Advanced Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy

Course Introduction

The Advanced Diploma courses provide a focused psychotherapy training that challenges, and contributes to, a wide range of understanding of the therapeutic encounter. It prepares participants for professional work in both private and institutional practice. Successful completion will bring eligibility for registration with the appropriate professional bodies.

Objectives

The aim of the course is to produce practitioners who think independently, are theoretically well informed, able skillfully and ethically to apply in practice the methods of psychotherapy and counselling expertise in either psychodynamic or humanistic/experiential approaches within an integrative perspective of the therapeutic relationship and process.

The key objective of the course is to make it possible for trainees to:

• develop a comprehensive level of theoretical knowledge of a range psychotherapy approaches
• consolidate their clinical experience into practice of an integrative approach of their choice or construction
• acquire a general level of understanding of the major systems of psychotherapy
• develop a capacity for informed reflection on their clinical practice
• engage effectively in the use of supervision - with peers and supervisors
• gain understanding of ethical research methods relevant to clinical practice
• achieve eligibility for professional registration as practitioners of integrative psychotherapy.

Supervision

Every student is expected to be in individual therapy with an approved UKCP registered therapist throughout the duration of the course. Additional therapy may be recommended in individual cases.
Description

• At the end of Year 1: Eligibility in terms of training hours to apply for individual Accreditation with BACP
• At the end of Year 2: Eligibility to apply for UKCP Registration as an Integrative Psychotherapist

To apply for registration/accreditation with either UKCP or BACP a minimum of 450 clinical hours must be completed.

This course has been designed to achieve the intended outcome that trainees feel well-grounded within a core modality which engages with other dimensions and perspectives so that an integrative perspective is maintained.

This allows registration with the Humanistic and Integrative Section of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy, of which the School is a full member. The course meets all the current criteria set by the UKCP Humanistic and Integrative Section for entry onto the register for those with a previous basic qualification in the field (such as satisfactory completion of SPCP's Masters programme or its equivalent). In most instances, trainees will have completed registration requirements by the end of the course.

Although academically-rooted, the Advanced Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy places more emphasis on trainees' development as qualified practitioners within the broad perspective held by the school on the practice of integrative psychotherapy as reproduced below.
Clinical Placement

Every trainee is expected to work with 2 - 3 adult clients on a minimum once-weekly long-term basis from the start of the course until the end of the course.

Entry Requirements

• Satisfactory completion of either the taught components of SPCP's MA in Psychotherapy and Counselling, or
• an equivalent masters-level professional training in psychotherapy/counselling/counselling psychology
• Working knowledge of a range of psychotherapy and counselling approaches which includes psychodynamic, and humanistic/integrative perspectives
• Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 100 client contact hours in a formal clinical placement
• Evidence of emotional maturity and evidence of an ability to be self-reflective, function effectively under pressure, and to manage conflict constructively
• Completion of a minimum of two years regular individual psychotherapy.

Course Structure

The course is designed to be completed in two years. It takes place on one full day per week over three ten-week terms per year.

Each daily session comprises: training supervision; group practice/experiential work; lecture/seminar; personal and professional development group.

Syllabus

The course contains two strands of further training and development as part of the integrative perspective: the psychodynamic and the experiential/humanistic. The course explores the tensions and convergences between these in different ways.

• Term 1 - The Therapeutic Relationship
• Term 2 - Critical Approaches to Mental Health
• Term 3 - Further Development in either Psychodynamic or Experiential Approaches
• Term 4 - Practical Issues and Psychotherapy
• Term 5 - Working with Groups
• Term 6 - Student-led seminars on clinical work and theoretical topics.

The course will emphasise experiential practice and training supervision using video- and audio-taping equipment, and the developmental and integrative arena of the personal and professional group experience.

The course team will include psychodynamic, experiential and integrative tutors and training supervisors. Some of the core team will adopt different roles through the duration of the course, including supervision, lecturing and facilitating the PPD group.

Supervisors will be allocated for blocks of two terms; after the first two terms, trainees will have the opportunity to select either psychodynamic or experiential supervision.

Accreditation

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Accreditation.

After completion of the first year of the Advanced Diploma programme, trainees will be able to seek individual accreditation with the BACP. At that point they will have accumulated contact hours that may be counted towards meeting criterion 1.i of the BACP Accreditation Criteria.

Candidates must note that they will also have to meet criteria 2 - 6 of the BACP Scheme.

UKCP Registration

The School is an accrediting organisation within the Humanistic and Integrative Section of the UKCP (The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy), and registers graduates of the School's Advanced Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy as UKCP registered integrative psychotherapists.