Clinical/Forensic Psychologist/Forensically Modified DBT Psychological Therapist

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust; Sutton Green; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Sutton is seeking a DBT therapist to join their ‘Options’ Offender Personality Disorder Team at HMP Downview. This role involves delivering Modified Forensic DBT therapy to women and requires experience in multi-agency settings and expertise in personality disorder treatment. The successful candidate will work within a supportive team, providing both individual and group therapy, clinical supervision, and attending consultation meetings. The organization is recognized for its commitment to mental health services.

Qualifications

• Experience working with personality disorder and complex needs.
• Ability to deliver individual and group based DBT therapy.
• Clinical supervision capabilities for psychological therapists and trainees.

Responsibilities

• Deliver Modified Forensic Dialectic Behavioural Therapy to women.
• Attend weekly DBT consultation meetings.
• Develop individual formulations based on mental health and personality disorder models.
• Provide clinical supervision to team members.
• Work autonomously within policy guidelines.

Skills

Expertise in DBT

Individual and Group treatment expertise

Experience in multi-agency settings

Job description

A Vacancy at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.

Are you interested in working with personality disorder and assisting teams to support women with complex needs? We are seeking a DBT therapist, psychologist or psychological therapist to join our ‘Options’ Offender Personality Disorder Team at HMP Downview (a female prison in Sutton, Surrey). Options is a treatment and support service running primarily modified forensic DBT Programmes, offering treatment for service users who have been identified on the Personality Disorder Pathway. Additionally, we offer 1:1 EMDR therapy, staff training, consultation and formulation services to our probation and prison colleagues who work alongside us to support and progress women safety through their sentence plan, in preparation for their move into the community. Service users report many improvements in the way they manage emotions and relationships.

Responsibilities

• To deliver Modified Forensic Dialectic Behavioural Therapy to women screened into the OPD pathway, including individual and group based treatment.
• To attend and take part in weekly DBT consultation meetings and adhere to DBT principles.
• To develop individual formulations and apply theoretical models of the psychology of mental health and personality disorder and offending, to observed behaviour, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal patterns, for service users who present with complex clinical needs.
• To undertake delivery of individual and group therapy including outreach support and stabilisation with prisoners at HMP Downview as directed.
• To provide clinical supervision to the team’s psychological therapists, Assistant Psychologists and trainees and other members of the team when appropriate.
• To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service’s policies and procedures.

Key Qualifications

• Experience and expertise in working within teams, within multi-agency settings.
• Individual and/or Group treatment expertise within the field of Personality Disorder or complex need is essential.
• Expertise in DBT is desirable (DBT training within role can be provided).
• Band 6–7 applicants are welcome to apply, including those seeking a preceptorship opportunity.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is a Top Employer Award Winner and works in partnership to provide responsive and dependable primary care, mental health, intellectual disability and substance misuse services to the diverse and culturally rich communities we serve.

By joining CNWL’s Health & Justice Directorate you will be joining a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide a variety of mental health and OPD services across prisons, the youth estate, secure hospitals and the community.

Clickhereto find out more about working within the psychological professions at CNWL andhereto see what our Health & Justice staff say about working within our award winning teams.

Please see job description and person specification for more details.

We are a friendly team and encourage any prospective candidate to contact us with any questions and/or to book an informal visit.

This advert closes on Tuesday 6 Jan 2026