Required Training for this Role
Training routes vary for different psychological therapies. Further information can be found in the ‘useful links’ section below.
Promoting Excellence In Psychological Health & Wellbeing
Psychologist Therapists (Other)
Psychological therapists are trained to assess and support people who experience mental health difficulties. They offer interventions that are based on the specific psychological therapy model in which they have been trained, usually with a specific service user group. Depending on their training and scope of practice psychological therapists can work with children, adults, older people, offenders, people with learning disabilities, or people with physical health difficulties.
As a psychological therapist you will be working alongside other clinicians, such as psychological practitioners (psychological wellbeing practitioners, education mental health practitioners, children's wellbeing practitioners, or mental health and wellbeing practitioners), psychologists, and those from other disciplines. You will contribute to the formulation of overall care plans as well as delivering the specific model of psychological therapy in which you have been trained.
Read more about this career path
Entry Requirements to Train for this Role
Qualifications
Entry requirements vary significantly for training in different psychological therapies. All will require experience in working with people in health and social care settings and some level of previous experience in the delivery of mental health interventions and/or psychological intervention or therapies.
Further information can be found in the ‘useful links’ section below.
Experience
Entry requirements vary significantly for training in different psychological therapies. All will require experience in working with people in health and social care settings and some level of previous experience in the delivery of mental health interventions and/or psychological intervention or therapies.
Further information can be found in the ‘useful links’ section below.
Salary Expectations
Some psychological therapists work in NHS organisations; others for third or private sector organisations that deliver NHS services. Many work in NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression services. Trainee psychological therapists are typically appointed at Band 6 or equivalent on the NHS Agenda for Change pay scales. Once qualified, they usually progress to Band 7 or equivalent on qualification. However, this can vary between organisations and therapy types and you should check the terms and conditions for specific roles. Some psychological therapists progress to clinical specialist or management roles at Band 8, and some have led services or taken up other very senior roles at Band 9 or above.
Future Career Options
As a psychological therapist, you will typically specialise in working with a specific service user group, for example children and young people, or adults. You may develop areas of clinical specialism or work with particular groups, such as adults with anxiety and depression, with long-term health conditions, or people who experience psychosis, bipolar disorder, ‘personality disorders’, eating disorders or other specific mental health difficulties. You may have opportunities to progress into more senior psychological therapist roles, where you may supervise other psychological therapists or manage aspects of a service, depending on the mental health setting.
If you start NHS-funded training from April 2022, you will normally be unable to access further NHS-funded training for a new occupation in the psychological professions until two years after your qualifying exam board. Visit the funding for psychological professions training programmes web page for more information on NHS funding.
Registering or Accrediting Body
Registration and accreditation bodies vary for different psychological therapies.
Further information can be found in the ‘useful links’ section below.
Professional Organisation
The relevant professional organisation will vary for different psychological therapies.
Further information can be found in the ‘useful links’ section below.
