Job summary
We're excited to offer a full-time role for a passionate and motivated Clinical/Counselling Psychologist OR CBR Therapist to join Berkshire Healthcare Birth in Mind.
As part of Maternal Mental Health Services, Birth in Mind is a specialist service providing assessment and treatment for adults with severe Fear of Birth (medically referred to as tokophobia) and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to their birth experience (including miscarriage, still birth and neonatal loss). You'll be joining a warm, dynamic team of psychologists and psychological therapists who are deeply committed to providing the best possible care.
Our service offers generous time for CPD, giving you the chance to expand your expertise in Trauma-Focused CBT, EMDR, and Compassion-Focused Therapy. We highly value clinician self-care, providing strong support systems including peer supervision, regular one-on-one supervision, and specialist supervision in Compassion-Focused Therapy and EMDR.
You'll be based at Erlegh House, located on the vibrant University of Reading campus, complete with plenty of parking, nearby green spaces, and local shops.
We also offer a flexible, hybrid working model that includes both face-to-face sessions and online working, either from our well-equipped clinic space or from home when suitable.
If you're looking for an opportunity to make a difference in a welcoming and supportive team, we'd love to hear from you!
Main duties of the job
1. As a valued member of our team, you will work across both pathways to provide specialist assessments, formulations and evidence-based interventions, working both with individuals and groups.
2. You will be supported to develop clinical skills and expertise in other therapy modalities such as EMDR.
3. You will have the opportunity to be involved in service improvement projects such as service user feedback forums and designing our specialist resources. We have a strong belief in evidence -based practice and practice-based evidence, so you may also be able to undertake or supervise research, audit and service evaluation.
4. As part of your on-going development you may be able to supervise trainees and assistant psychologists, as appropriate. There may also be opportunities to be involved in consultation, liaison and training to multidisciplinary mental health staff, perinatal mental health services, third-sector agencies and other, non-professional carers.
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
5. Caring for and about you is our top priority
6. Committed to providing good quality, safe services
7. Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
8. Flexible working options to support work-life balance
9. 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
10. Generous NHS pension scheme
11. Excellent learning and career development opportunities
12. 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
13. Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
14. Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
15. Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
16. Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
17. Free parking across Trust sites
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
18. Holder of HCPC registered Clinical/Counselling Psychology qualification OR Post graduate qualification in CBT and BABCP accreditation
19. Experience treating PTSD using NICE-recommended therapy modalities (TF-CBT)
20. Ability to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients and ideally experience of working with the perinatal population.
21. Understanding of the specific needs of clients who have experienced a birth trauma and the impact this can have on postnatal mental health.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Dr Rosalind Brock, Principal Psychologist, who will be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
22. For Clinical/Counselling Psychologist: Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas) which provides eligibility for Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
23. For Clinical/Counselling Psychologist: Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
24. For All: Additional training/ accreditations (or working towards these) to reflect post qualification interest/ specialism (, Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, BPS).
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
25. Evidence of training and/or interest and knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the post.
26. Commitment to continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant accrediting body.
Experience
Essential
27. Experience of working in evidence-based ways with services users (and their carers/families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
28. Experience of dealing with highly distressing or emotional circumstances, such as serious mental illness, child and sexual abuse, exploitation, and complex family dynamics
29. Experience of working effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environment
30. Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audit, evaluative research and applying the findings
31. Experience of working with, and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service.
Desirable
32. Experience of delivering teaching and training to staff
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
33. Demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of psychological/neuropsychological or psychotherapeutic assessment, formulation and intervention, relevant to the service area.
34. Knowledge and understanding of service evaluation, audit and research and completing this in the NHS.
35. Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, technical and/or sensitive information to service users, their carers/families and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS
36. Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to support, influence and engage with clinicians, stakeholders and service users to create change and improvement
37. The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system.
38. Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO, Outlook, databases, MS office/Teams, One Consultation and the internet).
Additional Requirements
Essential
39. Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required, and ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position