PDCS Trainee Therapist: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

We are seeking a suitably experienced therapist to support the delivery of our group-based treatment programmes for adults with personality disorders.

The team offers a full range of services and there may be opportunities to be involved in other aspects of treatment (e.g., working with families, supporting with crisis calls). Most of our work is group based.

This role will suit someone who enjoys working in a clinical capacity. You will need to be skilled at managing emotional distress and the psychological impact of the work upon yourself. You will have sufficient clinical experience to enable you to mentor new and junior practitioners, and show clinical leadership within the context of group treatment (e.g., notice and take responsibility for associated aspects of care; record keeping, following up safeguarding etc). Clinical supervision and reflective practise sessions are provided.

Main duties of the job

Your primary role will involve actively providing therapy to clients in our structured treatment pathway. You will have a role in completing 1:1 pre-treatment assessments and engaging service users as they enter our team. This includes accurate completion of clinical records, completing risk assessments and safety plans, and following up safeguarding concerns.

You will have a role in delivering our 12-week introductory MBT group and in co-facilitating the extended 18-month therapy programme; weekly therapy (delivered in group format accompanied by individual sessions). Our current service need is for someone to work in our MBT programme, but the post requires the successful applicant to work flexibly and adaptably to meet the needs of the service.

All clinical staff undertake some training to manage crisis calls and may be required to support the Duty telephone lines at busy times.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential

• Undergraduate degree in psychology, or a core profession and basis for registration (nursing, or allied health professional), or a trained and registered psychotherapist
• Willingness and ability to embark on the appropriate level of training or work towards MBT Practitioner Accreditation.

Desirable

• Knowledge of MBT and/ or DBT
• Accreditation as an MBT therapist/ DBT therapist
• Training / qualification in delivering psychological therapies

Experience

Essential

• Significant clinical experience working directly with service users in a therapeutic environment
• Experience of working with service users with Personality Disorder
• Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
• Proven ability to communicate clearly in difficult and complex situations.

Desirable

• Experience of working in mental health services
• Experience of delivering psychological therapies
• Experience of collecting data to demonstrate clinical outcomes
• Experience of working with patients presenting with high level of distress and managing risk situations.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling formation of networks with professionals within the Trust and from other agencies to promote effective team working with clients.
• Able to contain and work with high levels of distress from clients.
• Willingness to take initiative and be pro-active to support the development of the programme
• Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality
• Able to undertake/seek out supervision as required

Desirable

• Ability to promote psychological models with clients, carers and staff in an understandable and person-centred way, clearly outlining goals and potential outcomes.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

• Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health / benefits & employment systems
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post

Desirable

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies.
• Formal training in psychological therapies.
• Introductory or full training in MBT.

Other

Essential

• Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours.
• Ability to identify and employ, as appropriate clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Ability and willingness to travel independently to locations throughout the organisation

Closing Date: 25 October 2026