Our training in psychodynamic psychotherapy is accredited by the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) and qualifies candidates to work with patients once or twice a week, in time-limited or longer-term psychotherapy, in both agencies and private practice.
The aim of our clinical training is to provide you with thorough theoretical knowledge, sound clinical skills as well as an ethical and professional approach to practice. It provides a solid foundation for a career working as a psychotherapist. We have an up to date approach to training and rigour in assessing readiness to work with patients and to qualify as a psychodynamic psychotherapist Once qualified you will be eligible for membership of SIP and registration with the BPC.
More information
Duration
The clinical training is likely to last for four, or more, years: three curricular years (when you attend theoretical seminars) and generally at least one post-curricular year (when you attend clinical seminars and continue with your clinical work under supervision). The number of years you will have as a post-curricular trainee will depend, in part, on how long it takes you to complete all elements of the training including accruing sufficient hours of supervised clinical work.
Assessment
The training committee monitors the progress of trainees through a process of regular reports and reviews in addition to the assessment of your written work.
Time commitment
Training starts in September* (Click here for term dates)
- Personal therapy: 2 (therapy) hours
- Supervision: 1 (therapy) hour for each training patient (and time for additional patients)
- Clinical work: 1 – 2 (therapy) hours for each training patient
- Theory and clinical seminars: 3 – 4.5 hours (term-time only) on a Thursday afternoon and/or evening
This weekly estimate is provided as a rough guide and depends in part on how many training patients you are seeing concurrently and, at what frequency. Naturally you would also need to factor in time for reading, writing clinical notes and papers, and travel for example.
*Please note: there is no intake to SIP’s clinical trainings in September 2023; the next clinical intake will be September 2024.
What next?
Training in psychodynamic psychotherapy enables you to become a member of SIP and registered with the BPC. You can work in private practice or in an agency setting offering up to twice weekly psychodynamic psychotherapy either short or long term. As a member of SIP you can get involved by becoming a SIP committee member.
Venue
All of our courses and trainings are delivered in central Bristol. However, as a training institute for the South West our membership is drawn from across the region and both training therapy and supervision is available in Bristol and beyond.
Application and fee information
Entry requirements
- Pre-clinical training: you should have completed pre-clinical training in Work Discussion and Classical Freudian Theory either at SIP or another BPC training institute. Equivalent learning will be considered. You should have completed a written paper for Work Discussion.
- Personal therapy: you should have been in a minimum of twice weekly therapy with a SIP approved training therapist for at least one year prior to the start of training.
- Qualification and professional experience: in psychotherapy, counselling, or the broader mental health field. However, suitable applications from candidates who do not meet this requirement will be considered.
- Experience of working in a psychiatric setting: If you have not worked in a psychiatric setting you will need to find a suitable placement either during the pre-clinical stage of your training or before the end of the first year of your clinical training.
Training fees
| 2025-26 Training Application Fee | £179, payable upon submission of application (non-refundable) |
| 2025-26 Curricular | £4,365 per annum |
| 2025-26 Post-Curricular | £669 per term |
In addition to training fees you should budget for such things as training therapy, supervision, books, stationery and travel. Please also note that we review fees each year and a slight annual increase should be expected.
>> Please ensure you read over our payment terms here.
SIP’s Welsh Bursary Fund
The Severnside Institute for Psychotherapy (SIP) has received a generous donation aimed at supporting the promotion of psychoanalytic and psychodynamic thinking and practice in Wales.
The objective of The Welsh Bursary initiative is to promote the application of psychoanalytic ideas and techniques for a range of educational, health and welfare services in Wales. It also offers financial support to students and trainees who would otherwise be unable to pursue their interest, study, and training in psychotherapy with SIP.
The Welsh Bursary Fund may assist with, for example, running or attending a workshop, or subsidising travel costs, supervision or academic resources for SIP students or trainees, up to a maximum sum of £3,000.
The deadline for applications for Welsh Bursary Fund support for the 2025-26 academic year (1st September 2024 – 31st August 2025) is 31st August 2025.
>> SIP’s Welsh Bursary Fund application form can be completed online here.
How to apply
For those interested in joining our clinical training intake for September 2025, we strongly encourage you to make contact via email to admissions@sipsychotherapy.org, as far in advance as possible, to arrange an initial discussion about your readiness to submit an application – this is to help us guide you in gaining the necessary personal therapy clinical experience.
Application dates: Applications open 13th January and close 31st March, to start the following September
Application forms and guidance:
| Psychodynamic Application Form – (77KB DOCX) | >> Download |
| Equality Monitoring Form | >> Complete |
Please note:
- If you have particular access needs please let us know as soon as possible so that we can discuss how best to meet these.
- Courses will only run in any academic year subject to sufficient applications.
- We follow an equal opportunities policy in our selection procedure.
- We reserve the right to alter our existing constitution, criteria for membership, training procedures, timetables and assessments.