometimes — however, the structure of this course has been exceptional."

"Having tech support is a great idea — it meant there was never 'dead air time'."

On technology anxiety

If you are not confident with Zoom or online platforms, you are not alone — and the course makes space for this. The non-compulsory introductory session before the course starts is partly about getting you comfortable with the technology before the real work begins.

Want to know more?

You can see full course details — including upcoming start dates and current pricing — at the Advanced Certificate in Clinical Supervision page.

If you have a specific question we haven't answered here, email us at support@counsellingtutor.com — a real person will reply within 24 hours.