DBT Practitioner

Job summaryThis is an exciting opportunity for a motivated clinician with a passion for working therapeutically with individuals with complex emotional needs within a supportive and dynamic specialist team.This importantrole is part of the Barnet Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) Pathway. The remit ofthedynamicDBT Pathway is to offer Barnet residents referred into the service a consistent evidence-based therapeutic approach, to reduce inpatient admissions and to support the quick transitions of those in an inpatient service back into the community.The post holderwill bejoiningaestablished and vibrant DBT Pathwayand willbe working closely with theBarnet Adult Psychology TeamandtheComplex Emotional Needs Pathway Team.Ideallyyou will have a strong enthusiasm to work in a psychologically informed wayandhadexperienceof DBT, but this is notessentialas trainingwill be provided.The post holderwill provide formal DBT psychologicalinterventionsusing atrauma -informedapproachwhilst undertaking necessary trainingto upskill for this role asrequired.The post holder will workautonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance ofappropriate professionalpractice within the service/team.Main duties of the jobAs a Band 6 DBT Practitioner, you will play a key role in delivering specialist Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) to adults experiencing severe emotional dysregulation and complex mental health difficulties. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will provide high-quality, evidence-based interventions that support recovery and promote meaningful change. Key responsibilities include: Delivering individual DBT-informed interventions and co-facilitating DBT skills training groups.Managing a caseload of service users with complex emotional and relational difficulties, including those presenting with significant risk.Undertaking comprehensive assessments, care planning, risk assessment, and ongoing clinical reviews.Supporting service users to develop skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness.Participating in weekly DBT consultation meetings and contributing to the maintenance of DBT treatment fidelity.Working collaboratively with service users, carers, and partner agencies to ensure coordinated and person-centred care.Maintaining accurate clinical records and contributing to service evaluation and outcome monitoring.Providing specialist advice, consultation, and support to colleagues within the wider mental health services.Contributing to service development, quality improvement initiatives, and the promotion of psychologically informed practice.About usNorth London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.Our Five-Year Strategy: We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for allWe will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.Why NLFT?We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities.We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension schemeExcellent internal staff networkIn order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.DetailsDate posted11 August 2026Pay schemeAgenda for changeBandBand 6Salary 45,953 to 54,254 a year Per annum including HCAS ContractPermanentWorking pattern Full-time Reference number455-NLFT-1066Job locationsBarnet Springwell CentreBarnet Hospital, Wellhouse LaneLondonEN5 3DJUnited KingdomJob descriptionJob responsibilitiesJointly assess patientsfor suitability for DBT. Where the problemsappear to betoo complex or severe to beappropriate forlevel of experience refer to manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.To formulate and implementDBTfocusedtreatment plans,in particular identifying repeatingpatterns of crisis andadviseways of altering these, based uponan appropriateconceptualframework of thepatients problems.To educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying DBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.Tosupportthe implementation of arange of DBT psychological interventions(group and individual)forprospectivepatients.To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individualpatientsand toprovide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment andrisk management.To work closely with referrers,servicesand colleagues to collaborate around the delivery of DBT interventions.To deal appropriately with the intense emotional atmosphere surrounding therapycontacts which may be highly distressingon a daily basisand to work withfrequentlyintense concentration for the clinical sessions of assessment and therapy. Job description Job responsibilitiesJointly assess patientsfor suitability for DBT. Where the problemsappear to betoo complex or severe to beappropriate forlevel of experience refer to manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.To formulate and implementDBTfocusedtreatment plans,in particular identifying repeatingpatterns of crisis andadviseways of altering these, based uponan appropriateconceptualframework of thepatients problems.To educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying DBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.Tosupportthe implementation of arange of DBT psychological interventions(group and individual)forprospectivepatients.To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individualpatientsand toprovide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment andrisk management.To work closely with referrers,servicesand colleagues to collaborate around the delivery of DBT interventions.To deal appropriately with the intense emotional atmosphere surrounding therapycontacts which may be highly distressingon a daily basisand to work withfrequentlyintense concentration for the clinical sessions of assessment and therapy.Person Specification Qualifications/ Registrations EssentialCore health professional qualification (Nursing, Social work, Occupational Therapy Psychotherapist) and Registration with the appropriate professional bodyDesirableBasic Training Certificate in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) or a desire to engage in DBT training Skills/ Abilities EssentialStrong interest and desire to work with patients with complex emotional needs and personality disorder in trauma informed wayExperience of facilitating psychoeducational and therapy groups for patientsExperience of working with carers and family membersExperience of working in a multidisciplinary team and working within a multicultural frameworkExperience in developing risk management plans and psychological treatment pathwaysDesirableExperience of running and delivering DBT groups in a clinical setting Experience/ Knowledge EssentialKnowledge of the theory and practice of DBTSkills in the use psychological assessments, intervention and managementWell-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the post-holder's professional bodyDesirableEnthusiasm about evidence-based practice and about using patient feedback as well as team performance data to develop service as best suited for the needs of our patient population. Personal Qualities EssentialAn enthusiasm and commitment to the psychological treatment in the field of Personality DisorderAbility to maintain professional boundaries and form positive therapeutic relationship with service users and carersAbility to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to "hold" the stress of othersAbility to demonstrate NLFT Trust ValuesDesirableA commitment to the evaluation of services, enthusiasm for both multi-professional and uni-professional audit Other Requirements EssentialAbility to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situation and severely challenging behavioursAbility to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings. Person Specification Qualifications/ Registrations EssentialCore health professional qualification (Nursing, Social work, Occupational Therapy Psychotherapist) and Registration with the appropriate professional bodyDesirableBasic Training Certificate in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) or a desire to engage in DBT training Skills/ Abilities EssentialStrong interest and desire to work with patients with complex emotional needs and personality disorder in trauma informed wayExperience of facilitating psychoeducational and therapy groups for patientsExperience of working with carers and family membersExperience of working in a multidisciplinary team and working within a multicultural frameworkExperience in developing risk management plans and psychological treatment pathwaysDesirableExperience of running and delivering DBT groups in a clinical setting Experience/ Knowledge EssentialKnowledge of the theory and practice of DBTSkills in the use psychological assessments, intervention and managementWell-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the post-holder's professional bodyDesirableEnthusiasm about evidence-based practice and about using patient feedback as well as team performance data to develop service as best suited for the needs of our patient population. Personal Qualities EssentialAn enthusiasm and commitment to the psychological treatment in the field of Personality DisorderAbility to maintain professional boundaries and form positive therapeutic relationship with service users and carersAbility to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to "hold" the stress of othersAbility to demonstrate NLFT Trust ValuesDesirableA commitment to the evaluation of services, enthusiasm for both multi-professional and uni-professional audit Other Requirements EssentialAbility to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situation and severely challenging behavioursAbility to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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.Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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.Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).Employer detailsEmployer nameNorth London NHS Foundation Trust AddressBarnet Springwell CentreBarnet Hospital, Wellhouse LaneLondonEN5 3DJUnited KingdomEmployer's websiteEmployer detailsEmployer nameNorth London NHS Foundation Trust AddressBarnet Springwell CentreBarnet Hospital, Wellhouse LaneLondonEN5 3DJUnited KingdomEmployer's website