Psychotherapist

Psychotherapist job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Psychotherapists work with clients who are suffering from symptoms including depression, phobias, anxiety, physical/psychosomatic disorders and behavioural problems. Activities may include:

• Performing controlled sessions
• Using verbal interaction to explore behaviour, attitudes and emotions
• Carrying out hypno-psychotherapy
• Helping clients to understand and address their inner conflicts.

Therapy with young children often focuses on communication through undirected play with art materials and toys. Treatment can take a year or more, depending on the nature of the problem.

Typical employers of psychotherapists

• The National Health Service (NHS)
• student health services
• psychoanalytical institutes
• child guidance clinics
• special schools
• psychiatric units
• private consultancies.

Advertisements appear in a variety of publications including national newspapers, Community Care, Opportunities, the British Journal of Psychotherapy, Social Work Today, and BPS Appointments Memorandum. Most courses are listed annually in the directory Training in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Many psychotherapists are self-employed, although this requires a good network of contacts for referrals.

Qualifications and training required

Qualification is a lengthy, expensive process - there are few grants available and training can take four-six years to complete. Many students train part-time whilst working. Previous experience of working with people with mental health problems is usually essential, so psychotherapy is not normally a first career choice. Many people enter the profession later in life, having already been employed in a similar field.

Any degree discipline is acceptable for most training courses. However, a psychology degree may be required for some courses. Similarly, qualifications in nursing, medicine, social work, sociology and related subjects can be helpful. For those wishing to work in the public sector, training should be approved by the UK Council/British Confederation of Psychotherapists. Private practice psychotherapists are not registered or licensed and do not need to gain formal qualifications.

Key skills for psychotherapists

• resilient listening skills
• observation
• sensitivity
• sincerity
• discretion
• empathy and rapport
• positive outlook
• excellent communication skills.