Senior Suicide Prevention Therapist

Hours: 22.5 hours over 3 days per week Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: London

Reports to: Head of Centre

THE OPPORTUNITY

As a Senior Suicide Prevention Therapist, you will work closely with the Head of Centre to provide strong clinical leadership and oversight while also delivering direct therapeutic work with men experiencing suicidal crisis and their supporter(s). You will play a key role in supporting the clinical team to deliver our unique intervention and to co-produce effective, individualised safety plans to help men remain safe. This role requires an experienced mental health professional or therapist with a strong background in suicide prevention, excellent risk assessment and formulation skills, and demonstrable experience of supervision, line management, and leadership. Training, induction, and ongoing support will be provided by the Head of Centre and the wider James Place team.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit your CV with a cover letter of up to 2 sides of A4 explaining why you are applying for this role to ASKHR@jamesplace.org.uk. It is important to demonstrate you have the essential knowledge, skills and experience we are looking for in your CV and cover letter. Applications without a cover letter will not be accepted.

Closing date: 9am on Friday 27th February 2026

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities

• Senior Clinical Duties

• Work as a duty therapist to triage and assess suitability of James Place referrals daily.
• Take full clinical responsibility of the men under James Place care, as a co-leader of the clinical team and in consultation with Head of Centre.
• Lead and support peer support sessions, caseload discussions and reflective practice with the team.
• Create an environment in which confidentiality, privacy and dignity are respected and be clear with clients about limits of confidentiality.
• Deputise for the Head of Centre when required.

• Conduct initial Welcome Assessments with men in a suicidal crisis, assessing risk and the suitability of the James Place intervention and co-producing effective safety plans.
• Deliver our therapeutic intervention, building trust and exploring the reasons for crisis.
• Use the Lay Your Cards on the Table intervention to encourage men to talk about and explore their feelings, attitudes and behaviours and develop positive coping strategies.
• Escalate care to appropriate services when necessary, including emergency services and secondary mental health teams.
• Deliver one-off guidance sessions to supporters of men under the James Place care.
• Work collaboratively with other professionals to coordinate comprehensive care.
• Undertake clinical supervision with a qualified supervisor to reflect on clinical work and raise any issues or concerns arising from work.
• Remain up to date with developments in law, theories and research.
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to ethical standards.
• Complete session notes in a timely and effective manner.
• Participate in continuous professional development and engage in training provided both internally and externally.
• Support the Clinical Administration team as and when necessary.

• Manage, support and lead Suicide Prevention Therapists, encouraging staff to develop and grow.
• Conduct regular probation reviews, monthly 1:1s and annual Personal Development Reviews with staff.
• Conduct therapist case reviews to ensure work is completed safely, effectively and in accordance with James Place policies and procedures.
• Confidently identify and sensitively communicate areas for development and conduct performance management reviews when necessary.
• Demonstrate and promote self-awareness and regularly dedicate time and space, inside and outside of work, to keeping yourself and the team well.
• Provide support to access training and other developmental activities.

• Work alongside the Head of Centre to actively increase contact with local community organisations able to refer to us or offer move on support for men completing our intervention.
• Support the fundraising team to bring potential supporters into our building and showcase our work, including the facilitation of events.

• Demonstrate commitment to the James Place values of Focus, Bravery, Respect, Compassion, Professionalism, Collaboration and Hope through all aspects of work.

About us

The Charity

Suicide is the leading cause of death of men under 35 and three quarters of those who die by suicide are men. James Place exists to save the lives of men in suicidal crisis through delivering clinical services. We are a charity currently offering free, life-saving therapy to suicidal men at our centres in Liverpool, London and Newcastle.

James Place was set up by Clare Milford Haven and Nick Wentworth-Stanley in 2008 after their twenty-one-year-old son, James, died by suicide ten days after a minor operation. James had no history of mental illness or depression and had sought urgent help for anxiety and suicidal thoughts but didn’t find it. James’ Place was set up to make the experience of finding help as easy as possible. We offer men who are experiencing a suicidal crisis a brief, intensive therapeutic intervention in a safe environment. Men who walk through the door at James Place will be in a space where they feel valued and respected. We provide a calm and peaceful environment both inside the centres and in our outside spaces, accessible to men who visit us as well as their friends and families. We have so far treated over 4,300 men who might otherwise have been unable to access the support they desperately need. In early 2026 we will be opening our fourth centre in Birmingham. Our new centre in Birmingham will be there to support suicidal men living in the West Midlands.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A Core Profession such as Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker, counseling or practitioner psychologist registered with NMC, HCPC, or Social Work England or Accreditation as a psychological therapist, psychotherapist, or counsellor registered with BACP, UKCP, BABCP or equivalent, or have completed training and awaiting accreditation. You must hold a relevant qualification to be considered for this role.

Experience

• Experience of leading, supervising and developing a team or others.
• Experience of holding supervision, reflective practice and/or case management with colleagues.
• Experience of decision making, when asked by colleagues for advice and support.
• Experience of triaging referrals and demonstrating accountability for decisions made.
• Experience of modelling best practice to others and working to address issues of performance and competency when they arise.
• Commitment to continued professional development and can evidence additional learning since completion of core training.
• Demonstrable experience working with adults experiencing acute psychological distress.
• Demonstrable knowledge of social and other factors which could lead to suicidal thinking and actions.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the factors contributing to male suicide.
• Evidence of being able to deliver a therapeutic session and work in a therapeutic environment.
• Effective communication skills (both written and verbal).
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to manage difficult situations.
• Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic interventions.
• An ability to collaborate with clients in the development of a person-centred, individual intervention plan.
• An ability to engage clients in the intervention plan, overcoming barriers to communication.
• Ability to conduct effective risk assessments and collaborative safety plans with men who are presenting with high risk of suicide, or be willing and able to learn how to do so.
• Ability to identify if the James Place service is not adequate to maintain the person's safety and facilitate rapid transfer to the most appropriate service.
• Ability to maintain boundaries within a time-limited intervention.
• Ability to work as an effective team member.
• Ability to manage and prioritise own workload, using own initiative and confidence in decision making.
• Strong time management.
• Ability to maintain up to date client records in line with James Place standards.
• Ability to maintain own personal safety and the safety of others within the centre.
• Knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding Procedures.

Values

• Commitment to clinical supervision.
• Ability to engage with James Place values.
• Ability to promote people's equality, diversity and rights.
• Ability to work collaboratively and demonstrate commitment to co-production.
• Ability to be transparent, honest and show discretion when needed.
• Commitment to suicide prevention and working with men in a suicidal crisis.
• Willingness to cover Head of Centre delegated duties when needed (e.g. leave and other absence).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.