Postgraduate Psychotherapy Courses at Queen's University Belfast

Psychotherapy is a type of verbal therapy designed to help improve an individual’s mental health. It allows a person to talk through their problems, thoughts and feelings in a confidential and safe environment. A psychotherapist is trained to listen with empathy and without judgement, to understand the individual’s problems and help them deal with negative thoughts and feelings.

You must complete a postgraduate qualification from a recognised body to become a psychotherapist if you want to work for an employer particularly within the NHS. To qualify you’ll need a good undergraduate degree in a related field such as psychology, nursing, medicine or social work. You might also need a counselling certificate or considerable practical experience in a related area. There is sometimes more flexibility in entry requirements on a part-time course.

You can pick from over 100 postgraduate courses in the UK, some specific to psychotherapy and others combined with various types of counselling.

What to expect

Postgraduate courses in psychotherapy will involve a combination of written theory assignments, supervised clinical work and clinical seminars. It also gives you an opportunity to specialise in an area of interest such as child psychology or psychoanalytical psychotherapy. It can be emotionally challenging as you will need to complete a set number of practice hours as well as attending therapy yourself.

Psychotherapy graduates can work in the NHS within IAPT services (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) if they have the right qualifications. Trainee psychotherapists usually start on band 6 which is currently around £35,392 and work up to band 7 which is between £43,742 to £50,056 depending on experience and managerial responsibility.

Outside the NHS, salaries vary hugely as psychotherapists will often work in private practice or as part of a counselling agency.