NHS TT HI Trainee Psychotherapeutic Counsellor ~ DIT Pathway

Integrated Care System; Southampton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider seeks a Trainee Psychotherapeutic Counsellor for a three-year training program at Roehampton University. The role requires strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to helping individuals with common mental health issues. This position is a fixed-term contract aimed at developing high intensity psychotherapeutic counsellors to provide quality care within the NHS framework. Candidates must possess a relevant degree and complete a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable interpersonal skills for person-centred care.
• Ability to listen and be present with clients.
• Proficiency in English at IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Participate in NHS Talking Therapies Southampton service.
• Complete 50 hours of personal therapy during training.
• Integrate training into practice effectively.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Empathy

Authenticity

Self-awareness

Education

Recognised degree at 2:2 or above

Completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills

Job description

Go back Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

NHS TT HI Trainee Psychotherapeutic Counsellor ~ DIT Pathway

The closing date is 13 August 2025

Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy Pathway for the NHS Talking Therapies High Intensity Psychotherapeutic Counselling training programme

Entrants do not need to possess previous clinical or professional expertise in mental health but should have demonstrable interpersonal skills and values consistent with providing hopeful, person-centred care within the NHS TT stepped model of care.

Potential trainees should be assessed for the following attributes or the potential for developing them:

• Warmth, kindness, compassion, empathy
• Authenticity, self-awareness, maturity, and stability
• Ability to listen, be present and attentive
• Ability to come alongside people experiencing emotional and psychological distress
• Capacity for reflexivity
• Ability to be vulnerable and make use of and reflect upon own life experience
• Capacity to cope with the emotional demands of the course
• Ability to cope with the intellectual and academic requirements
• Ability to be self-critical and use both positive and negative feedback
• Awareness of and ability to explore issues of difference and equality and the nature of prejudice and oppression
• Ability to recognise the need for personal and professional support and self-care

Candidates should also show a commitment to working with people with common mental health problems (see NHSTT Manual for conditions covered by NHS TT) and an understanding of and commitment to evidence-based practice and the NHS Talking Therapies stepped care model.

Main duties of the job

New NHS funded three year NHS TT HIPC training programme in Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy to run at Roehampton University.

To help improve access to adult NHS TT services for people experiencing common mental health problems, Health Education England (HEE) is piloting a new salaried training pathway that will provide trainee Psychotherapeutic Counsellors with advanced conceptual understanding and skills in the practical application of psychotherapeutic counselling and a defined standard of competency in the NICE-recommended - Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT). The training provider for this pathway is to be Roehampton University.

This training aims to:

1. Develop high intensity psychotherapeutic counsellors with the qualities, skills and competences to develop, engage in and sustain strong therapeutic relationships and work effectively with NHSTT patients with depression, and their families where appropriate.

2. Develop core psychotherapeutic counselling practitioner competency, including integration of practical competency in DIT, in line with the needs of patients, families and carers.

3. Ensure clinical practice in accordance with local and national NHS Talking Therapies Service policy, including working to create inclusive and effective services for all.

4. Promote personal and professional development and self-awareness essential to successful psychotherapeutic counselling.

About us

At Dorset HealthCare we're on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We're a dynamic, forwardlooking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people. We do things differently here - it's one of the reasons the CQC rated us 'outstanding' in 2019. It's also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you're looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities. Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do, and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities, and we celebrate diversity. We're an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves. Working with us you'll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don't know. And you'll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion and expertise in all we do.

Job responsibilities

All candidates entering the programme should hold evidence of academic credit or equivalence allowing entry to the Level 7 programme. A degree at 2:2 or above in any relevant subject, or equivalent, should be considered the minimum requirement for entry. Candidates without a degree at 2:2 or above may be able to secure a place by demonstrating competency via a portfolio of evidence, which meets specified academic equivalence requirements.

Candidates should show proficiency in reading, writing and spoken English of a standard necessary to support academic study and professional practice at Level 7 - IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each element.

All candidates should have completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, which ordinarily involves a minimum of 10 days or 60 hours of face-to-face tuition at level 2 or level 3. Online courses are not acceptable. Please note: L2 Award, Helping Skills and Introductory courses are not accepted.

In their recruitment processes, providers and services should pay particular regard to increasing equity of access to, and inclusion in, the training for candidates with protected characteristics that are under-represented in the NHS TT workforce. This may include applying evidence-based systems of contextual recruitment to ensure selection criteria are applied in light of objective contextual factors that may impact on attainment of qualifications or experience and taking other actions to reduce the impact of systemic obstacles to attainment that correlate with protected characteristics.

Overall Training Summary

During their training, trainees are employed by DHC and will be expected to carry out an average of two to three days per week of clinical practice in the NHS Talking Therapies Southampton service.

During the Foundation level training (first year), following sign off as meeting a Foundation standard of competence in simulation, trainees will work with people with mild to moderate depression in NHS Talking Therapies Southampton.

Throughout the training programme, trainees must undertake a minimum of 90 minutes of training supervision to every six hours of client work (or the equivalent for group supervision). Supervision must be provided by training providers weekly and may be provided individually or in small groups of up to 3 trainees. The minimum supervision that trainees should receive is 90 minutes per week of training supervision, even if they have completed less than six hours of client work in the week.

NHS Talking Therapies Southampton will be responsible for supervision by a qualified and experienced DIT supervisor) on site, including oversight of case management, clinical governance, and management supervision in line with the supervision requirements of the NHS TT Manual.

On qualification, trainees will be required to meet the requirements for individual registration as set out in the NHS TT Manual. Trainees should be informed at the start of their training of the different requirements of the various post-training individual registration schemes recognised within the NHS TT Manual and, where the training programme does not meet the requirements of specific registration schemes (e.g., number of hours of personal therapy), what trainees can do to meet those requirements if they so choose.

Trainees will be required to complete a minimum of 50 hours of personal therapy over the three years, commencing in Year 1 prior to starting work with service users. Therapy undertaken prior to the commencement of training may not be counted towards this requirement. The therapy must be in the theoretical orientation of the training. Providers will be expected to engage with services from commencement of the contract as part of programme mobilisation. Ongoing engagement with services to support the trainee will be expected to continue during the training period.

The recruitment process to identify the trainees for this new psychological role will be collaborative and values based. This is to ensure that trainees recruited can meet both service expectations but also the educational requirements for the three-year pathway. It is expected that the trainees will be recruited as part of a joint recruitment process by the training providers and NHS Talking Therapies service providers.

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact [e-mail]

This is a fixed term role and for those with current NHS service, the role will be offered on a secondment basis only. Please obtain permission to be released on a secondment before submitting an application.

Applications from candidates that require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately ineligible to apply for this position.

Person Specification

Qualification

• Recognised degree at 2:2 or above in any relevant subject, or equivalent, or Demonstrates competency via a portfolio of evidence, which meets specified academic equivalence requirements
• Completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, (minimum of 10 days or 60 hours of face-to-face tuition at level 2 or level 3). Note: Online courses are not acceptable. L2 Award, Helping Skills and Introductory courses are not acceptable.

Experience

• Show a commitment to working with people with common mental health problems
• Demonstrable interpersonal skills and values consistent with providing hopeful, person-centred care within the NHS TTad stepped model of care
• Evidence of working within a team environment
• Evidence of communicating with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Previous clinical or professional expertise in mental healthApplication/ Interview
• Worked in a setting where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
• Evidence of working with people who have experienced a common mental health problem.
• Ability to integrate training into practice
• Demonstrates authenticity, self-awareness, maturity and stability
• Demonstrates warmth, kindness, compassion, empathy
• Received training in and carried out risk assessments within scope of practiceApplication/ Interview
• Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development activity positively and effectively

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust