• Job Description

  Req#: M9301-25-0141?language=en&page=1043&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  Join Us as a Trainee High Intensity Psychotherapeutic Counsellor (DIT Pathway)

  Inclusion Thurrock NHS Talking Therapies (NHSTT) is offering an exciting training post with a clear career route:

  o Band 5 during the foundation year of Psychotherapeutic Counselling training.o Band 6 on completion of the foundation year.o Permanent Band 7 position as a qualified High Intensity Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.About the Roleo This post follows the NHSTT national curriculum, which delivers NICE-recommended, evidence-based therapies within a stepped-care model.o The foundation year leads to a Postgraduate Diploma (Level 7), qualifying you to deliver high intensity Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) for adults with depression.Training and Start Dateo Training begins in September 2025.o University attendance includes a teaching block at the start, then two days per week.o Three days per week will be spent in clinical practice within our service, starting with psychodynamic counselling and progressing to DIT.Who We're Looking Foro Graduates or those with equivalent professional and academic experience.o Commitment to the NHSTT model and willingness to attend all required teaching and self-study days.o We welcome applicants who can deliver therapy in languages other than English, reflecting Thurrock's diverse community.

  Main duties of the job

  o Work with adults experiencing mild to moderate depression, delivering time-limited counselling in line with the NHSTT Manual, under close supervision during training.

  o Conduct patient-centred assessments, agree therapy goals, assess risk, and decide on appropriate care pathways (step-up, step-down, or referral).

  o Provide counselling sessions in person, via video, or by telephone, maintaining an agreed caseload and activity levels to ensure timely access to treatment.

  o Keep accurate and coherent clinical records, use outcome measures to inform treatment, and contribute to service data requirements.

  o Work collaboratively with colleagues and partner services to ensure a consistent stepped-care approach.

  o Attend all university-based teaching and complete academic, practical, and placement requirements of the DIT training programme.

  o Engage in regular supervision, reflect on feedback, and actively apply learning to clinical practice.

  o Complete a minimum of 50 hours of personal therapy (in a psychodynamic approach) across the duration of the training.

  o Operate with professionalism, maintaining confidentiality, ethical standards, and an inclusive values base that respects diversity.

  o Contribute to service development and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant policies, guidelines, and evidence-based practice.

  About us

  Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Inclusion service offers psychological and drug & alcohol services, in the community, and in prisons, and has contracts across the country.

  As an organisation we serve a population of 1.5 million and currently employ around 9000 members of staff.

  We have a wide range of exciting opportunities for people looking to work in a truly integrated NHS organisation. By joining MPFT you will become part of a team who are empowered and supported to deliver care in a way which is consistent with our values:

  • Putting people at the heart of what we do
  • Empowering people to improve care and wellbeing
  • Delivering better health, better care in partnership

  Details

  Date posted

  04 August 2025

  Pay scheme

  Agenda for change

  Band

  Band 5

  Salary

  £31,049 to £37,796 a year Pro Rata

  Contract

  Training

  Duration

  36 months

  Working pattern

  Full-time

  Reference number

  301-IT-25-7372364

  Job locations

  Inclusion Thurrock NHS Talking Therapies

  55-57 High Street

  Grays

  RM17 6NB

  
  

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  Please see job description for further information.

  Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  Please see job description for further information.

  Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications

  Person Specification

  Qualifications & Training

  Essential

  • Recognised degree at 2:2 or above in any relevant subject, or equivalent, or Demonstrates competency via a portfolio of evidence, which meets specified academic equivalence requirements
  • Completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, (minimum of 10 days or 60 hours of face-to-face tuition at level 2 or level 3). Note: Online courses are not acceptable. L2 Award, Helping Skills and Introductory courses are not acceptable.

  Experience

  Essential

  • Show a commitment to working with people with common mental health problems
  • Demonstrable interpersonal skills and values consistent with providing hopeful, person-centred care within the NHSTT stepped model of care
  • Evidence of working within a team environment

  Desirable

  • Evidence of working with people who have experienced a common mental health problem.
  • Previous clinical or professional expertise in mental health

  Person Specification

  Qualifications & Training

  Essential

  • Recognised degree at 2:2 or above in any relevant subject, or equivalent, or Demonstrates competency via a portfolio of evidence, which meets specified academic equivalence requirements
  • Completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, (minimum of 10 days or 60 hours of face-to-face tuition at level 2 or level 3). Note: Online courses are not acceptable. L2 Award, Helping Skills and Introductory courses are not acceptable.

  Experience

  Essential

  • Show a commitment to working with people with common mental health problems
  • Demonstrable interpersonal skills and values consistent with providing hopeful, person-centred care within the NHSTT stepped model of care
  • Evidence of working within a team environment

  Desirable

  • Evidence of working with people who have experienced a common mental health problem.
  • Previous clinical or professional expertise in mental health

  Disclosure and Barring Service Check

  This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

  Certificate of Sponsorship

  Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  Additional information

  Disclosure and Barring Service Check

  This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

  Certificate of Sponsorship

  Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Inclusion

  Address

  Inclusion Thurrock NHS Talking Therapies

  55-57 High Street

  Grays

  RM17 6NB

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.mpft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Inclusion

  Address

  Inclusion Thurrock NHS Talking Therapies

  55-57 High Street

  Grays

  RM17 6NB

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.mpft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

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