Cognitive Therapy Pathway - Postgraduate Diploma in CBT

The formal aims of the programme are as follows:

To provide high quality training in the core therapy skills relevant to cognitive and behaviour therapies for trainees aiming to work with service users with disorders of anxiety and depression. It aims to do this by presenting the relevant theoretical bases of the therapies alongside research evidence of their effectiveness. It endeavours to enable trainees to develop an understanding of the links between research in the relevant areas of psychological science and practical applications of these therapies.

The programme also aims to provide practical support, guidance and supervision in the practice of therapies delivered to service users with the disorders of anxiety and depression, and to help programme participants to develop the clinical skills necessary for working with this client group.

The programme aims to ensure that all graduates of the programme meet recognised minimum clinical competence standards in working using CBT with service users with the anxiety and depression, consistent with the relevant competencies’ framework for psychological interventions with people with anxiety and depression developed by Roth & Pilling (2007).

The programme aims to equip participants with the knowledge necessary to go on to develop skills in the application of cognitive behavioural theory and therapy to a broader range of clinical presentations.

 

Qualifications – Registered Professionals

Applicants are expected to be qualified, professionally registered and working in one of the main mental health professions (Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatric Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Social Workers, Occupational Therapists in Mental Health, Accredited Counsellors).  Please consult the following link for a list of all health, mental health and social care professions currently accepted by BABCP as a recognised core profession, which will be accepted as entry criteria: Core Professions List – BABCP    

Non-Standard Route Applicants

For people who do not hold core professional qualifications (see the list linked above) a Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) portfolio will need to be completed submitted and approved prior to programme commencement (see the full Guidelines for KSAs here: Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes – BABCP). The KSA requirements for this training programme will be sent out to applicants. The BABCP has recently changed KSA requirements to recognise some professions that meet some but not all the KSA. These professions don’t meet BABCP criteria for a core profession but are eligible for a condensed KSA criteria (see list here: Professions eligible for a Condensed Portfolio – BABCP ). Usually, applicants will need to complete between three and six of the KSA criteria, along with providing evidence of their professional qualification and registration (including academic transcript and certificates). Applicants using the KSA route will be sent information and documents to be completed. We are unable to give advice on whether prior experience will meet the criteria until the completed portfolio is submitted. However, following receipt of application we do offer drop-in guidance sessions (or recordings of these) to people applying for this route, prior to KSA portfolio submission, and follow up support can also be offered if required.

CBT Experience

A basic knowledge and experience of CBT practice acquired from an introductory programme (e.g. a foundation course in CBT), and/ or having had some introductory supervised practice experience of CBT is needed to apply.

Selection

The route into this programme is via application, interview and references.

 

The training component is in the form of lectures, workshops and supervision of clinical practice which take place over the first academic year. Following the initial four-day induction week, attendance is weekly, on one day per week, over three academic terms. There are two further teaching blocks at the beginning of terms two and three. The training day, usually, but not exclusively  is on a Thursday will be comprised of supervision in the morning and a skills workshop in the afternoon. During term three, there will be full day Masterclasses on some Mondays or Tuesdays, facilitated by national and international leaders in the development of CBT. Workshops include theoretical and skills development components, and combine academic presentations, demonstrations, and experiential exercises.  Weekly intensive small group video-based training supervision is provided by highly experienced BABCP accredited CBT practitioners (for anxiety and depression).

 

In order to fulfil the requirements of the programme, trainees need to be working in an appropriate role in a service setting which affords them access to clients with anxiety and depression and have agreement with their service to bring some of those clients to us for clinical supervision – we do not arrange placements, but we check suitable clinical work is in place before acceptance onto the programme.

People on the programme need to have access to clients with problems of anxiety and depression  in an organisational setting (not individual private practice), so that satisfactory governance arrangements are in place (DBS checks, risk and safeguarding policies and procedures, GDPR compliance procedures, induction and mandatory training arrangements etc.). The placement/ workplace will need to provide clinical governance supervision (safeguarding, risk management etc) for all clients brought to the programme as the clients remain the responsibility of the service. The programme will provide supervision for the minimum 8 training cases required for BABCP accreditation (including the 3 minimum close supervision cases) but will not provide enough supervision to meet all casework and supervision requirements for the 200 hours of supervised clinical practice needed to complete the programme and meet the BABCP minimum training standards (MTS – see here: MTS master A5 ). Trainees will therefore need a BABCP accredited supervisor in place in their workplace to supervise the remainder of the work required.

The total cost of the programme will be £9,000.

If you are interested in this programme, you will need to talk to your service manager or have agreement from wherever you intend to undertake your clinical work. An application form is available from the PTTC if you email PTTCenquiries@gmmh.nhs.uk. In the subject line please ensure you put PGDip CBT – Cognitive Therapy Pathway when you request an application form. 

The closing date for applications is 14 August 2026. 

Recruitment takes place between August and September.