Psychotherapist

You'll need to complete:

• a degree in psychology or a related subject
• an accredited postgraduate qualification
• 450 hours of practice to be registered as a licensed psychotherapist by the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

Your course should be one recognised by the:

• United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy
• British Psychoanalytic Council
• Association of Child Psychotherapists

Courses can take up to 4 years to complete.

To become a child psychotherapist, you will need to complete 4 years of training with the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP).

You'll also need experience of working with children or vulnerable adults.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• finance for postgraduate courses
• university courses and entry requirements

You could start by doing a Level 3 or 4 Diploma in Counselling before moving onto further training at degree and postgraduate level.

You'll usually need to have completed a counselling certificate to do a diploma, or have a lot of experience of working with vulnerable people.

Some colleges have a minimum age limit to start this type of course.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

More Information

• funding advice
• search for courses

Further information

You can find out more about careers in psychotherapy from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

You'll need:

• counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
• knowledge of psychology
• customer service skills
• the ability to understand people’s reactions
• sensitivity and understanding
• excellent verbal communication skills
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to enjoy working with other people
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

On a day-to-day basis, you could:

• encourage clients to talk about emotional or relationship problems
• analyse past events and behaviours so that changes can be made
• assess a client's way of thinking and how they deal with their feelings
• help clients to develop new strategies for coping
• have regular supervision sessions with your mentor

You could work in the community, in a therapy clinic, in an NHS or private hospital or at a health centre.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.