Psychotherapist

Typical Salary

£31,365 To £44,503

Typical Hours

38 to 41 a week

in your own business managing your own hours

How To Become a Psychotherapist

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course

College / University

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)

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

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

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship are not listed for this job.

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

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

Day To Day Tasks

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

Working Environment

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.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could take on a training, teaching or mentoring role.

You could become self-employed and set up a private practice. You could also move into research as a career.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

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

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks