Psychological professions
As a psychological professional, you’ll make a difference to people’s mental wellbeing by helping them to understand and change their thoughts and behaviours. This might include helping people to overcome psychological and emotional distress and supporting them to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Psychological professions cover a wide range of roles which fall into three main groups; psychologists, psychological therapists and psychological practitioners. They work with people of all ages, including children and young people, adults, and older adults, and across a wide range of settings. At our Trust this includes mental health services, learning disability and autism services, and primary care.
There are different levels of training required for each of the posts, this may include:
- training up to Doctoral level in a course approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- degree in BSc Psychology
- non-graduate entry routes.
Find out more about the psychological profession roles, including new emerging roles, below. If you’d like to have a conversation about starting your career in psychology, contact the Talent for Care team on talentforcare@covwarkpt.nhs.uk.
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Psychologists
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Clinical psychologist
As a clinical psychologist, you'll work with clients using psychological knowledge to create unique approaches to solving problems. You would be a scientist practitioner and a reflective practitioner - this means you will apply research principles and reflect on your work to continually improve. You would also supervise, train and support other professionals and teams, and undertake research to develop, evaluate and improve the way we deliver psychological interventions and services.
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Forensic psychologist
Forensic psychologists work with offenders in areas like sexual offending, violence and aggression, and drug or alcohol abuse. As a forensic psychologist, you'll explore how psychological challenges can be associated with criminal behaviour and offer treatment to people who have been involved in the criminal justice system to rehabilitate into the community. You might also work with staff, prisoners or people in secure hospitals responding to their changing needs and working to reduce stress.
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Health psychologist
As a health psychologist, you'll help people respond to and manage the psychological and emotional aspects of health and illness. You would encourage people to improve their health by promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting people in managing chronic illness or pain. You would also use your skills to improve the healthcare system, such as finding the best ways for professionals to communicate with patients.
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Counselling psychologist
As a counselling psychologist, you'll work with individuals' unique psychological experiences to empower their recovery and alleviate distress. You'll also engage in personal therapy and draw on this experience in your work.
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Clinical associates in psychology
Clinical associates in psychology provide psychological interventions within certain specialised areas under the supervision of a qualified practitioner psychologist.
They provide evidence-based psychological interventions to a specific population or group of people. You'll aim to identify the needs of people experiencing longstanding and complex difficulties, taking into account their age, culture, beliefs and other important factors.
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Clinical psychologist
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Psychological therapists
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Adult psychotherapist
As an adult psychotherapist, you'll provide talking therapy to help people to change the way they think and behave or find better ways to cope. You would address common mental health difficulties like anxiety and depression, or complex issues like psychosis or a personality disorder diagnosis. You may work with individuals, couples or groups.
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Child and adolescent psychotherapist (CAPT)
As a child and adolescent psychotherapist you'll work in the community and in hospitals, with young people who are experiencing all types of psychological difficulties. You would use specialist psychoanalytic skills to assess and treat children, their families or carers, through a combination of talking, playing and drawing.
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Family and systemic psychotherapist
As a family and systemic psychotherapist, you'll use psychological approaches to understand patients' difficulties and challenges. This would guide the therapies and interventions you provide, usually involving several members of a family. You might work with specific populations, like looked after children, people with learning disabilities or people with dementia.
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Cognitive behavioural therapist (CBT therapist)
As a CBT therapist, you'll assess and support people using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT is a talking therapy which aims to help people overcome emotional difficulties by changing the way they think and behave. As a CBT therapist, you would address common mental health difficulties like anxiety and depression, or less common issues like psychosis, a personality disorder diagnosis, or eating disorders. You may work with individuals, couples or groups.
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Counsellor
Counselling offers people a safe and confidential space to talk about their feelings and concerns. As a counsellor, you would help people to understand themselves better and find their own solutions and make positive changes. Counselling can draw on a range of different methods and always prioritises the relationship between the counsellor and the client.
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Adult psychotherapist
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Psychological practitioners
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Psychological wellbeing practitioner (PWP)
As a psychological wellbeing practitioner, you'll support people with a range of different low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) methods over the telephone, online or in person. These methods include written exercises, computerised packages and mobile phone apps. You will combine psychological practice with the very latest in low intensity CBT innovation, helping people to move forward using structured, brief interventions.
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Children's wellbeing practitioner (CWP)
As a children's wellbeing practitioner, you'll assess and support children and young people with common mental health difficulties. This will include mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety, depression and behavioural difficulties. You will also offer a range of interventions that are based on cognitive behavioural therapy and guided self-help.
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Education mental health practitioner (EMHP)
As an education mental health practitioner, you'll assess and support children and young people with common mental health difficulties. These young people may have mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety, depression and behavioural difficulties and you'll offer short-term cognitive-behavioural approaches to help them. You'll also promote mental health within the school community, and provide information workshops on mental health and wellbeing.
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Mental health and wellbeing practitioners
Mental health and wellbeing practitioners work with patients to help them manage their mental health while also offering evidence-based psychological interventions.
The first intake of trainees started their training in March 2022. The one-year training programme will see them, under supervision, develop knowledge and practice skills to employ interventions and care planning for adults with severe mental health problems.
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Psychological wellbeing practitioner (PWP)
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Work experience
What kind of work experience could you do in psychological professions?
If you are interested in a psychological profession and you are currently a student, please consider Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust for work experience. We offer a variety of placements, depending on your current level of interest, experience and needs.
Find out more:
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I am studying an undergraduate degree in psychology.
What type of experience is this?
Observation on a mental health ward.
In which service?
A mental health ward or service.
What will I be doing?
Observing a psychologist undertaking their role as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
How long for?
2-3 days.
Anything else I need to know?
This is observational only and cannot be used as a university placement.
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I am taking a sandwich year whilst studying for an undergraduate degree or master’s in psychology
What type of experience is this?
Elective university undergraduate placement.
In which service?
Any trust service.
What will I be doing?
This is a work placement with professional supervision from a qualified Psychologist.
How long for?
6-12 months.
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I have completed a psychology degree, with a minimum of a 2:1
What type of experience is this?
Honorary assistant psychologist placement.
In which service?
Any Trust service.
What will I be doing?
This is a work placement with professional supervision from a qualified Psychologist.
How long for?
At least 1 day per week for a minimum of 6 months.
Anything else I need to know?
Roles are similar to a paid assistant psychologist but with reduced responsibility and hours.
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I have recent relevant clinical or research experience, over a period of at least 6 months
What type of experience is this?
Honorary assistant psychologist placement.
In which service?
Any Trust service.
What will I be doing?
This is a work placement with professional supervision from a qualified psychologist.
How long for?
At least 1 day per week for a minimum of 6 months.
Anything else I need to know?
Roles are similar to a paid assistant psychologist but with reduced responsibility and hours.
Please contact work.experience@covwarkpt.nhs.uk for a psychology work experience application form.
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I am studying an undergraduate degree in psychology.
To see what vacancies we have please visit our vacancy page. For further information about roles in psychology visit NHS Careers.