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.

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

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.

How to apply

Applications open from 1st January each year. We encourage you to make contact prior to application by, for example, attending our Open Day normally in March each year.

Application closing date: 31st March to start the following September*

*Please note: there is no intake to SIP’s clinical trainings in September 2023; the next clinical intake will be September 2024.

Please contact us if you are considering applying after the closing date.

Application forms and guidance: