Becoming a Psychotherapist

Degree in Psychology (BPS accredited) > earn relevant work experience > PhD in Clinical Psychology.

Reply 2

The above would take you to be a psychologist, not a psychotherapist, I think...
Try doing a degree in something relevant, plus work experience, then a Masters in psychotherapy. This link has quite a bit of interesting information.

Reply 3

Doodahdoo

The above would take you to be a psychologist, not a psychotherapist, I think...
Try doing a degree in something relevant, plus work experience, then a Masters in psychotherapy. This link has quite a bit of interesting information.

No, Clinical Psychology is clinic related. Nothing to do with psychological theories, it's all about mental health care.

Reply 4

waterinabottle

No, Clinical Psychology is clinic related. Nothing to do with psychological theories, it's all about mental health care.

Sorry for the short reply, I was rather drunk last night :p:

Whilst that is true, to be a psychotherapist you do need specialised training in psychotherapy (and normally associated counselling skills), I think.

Reply 5

Doodahdoo

Sorry for the short reply, I was rather drunk last night :p:

Whilst that is true, to be a psychotherapist you do need specialised training in psychotherapy (and normally associated counselling skills), I think.

Yes, you gain relevant work experience before taking the PhD. The PhD teaches you everything you need to know about anxiety disorders etc. After the PhD, you train for a further 1-2 years on the NHS, and then after you gain your license, you can begin practicing with the NHS, or privately. Clinical Psychology is the only route to becoming a Clinical Psychologist.

Reply 6

waterinabottle

Yes, you gain relevant work experience before taking the PhD. The PhD teaches you everything you need to know about anxiety disorders etc. After the PhD, you train for a further 1-2 years on the NHS, and then after you gain your license, you can begin practicing with the NHS, or privately. Clinical Psychology is the only route to becoming a Clinical Psychologist.

Aye, I know... But the OP mentioned training for psychotherapy, not psychology; similar concept, slightly different discipline. In which case, you should come from a background working with mental health - as a social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, mental health nurse, etc. - and study a Masters or similar qualification in psychotherapy, plus relevant work experience prior to being fully licensed.

Reply 7

El Scotto

15

devils mate

I want to become a Psychotherapist specialising in CBT how do I do this?

All help will be much appreciated. I'm sure I have a pretty good idea as what to do but i'm still a bit confused.

Thanks for all your help :wink:

Theres lots of degrees in Counselling Psychology which also as part of the course give you work placements in various different spheres.

Also Psychotherapy and CBT are two different disciplines

Reply 8

Doodahdoo

Aye, I know... But the OP mentioned training for psychotherapy, not psychology; similar concept, slightly different discipline. In which case, you should come from a background working with mental health - as a social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, mental health nurse, etc. - and study a Masters or similar qualification in psychotherapy, plus relevant work experience prior to being fully licensed.

Yes, I know he mentioned Psychotherapy, that's why it's CLINICAL Psychology - specifically related to mental health disorders.

Yes, social workers or mental health nurses are able to administer CBT to people, but wouldn't you rather work at the top of your field as a Clinical Psychologist? Clinical Psychologists - not including Psychiatrists - have the highest paid salary, and the most freedom.

OP - if you want the best route, it's Clinical Psychology no doubt. If you want the quickest route, then an MSc in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy will get you there the quickest.

Reply 9

What?! You realise that the two are different disciplines, right? That although some of the skills are interchangeable, they require different skills and use different theories to identify and work through the issues.
If your point is that you recommend that one should train to be a psychologist prior to doing psychotherapy, that's valid, but it's wrong to imply that the only route into psychotherapy is through training to be a clinical psychology. But the rest of the advice is good.

Reply 10

OP

Thanks for all your help guys! Still a bit confused though :s-smilie:

Thanks anyways! Is there anyone here who wants to be a CBT Psychotherapist?

Reply 11

OP

Doodahdoo

Aye, I know... But the OP mentioned training for psychotherapy, not psychology; similar concept, slightly different discipline. In which case, you should come from a background working with mental health - as a social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, mental health nurse, etc. - and study a Masters or similar qualification in psychotherapy, plus relevant work experience prior to being fully licensed.

Thank you very much! Can I ask you some questions via PM?

Reply 12

Zakadoh

12

I want to administer psychotherapy as well but Im going down the Psychiatry route. Not suggesting you do the same because it entails a medical degree which takes longer and costs more. I chose it tho because it gives you the most freedom, by which i mean you are licensed to administer medication if you feel necessary without resorting to referral, and you have more of a rudimentary knowledge of how the body, including the brain, works. Notwithstanding your opinions of how the mind relates to matter!!! Dont necessarily think this is the most viable option for you, but it is a possibility if you arent averse to the extra training (ie.expense/time) plus theres the flexibility that a degree in medicine offers you :smile:

good luck whichever route you take, we may encounter each other professionally one day!!!!!

Reply 13

Reflexive

14

You ought to be confused!

My PhD is on psychotherapy and there is so much confusion/overlap between the terms. Psychotherapy is generally considered a catch all term for all talking therapies, so CBT would come under that. At the same time CBT can be administed by community psychiatric nurses and such. Clinical psychology is something you need a PhD for as I understand it, but I've never looked into that aspect of it much. Counselling is again something slightly different, though some argue it cannot be distinguished from psychotherapy.

You should do a fair bit of research to figure out exactly what you want to do.

Reply 14

hardcoretophat

1

http://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/iqs/dbitemid.146/sfa.view/students_frequently_asked_questions.html
=)

You don't go through clinical (if you know you want to be a psychotherapist, no point going through the whole clinical process.) CBT comes UNDER psychotherapy. It's not just for mentally ill patients, it can be used as kind of the equivalent of counselling. So it's either a Masters (after a degree in Psychology I'd say!) or a diploma (they prefer Masters though)
I recently went to a careers talk at uni, they talked about Counselling & Psychotherapy, which is how I know they prefer Masters

Hope that helped!

Reply 15

memifer

9

I want to be a psychotherapist and the route I am taking is 1) Get my degree, 2) Get a job within a forensic service (social therapy team would be perfect) and work part time on becoming a chartered psychologist. 3) After getting a few years of working (and some pennys in the bank) look into doing my actual psychotherapy training, but will have to have a lot of savings behind me as not only will I have to fund the course, but you have to pay to have your own individual psychotherapy, and within the private sector it doesn't come too cheap. But I may decide to work with children and adolescents by then and I know the NHS will fund psychotherapy training within CAMHS.

Its going to take me a long time to get there, but having worked within a psychotherapy service I know its what I want to do, but I also want to do some work in secure mental health or within the prison service as there are some really innovative programmes going on working with people who have a diagnosis of Personality Disorder (PD is where all my ambitions lie) and I want to be able to take some of those approaches and transfer them into mainstream and/or community settings.

I have BIG dreams

Reply 16

GodspeedGehenna

3

waterinabottle

Degree in Psychology (BPS accredited) > earn relevant work experience > PhD in Clinical Psychology.

The clinical training is not a PhD. A PhD is a research degree. I think you mean clinical doctorate, i.e. the D.Clin.Psych.

waterinabottle

No, Clinical Psychology is clinic related. Nothing to do with psychological theories, it's all about mental health care.

waterinabottle

OP - if you want the best route, it's Clinical Psychology no doubt. If you want the quickest route, then an MSc in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy will get you there the quickest.

Not neccesarily. A MSc will not guarantee you a place on the D.Clin. A lot of applicants have MSc's and PhDs behind them. It's not going to be a golden ticket.

OP, it sounds like you don't quite know what you want to do. You could do a diploma in counselling and do further training in psychotherapy.

Or you could do a BSc in Psych and a D.Clin.Psych and be a Clinical Psychologist.

Or you could go to medical school + 2 foundation years THEN possibly start speciality training in Psychiatry

Reply 17

GodspeedGehenna

The clinical training is not a PhD. A PhD is a research degree. I think you mean clinical doctorate, i.e. the D.Clin.Psych.

Yes, my mistake.

Reply 18

OP

Thanks everyone for your tremendous help! It is very much appreciated!

Some of you have suggested that i'm not quite sure what I want to do. I can see why you would say that. Just to clear things up I a 100% want to become a CBT Therapist, is that clearer for you? I hope so.

If you've got any more advice you can offer me please do. I very much look forward to reading it.

If any of you budding psychotherapists want to get in touch please send me a PM I would love to get to know some of you guys!

Reply 19

OP