Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
How to become a psychotherapist
Help people understand and come to terms with mental health and emotional issues.
What is a psychotherapist?
Psychotherapists work with individuals, couples or families who are experiencing emotional difficulties to help them understand and overcome their challenges. Therapists often work within the NHS, although many operate as private practitioners.
How do I become a psychotherapist?
To become a psychotherapist, you’ll need to complete an accredited psychotherapy course, usually after completing a relevant degree.
First degree subjects that could lead you to a career in psychotherapy include:
- Psychology
- Nursing
- Medicine
- Social work
You'll also need practical experience working in a supportive profession, such as nursing, social work, mental health care, probation work or teaching.
It is usual to undergo therapy yourself as part of your training, so you’re able experience therapy from the patient’s point of view and to get support for any issues that may be affecting you.
A number of institutions offer postgraduate training courses in psychotherapy and you’ll need to do some research to find out which ones suit the type of therapy you want to do. They include:
- UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
- British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) if you want to train as a psychoanalyst
What would I do as a psychotherapist?
As a psychotherapist you’ll work with people experiencing emotional difficulties to help them explore their feelings and make positive changes in their lives.
Some of the problems you’ll be helping people to deal with could include depression, anxiety, phobias, behavioural problems or relationship difficulties.
There are many different approaches to therapy and practices vary widely but broadly you can expect to be:
- Running sessions with your clients encouraging them to talk about their thoughts, feelings and behaviours
- Running group sessions for people receiving therapy in a clinical setting
- Helping your clients to develop coping strategies and make positive changes
- Assessing therapy sessions and record the outcomes
- Reflecting on sessions with your supervisor and raising any personal or professional concerns
- Keeping on top of the latest developments in research and practice
- Liaising with other professionals across the healthcare community
- Supervising other therapists
Becoming a psychotherapist could be for you if...
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You want to make a difference
Your work can help people overcome their difficulties and move on with their lives.
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You connect
You’ll need to build a rapport with your clients, show empathy and gain their trust.
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You don’t judge
You remain open-minded about people’s attitudes and behaviours and respect the confidences they share.
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You're big on empathy
You are comfortable talking about difficult, painful and personal aspects of your clients’ lives.
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You stay positive
You maintain a positive outlook and a firm belief in people’s ability to change and grow.
What are the typical working hours for a psychotherapist?
You’ll typically work Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00. However, you may work have to work outside these hours, especially in private practice if you need to arrange sessions for clients before or after work.
In the NHS, salaries for trainee psychotherapists start at around £31,365 (Band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay rates).
Qualified NHS psychotherapists can earn between £38,890 and £44,503 (Band 7) while salaries for principal psychotherapists can be between £45,753 and £62,001 (Bands 8a and 8b). Salaries for consultant psychotherapists can go higher.
Psychotherapists in private practice may charge between £40 and £100 for a 50-minute session.
