Specialist Counsellor in London

Job summaryAre you passionate about providing evidenced based psychological therapy to people struggling with a range of psychological difficulties including anxiety and depression, that is flexible and personalised to the service user? Do you want to develop personally and professionally, through regular high-quality individual supervision, and a range of team activities and ongoing CPD opportunities including specialist therapy trainings as available (e.g., IPT, DIT, EMDR, training in CBT for Long Term Conditions)?This role is within the Haringey's Talking Therapies service offering high quality therapies, in an environment that is supportive for staff. We subscribe to the BABCP Positive Practice guide.We are committed to staff development and specialist areas of clinical expertise through supervision, training and research opportunities, and reflective spaces. We have a diverse workforce, so we particularly welcome staff members who can speak and work in languages that reflect the diverse communities in Haringey.We are mindful that working in a fast-paced service with people experiencing psychological distress can be challenging and we proactively support all our staff. We encourage flexible working and staff are encouraged to negotiate a working pattern that allows for a good work life balance.This is a hybrid role (office/home working). Staff are required to work part of the week in any of the locations around Haringey with the opportunity to work part of the week at home.Main duties of the jobWe are looking for a Specialist Counsellors and Clinical/Counselling Psychologists with experience of working with adults with a range of mental health difficulties to join our successful, and supportive team. You will be providing assessment and high intensity psychological interventions.As a CBT therapist/Psychologist, you will work with adults with a range of anxiety and depression disorders using CBT.As a counsellor, qualified in a Talking Therapies approved modality to support the provision of high quality evidenced based counselling. Counsellors should have a core training in Counselling and have specialist training in Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy/Interpersonal Therapy/Counselling for Depression or short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy to provide specialist counselling for clients presenting with depression.You will have training and experience of providing supervision is also required as Band 7 Counsellors will undertake a range of activities alongside providing high quality one-to-one specialist counselling interventions. You may also be providing professional/clinical supervision to, act as a professional lead for trainee counsellors.CBT therapists will also offer (or work towards offering) supervision to trainees, and advice, consultation, and training within the service, as well as having the opportunity to contribute towards shaping and developing by taking the lead in a specific area of interest.About usWhittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trustbelieves that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.DetailsDate posted14 October 2026Pay schemeAgenda for changeBandBand 7Salary
55,524 to 62,652 a year
Per Annum (Per Rata) Including HCAS
ContractPermanentWorking pattern

Full-time,

Part-time

Reference number220-WHT- Job locationsCrouch End Health Centre45 Middle LaneLondonN8 8PHUnited KingdomJob descriptionJob responsibilitiesAccept referrals via agreed protocols within the serviceAssess clients for suitability for Counselling using one the of Talking Therapies approved Counselling models. Where the problems appear to be too complex or severe to be appropriate for the Talking Therapies service, to refer to manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.Contribute to diagnostic decisions and advise on the suitability of new referrals, adhering to the departments referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary.Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients. IAPT modalities include Counselling for Depression (CfD), Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression (IPT), Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) and Couple Therapy for Depression (CTFD) and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy.To make an assessment of risk for patient and others and take appropriate action when necessary.Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying Counselling formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilitiesAccept referrals via agreed protocols within the serviceAssess clients for suitability for Counselling using one the of Talking Therapies approved Counselling models. Where the problems appear to be too complex or severe to be appropriate for the Talking Therapies service, to refer to manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.Contribute to diagnostic decisions and advise on the suitability of new referrals, adhering to the departments referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary.Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients. IAPT modalities include Counselling for Depression (CfD), Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression (IPT), Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) and Couple Therapy for Depression (CTFD) and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy.To make an assessment of risk for patient and others and take appropriate action when necessary.Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying Counselling formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
EssentialCompleted a PG Diploma in CBT or in High Intensity (IAPT Pathway) and be accredited with the BABCP or a registered doctoral level qualification in clinical or counselling psychology, with PG level training in CBT with BABCP accreditationDesirableQualification to provide clinical supervision to counsellors and psychotherapists (e.g. Certificate or Diploma in Supervision)
Skills & Abilities
EssentialAbility to evaluate and put in place the effect of trainingComputer literateExcellent verbal and written communication skillsHas received training in, and carried out, risk assessments within scope of practiceAble to develop good therapeutic relationships with clientsDesirableExperience supervising other CBT clinicians.
Knowledge & Experience
EssentialDemonstrable experience of working in mental health servicesAbility to meet agreed/specified service targetsAbility to manage own caseload and timeDemonstrates high standards in written communicationAble to write clear reports and letters to referrersExperience of providing evidence based psychological interventions (in particular CBT)Experience with routine outcome monitoringDemonstrates an understanding (and formal training) of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary CareDemonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental healthKnowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problemsDemonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this postDesirableExperience of working in Primary Care ServicesExperience in teaching and liaising with other professionalsExperience in establishing diagnosesExperience in using IAPTUSExperience of working in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
Personal Qualities
EssentialAbility to work within a team and foster good working relationshipsAbility to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervisionDesirableFluent in languages other than English, in particular common languages in Haringey such as Turkish and SpanishAble to integrate training into practice
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications
EssentialCompleted a PG Diploma in CBT or in High Intensity (IAPT Pathway) and be accredited with the BABCP or a registered doctoral level qualification in clinical or counselling psychology, with PG level training in CBT with BABCP accreditationDesirableQualification to provide clinical supervision to counsellors and psychotherapists (e.g. Certificate or Diploma in Supervision)
Skills & Abilities
EssentialAbility to evaluate and put in place the effect of trainingComputer literateExcellent verbal and written communication skillsHas received training in, and carried out, risk assessments within scope of practiceAble to develop good therapeutic relationships with clientsDesirableExperience supervising other CBT clinicians.
Knowledge & Experience
EssentialDemonstrable experience of working in mental health servicesAbility to meet agreed/specified service targetsAbility to manage own caseload and timeDemonstrates high standards in written communicationAble to write clear reports and letters to referrersExperience of providing evidence based psychological interventions (in particular CBT)Experience with routine outcome monitoringDemonstrates an understanding (and formal training) of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary CareDemonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental healthKnowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problemsDemonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this postDesirableExperience of working in Primary Care ServicesExperience in teaching and liaising with other professionalsExperience in establishing diagnosesExperience in using IAPTUSExperience of working in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
Personal Qualities
EssentialAbility to work within a team and foster good working relationshipsAbility to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervisionDesirableFluent in languages other than English, in particular common languages in Haringey such as Turkish and SpanishAble to integrate training into practiceDisclosure 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 nameWhittington Hospital NHS TrustAddressCrouch End Health Centre45 Middle LaneLondonN8 8PHUnited KingdomEmployer's websiteEmployer detailsEmployer nameWhittington Hospital NHS TrustAddressCrouch End Health Centre45 Middle LaneLondonN8 8PHUnited KingdomEmployer's website