Are you looking for a job where you can make a difference? Do you like the idea of working in the NHS? Are you interested in the experiences of people coping with mental health issues? Join us as a Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) or a High intensity Cognitive Behavioural Trainee (CBT) Therapist and see for yourself how much of a difference you can make to people’s lives.
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What is a Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner?
As a trainee PWP you will work in a supportive team providing high-volume low-intensity interventions using brief cognitive behavioural therapy to clients presenting with mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety. Once qualified you will deliver a minimum of 20 hours a week of direct clinical work, consisting of assessment and treatment and spanning a variety of formats (1:1, online 1-1, courses, telephone, video and face-to-face).
How about the benefits?
As a PWP you’ll make a difference to people with mental health problems. As you will be employed by the NHS, you’ll have good holiday entitlement and access to:
- fully funded training plus a salary while you train and a job in the service when you qualify
- an excellent pension scheme
- NHS discounts in shops and restaurants
Where can a PWP role take me?
You will be provided with ongoing supervision to help you engage in self-reflection, seek and respond to feedback, and develop your professional knowledge and skills. As a qualified and experienced PWP you can apply for senior posts. We have access to a range of continuing professional developments (CPD) and opportunities to train in clinical work and in leadership.
Am I eligible for PWP training?
Training is open to people with a range of experience but it will help your application if you have a years experience of working with people with mental health problems, and good interpersonal skills are essential for the role.
What happens when I qualify?
If you do not have the relevant professional body (BABCP or BPS) qualification, you can work towards registration within 6 months of qualification. As a qualified and experienced PWP you can develop in specialist areas of interest as ‘champion’, or apply for senior posts.
What is a High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Therapist?
A large part of your role will be to assess a service user’s suitability for evidence-based psychological interventions, formulating and implementing treatment and evaluating progress. Once treatment begins, you’ll meet with service users regularly, usually weekly, to measure and review progress and tailor treatment accordingly.
You’ll work independently with service users and collaborate closely with other healthcare professionals, managing referrals and signposting to other agencies as appropriate.
You'll also offer specialist advice and consultation to other professionals, individuals and groups across mental health trusts, community-based trusts and other voluntary agencies on the practice and delivery of specific therapeutic models and service provision.
Where can a High Intensity CBT Therapist role take me?
There is a wide range of opportunities for qualified high intensity therapists. You could move into a role with more senior responsibility, such as clinical leadership, supervision or service management/leadership.
Entry requirements
To become a qualified high intensity therapist, you’ll need to gain a postgraduate diploma in CBT while working as a trainee high intensity therapist within an NHS Talking Therapies service. To be eligible for the training you will need to meet the minimum requirements. Further information on the minimum requirements and the role can be found here.
What is IPT?
IPT is a talking treatment that helps people with depression identify and address problems in their relationships with family, partners and friends. IPT considers that poor relationships with people in your life can leave you feeling depressed. Depression can in turn make your relationships with other people worse.
This role provides a qualified specialist psychological therapy service for depression to clients from the NHS Talking Therapies service.
Where can an IPT role take me?
The IPT role is a professional qualification, which enhances a previous core profession. Staff may develop the skills and experience to enable them to offer supervision within the IPT modality. The professional qualification provides a foundation to progress to other senior management roles within Talking Therapies.
Entry requirements
- A minimum two-year post-graduate (or equivalent) qualification in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, Psychotherapy, Counselling, or Counselling Psychology, comprising no less than 450 hours programme contact and no less than 450 hours supervised counselling or psychotherapy practice.
- Completion of an IPT qualification as specified by the NHS Talking Therapies manual. There are often opportunities to gain this qualification whilst working in a Talking Therapies trainee IPT role.
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