I did my training with the National Childbirth Trust over 40 years ago when the focus was as much on how you counsel as what you counsel.  I carried that message with me when we founded the Israel Childbirth Education Centre after we moved to Israel and all our training courses, childbirth educators and breastfeeding counsellors were one-third physiology, one third listening and counselling skills through interactive workshops and one-third observation of qualified counsellors both on home visits and in hospitals.  We set exams, not in a closed room but as projects, presentations to the group and written papers which were done at home using research materials.
Many of our counsellors went on to qualify with IBCLC and after we had to close our own organization,   several different training programmes were started in Israel but in my opinion few seem to focus sufficiently on “not just what you know but how you communicate and listen.”
So throwing in my tuppence-worth I would suggest that any new course established now should take these issues into account.  And also have an introductory workshop to screen out students who are not suitable.  One day of group exercises and team-work soon shows up the ones who albeit well-intentioned do not have the sort of personality or attitude that we are looking for in a counsellor.  I have personally during my years of counselling come across fully qualified counsellors who would terrify me if I came to them as a young confused mother!
Good luck,
Wendy Blumfield
Haifa, Israel
From: LACTNET automatic digest system 
Sent: Tuesday, June 7, 2016 7:01 AM
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Subject: LACTNET Digest - 6 Jun 2016 (#2016-172)

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