Kenya

IAC Member Associations & Organizations

Interested in your association becoming an IAC member? Find more information here.

Additional Counselling Associations & Organizations

Kenya Association of Professional Counsellors (KAPC)

Maranatha International Counselling Foundation

Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association

IAC Education Institute Members

Interested in your education institute becoming an IAC member? Find more information here.

Additional Education Institutes

Kenya Association of Professional Counsellors (KAPC) Training courses

Kenya Institute of Professional Counselling

University of Nairobi

• Programme Types: Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Bachelor of Psychology (Counselling) (ON HOLD), Master’s in Counselling Psychology, Master’s in Psychology, Doctor of Philosophy (Counselling)

United States International University Africa

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D) Clinical Psychology

Mount Kenya University

• Programme Types: Department of Psychology, Department of Social and Development Studies, Bachelor in Community Development, Bachelor in Social Work and Administration, Bachelor in Sociology

Kenya Methodist University

• Programme Types: Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology 

Egerton University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Psychology 

Technical University of Kenya

• Programme Types: Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Diploma in Social Work and Community Development, Bachelor of Science Counselling Psychology

Daystar University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Counselling, Master of Arts with Major in Counselling Psychology, Masters of Arts in Child Development, Postgraduate Diploma in Child Development (PGDCD), Bachelor of Arts in community Development, Master of Arts in Community Development

Machakos University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts in Counselling, Psychology, Counselling Psychology

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology

• Programme Types: Certificate in Counselling Skills (short course), Certificate in Social Work and Community Development, Diploma in Social Work and Community Development, Bachelor of Social Work and Community Development, Master of Education Guidance and   Counselling, Master if Educational Psychology Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology

St. Paul University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Community Development and Social Work, Diploma in Social Work, Diploma in Community Development, Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Community Development, Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Master of Arts in Community Care & HIV/AIDS, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology 

Pwani University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, PhD in Psychology

Kisii University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Counselling Psychology, Diploma in Guidance and Counselling, Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Sociology, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology

Maasaimara University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Social Work, Certificate in Community Development, Skills for Guidance and Counselling, HIV/AIDs Management (short course), Diploma in Social Work, Diploma in Community Development, Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Bachelor of Arts in Community Development, Bachelors of Education with Guidance and Counselling, Bachelor of Education Science with Guidance and Counselling 

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology

• Programme Types: Master of Education in Guidance and Counselling

Zetech University

• Programme Types: Diploma in Counselling Psychology

Technical University of Mombasa

• Programme Types: Certificate in Community Development and Counselling, Certificate in Community Health and HIV Management, Diploma in Community Development and Counselling

University of Kabianga  

• Programme Types: Diploma in Guidance & Counselling, Bachelor of Education Guidance and Counselling, Master of Education in Educational Psychology, Master of Education in Guidance & Counselling

Kibabii University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts Psychology, Bachelor of Arts Guidance and Counselling 

The Management University of Africa

• Programme Types: Certificate in Counselling and Psychology, Diploma in Counselling and Psychology

Rongo University

• Programme Types: Master of Education in Psychology, Master of Education in Guidance and Counselling 

Gretsa University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Social Work and Community Development, Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Diploma in Social Work and Community Development 

Amani Counselling Centre and Training Institute

Counselling Research Institute of Kenya

Kenyatta University

• Programme Types: Diploma in Guiding and Counselling, Diploma in Clinical and Child Neuropsychology, Bachelor of Arts Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts Psychology, Master of Arts Counselling Psychology, Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology 

Moi University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts Psychology, Bachelor of Arts Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Education Guidance and Counselling, Bachelor of Science in Medical Psychology, Master of Science Counselling Psychology, Master of Education in Guidance and Counselling, Master of Education in Educational Psychology, Master of Medicine (M.Med) in Psychiatry, PhD in Educational Psychology 

The Catholic University of Eastern Africa

• Programme Types: Certificate in Social Work, Diploma in Social Psychiatry, Diploma in Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Master of Arts in Social Work

University of Eastern Africa, Baraton 

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology

African Nazarene University

• Programme Types: Diploma in Counselling, Bachelor of Counselling Psychology, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology

Kabarak University

• Programme Types: Master of Education Guidance and Counselling 

Maseno University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Psychology with IT (Proposed Programme) Bachelor of Guidance and Counselling with IT, Bachelor of Clinical Psychology with IT, Bachelor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology with IT, Department of Special Needs Education and Rehabilitation

KCA University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Counselling Psychology, Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology

South Eastern Kenya University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts Social Work

Chuka University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Social Work, Certificate in HIV/AIDS Management, Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Diploma in Community Development, Diploma in Social Work, Bachelor of Psychology, Masters in Counselling Psychology, M.Ed. in Guidance and Counselling, Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology, Ph.D. in Educational Psychology

Africa International University

• Programme Types: Diploma in Counselling and Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Counselling, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology 

University of Embu

• Programme Types: Diploma in Social Work and Community Development 

University of Eldoret

• Programme Types: Diploma in Social Work and Rural Development

Multimedia University of Kenya

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Technology

International Leadership University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Counselling, Diploma in Counselling, Bachelors of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Master of Arts in Counselling Studies

Great Lakes University of Kisumu

• Programme Types: Certificate in Counselling Psychology, Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology (Direct Entry), Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology

The Presbyterian University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Counselling Psychology, Diploma in Counselling Psychology

Laikipia University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Psychology, Master of Education in Educational Psychology, Master of Education in Guidance and Counselling, Master of Arts in Guidance and Counselling, Doctor of Philosophy in Guidance and Counselling, Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology

Scott Christian University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology 

KAG East University

• Programme Types: Certificate in Counselling Psychology, Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Counselling Psychology 

Kenya Highland University

• Programme Types: Diploma in Counselling Psychology, Bachelor of Arts Counselling Psychology, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology 

IAC Member Centres/Group Practices

Interested in your centre/group practice becoming an IAC member? Find more information here.

Additional Centres/Group Practices

The Retreat Rehab Centre

Tumaini Counselling Centre

Vizazi Foundation

Fountain of Hope Treatment Centre

Jorgs Ark Rehab

Master Misericordiae Hospital

Precision Counselling Home

Oasis Africa

Essential Therapy

The counselling profession in Kenya is in its formative years. Counsellor education is quite varied in terms of curriculum, such as in school, the nature of institutions that offer training, and the duration of training programs.

However, the growth of counselling in Kenya has been fueled largely by events in the social, educational, economic, and political arenas. Beginning in the late 1970s, the Catholic Church in Kenya embarked on a massive campaign to educate people on natural family planning methods (African Forum for Catholic Social Teachings, 1979). This effort was spearheaded by the Family Life Counselling Association of Kenya, a lay organization of the church.

There is no available information on current regulatory status about counselling in Kenya.

Counsellors can now be found in virtually every sector, with the largest numbers being in HIV/AIDS, VCT centres, hospitals, child protection agencies, and primary and secondary schools (West, 2007). It is, therefore, difficult to estimate the number of counsellors in the country due to the lack of established registration, certification, or a licensure body that keeps records on the profession. Mainly it could be found in associations, Non-profit organisations, private settings, counselling centres, rehabilitation centres and in education institutions.

Historically, the notion of consulting with a stranger about personal or family problems was an unusual concept and even frowned upon. Social challenges that might cast a shadow on the name and reputation of the family had to be resolved privately. A person who was experiencing an interpersonal problem would seek the help of a well-respected relative or a clan elder; in more serious cases, traditional healers were consulted.

For more information about the counselling profession in the state, interested readers are encouraged to read the following journal and website articles:

• Okech, J. E., & Kimemia, M. (2012). Professional Counseling in Kenya: History, Current Status, and Future Trends. Journal of Counseling & Development, 90(1), 107-112. doi:10.1111/j.1556-6676.2012.00015.x