A Bury College adult learner has transformed her life and career, progressing from Level 2 Counselling on to running her own private practice, which has recently been shortlisted for a business award.
Mika's story
Mika, a former Dental Nurse, arrived at Bury College looking for a career change. Inspired by personal experiences, she decided to venture into the world of counselling and enrolled onto the Counselling Skills Level 2 Certificate.
Despite facing significant challenges during her studies, including being diagnosed with Dyslexia, juggling her workload with family life, and facing imposter syndrome, Mika persevered and successfully worked her way through the levels. She will soon complete the Level 5 Diploma.
“Coming back to college and learning was really challenging, but I felt supported by my classmates. Being able to talk to them in class every week really helped me. As I've progressed, I've noticed my skills building and improving. To look back at where I was at Level 2, the difference is massive. I’m proud of myself.”, Mika commented.
“The course content has been really interesting, and the learning is really practical – I’ve done roleplay and work placements. The structure, especially at Level 5, has been good, we learn something different every week.”, she added.
After completing the Level 4 course last year, Mika became a qualified counsellor and started her own private practice.
“I always knew that I wanted to go private when I qualified. I finished Level 4 last year and focused on building my business straight away.”
She has since hired three of her classmates and been shortlisted for the ‘Best New Business’ award in the 2026 UK Small Business Awards.
“I was absolutely over the moon to hear that I was a finalist… it's a really big milestone after just seven months in business.”, Mika said.
As she looks to the future, Mika aims to continue to grow her business, with the goal of making her services more accessible for people.
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