There has been significant investment provided by the Government to improve access to Primary Care Psychological Therapies, utilising a stepped care approach within NHS Psychological Therapy Services. What this means is you will wait approximately 12-18 weeks to be accepted for a Psychological Therapy, which will be provided by a qualified therapist that has undergone an Accreditted Psychological Therapy training programme. The NHS Primary Care Psychological Therapy services offer various forms of Psychological Therapy such as Counselling, Interpersonal Therapy, Couples Therapy and EMDR therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). For further information about NHS Primary Care psychological therapy please contact your GP and request a referral to your local Service. If the Primary Care Psychological Therapy is not effective then your GP can consider referring you to the NHS Secondary Care Specialist Psychotherapy / Psychology Service, where generally you will work with a Highly Specialist Psychotherapists / Psychologists / Psychiatrists providing various forms of Highly Specialist evidenced based Psychological Therapy.

An example of how this may typically work in your locality: the initial step 1 called “watchful waiting” is conducted by your GP while individuals are waiting to be assessed by their psychological therapy service. Then once accepted for an assessment and deemed suitable for psychological therapy Patients will move onto step 2, and receive approximately 1-2 courses of guided self help provided by a graduate mental health worker (non-mental health professional). Each course consisting of 3-6 sessions of treatment to help clients utilise self help material independently. Once it is deemed that the client requires additional support the Patient moves onto step 3. This is where Counselling, Interpersonal Therapy, EMDR, or CBT is provided by a therapist utilising specific / standardised treatment approaches to help clients cope with their current difficulties. Therapy may consist of up to 2 courses therapy of between 10-20 sessions. Research data from the National CBT Trials indicates approximately 50% of patients’ still experience significant difficulty after finishing treatment at step 3 therapy. Consequently if a client is still experiencing difficulty they may be referred onto step 4 Psychological Therapy Services which is provided by Highly Specialist and Experienced Psychotherapist / Psychologists (including Psychiatrists, Psychologist, and Mental Health Professionals with a minimum of 5 yrs Psychotherapy training / experience). This provision of Psychotherapy is individually tailored to the patient’s needs.

However, what this does not mean is that therapy provided at a lower levels (steps 1-3) is not effective as it offers an opportunity to understand problems and develop skills to help patient's cope with their difficulties.

If you are interested in obtaining NHS Psychological Therapy please speak to you GP and discuss the various options within the NHS services.

A Highly Specialist accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist will have had training as a registered Health Professional before starting post graduate psychotherapy training.

The Pre Psychotherapist Training that all Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist should have had is as follows: Before training as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist one needs a professional qualification to degree level in one of the following areas: Clinical psychology (psychologist), Psychiatry (psychiatrist), Nursing, Counselling, Social Work, or Occupational Therapy.

As well as basic professional training, Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapists need extensive training in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy that meets the BABCP's requirements. The BABCP say that professional Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy training will be no less than five years.

Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapists’ are accountable to their core profession's code of conduct, also psychotherapists must adhere to the BABCP "Guidelines for Good Practice of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy", furthermore, a more in-depth perspective of Psychotherapy ethical practice can be obtained from BACP.

Supervision is a professional process that gives the psychotherapist the opportunity to discuss a case in more detail with a more experienced CBT Psychotherapist. Cases are discussed to ensure appropriate and high standards of treatments are provided while confidentiality is maintained. Psychotherapists should receive monthly supervision.