CAREER ENTRY
All NHS psychotherapist positions are post-graduate training posts that require a starting point of a good honours degree. But before undertaking any of the accredited masters-level post graduate training, a key basic requirement in each of the specialties or modalities is to have successfully completed the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC, previously known as GBR). The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) publishes the Training in Counselling & Psychotherapy Directory which outlines the main training courses. Courses are normally part time and take four to six years to complete. They include theory, supervised clinical work and clinical seminars.
Training in an established institution will almost always include undergoing personal therapy and not all training programmes necessarily give clearance to practise as a psychotherapist, so it is important to thoroughly check course content and final qualifications.
The selection process is rigorous and training is expensive, especially personal therapy costs and course fees, causing many of the courses to be part time so as to allow students to work during their training. And although grants are few, many training courses are heavily oversubscribed. For a recognised position with a public institution such as the NHS, training that conforms to standards set by the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) or the British Psychoanalytic Council is required with subsequent registration with the Health Professions Council or HPC .
Many qualified psychotherapists have previously worked as a psychiatrist, social worker, psychologist, mental health nurse or other mental health professional and who has had further specialist training in psychotherapy. So although this area of work is open to all graduates, the following subjects may increase your chances: psychology, nursing, medicine, social work or sociology.
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