Psychodynamic Psychotherapist

Job summary

To contribute to assessment of clients referred to the service, and offer both group and 1:1 therapy. This will include online and / or face to face delivery of screening assessments, interventions and specialist assessment and formulation, in line with professional competencies.

To work closely with the locality neighbourhood teams to further develop pathways and facilitate the provision of psychological therapy and psychologically informed care to the local population we serve.

To develop and support the psychosocial work of other staff through teaching, training, supervision and consultation.

To provide specialist advice to NHS and voluntary sector agencies concerning the assessment, treatment and management of service users.

To follow defined practices and procedures under the management and co-ordination of the Operational and Clinical Leads.

To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice.

To take part in Quality Improvement projects within the team.

To utilise research skills for audit, policy, service development and research.

To participate in CPD and other developmental activities, keeping up to date with relevant psychological research and national guidance (DoH, NICE etc).

Main duties of the job

• Provide specialist psychological assessments, formulation and treatment.
• Provide expertise and psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other multidisciplinary professionals.
• Undertake risk assessment and management as needed.
• Utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in the activities of the team.
• Be responsible for providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive, distressing and emotional information in relation to health issues where there are often barriers to acceptance.
• Work with service users who can at time be aggressive and hostile, who may have poor communication skills and self-care and special physical and/or mental needs.
• Be mindful of the needs of individuals and families from a wide range of racial, cultural, sexual, religious and social backgrounds and, with service users and colleagues, co-produce innovative ways of communicating and working across language and cultural barriers.
• Develop working relationships with relevant statutory, voluntary and community groups and organisations. Provide expert consultation about the psychological care of the service user group to external staff and organisations.
• Be responsible for recording, monitoring and reporting on clinical work and communicating complex clinical information to a variety of recipients.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

• Core Health professional qualification (Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, and Psychology) or a demonstrable working knowledge of NHS values, clinical structures in secondary mental health care, referral pathways and the roles of NHS professionals.
• Professional registration appropriate to own discipline (e.g. NMC, HCPC).
• Accredited training as a group psychotherapist or individual psychodynamic psychotherapist.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of providing specialist psychological assessments and interventions to patients with complex problems and a range of clinical presentations, including complex trauma.
• Experience of ensuring equality of access and acceptable intervention to diverse populations.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity.
• Experience of planning and exercising clinical responsibility for patients’ psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
• Experience of work in a multicultural setting, including working with interpreters. Experience of developing and delivering culturally acceptable interventions.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment including the use of theoretical models to analyze information and to develop formulations upon which to base choice of treatment.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of group interventions.
• Understanding of the basic principles underlying psychological therapy and knowledge of clinical applications of the model(s).

Closing Date: 14 August 2026