Students from the Foundation Degree in Counselling Theory and Practice recently had the valuable opportunity to attend the PEGS Conference, an event centred on supporting parents and professionals affected by child-to-parent abuse.
The visit, organised and facilitated by lecturer Genevieve, offered an enriching and relevant learning experience that extended far beyond the classroom.
One attending student reflected on the significance of the trip:
“I can’t overstate how vital I feel immersion in these topics is to the work we’re doing, and to the work we aspire to do. As a strong advocate for experiential learning, I found the opportunity to hear real, lived experiences profoundly valuable. Events like this offer something that textbooks and lectures simply can’t replicate.”
The conference exposed students to real-world narratives and contemporary issues faced by families and practitioners - content that directly complements the theoretical frameworks studied on the course. By hearing lived experiences first-hand, students deepened their understanding of trauma, safeguarding, power dynamics, and the complexity of relational patterns, all of which are core themes running throughout the Foundation Degree.
Many students have already begun integrating insights from the day into group discussions as part of their Professional Development modules, enriching peer learning and prompting thoughtful conversations about practice. The experience strengthened connections between academic study and the realities of counselling work, reinforcing the importance of empathy, attunement, and ethical awareness.
A student expressed:
“I’m passionate about counselling students feeling connected to the wider counselling ecosystem - not only for their personal and professional growth, but also as a reflection of Shrewsbury College’s commitment to this space.”
The trip highlighted the value of engaging with ongoing professional issues and demonstrated the college’s dedication to offering meaningful, experiential opportunities. For counselling students preparing for careers in a diverse and challenging field, visits like the PEGS Conference play a vital role in shaping confident, informed, and reflective practitioners.
If you would like to know more about what is involved in our Foundation Degree in Counselling Theory and Practice, you can read more here!