Psychology
We provide compassionate, evidence-based care, working alongside people to understand their experiences and support recovery.
In line with our trust strategy “With you in mind”, Psychological services have developed profession specific ambitions to enhance care and treatment and ensure a positive and safe environment for our staff.
We work in a collaborative and person-centred way with service users to develop a shared understanding of what has happened in their lives and what has led them to access services. We then support the development of a bespoke care plan aimed at empowering service users in their own treatment or recovery.
Career pathways
Within CNTW we employ a range of psychological professionals, such as:
Psychologists
- Clinical/Counselling Psychologists: Specialise in assessing and formulating complex psychological distress and offering therapy and therapeutic interventions to support recovery for individuals and their families. They also work across systems, supervise other staff and undertake audit and research.
- Health Psychologist: Work to promote healthy living and manage chronic illness through psychological interventions.
- Forensics Psychologists: Explore how psychological challenges can be associated with criminal behaviour and offer treatment in order to help people who have been involved in the criminal justice system rehabilitate into the community.
- Clinical Neuropsychologists: provide neuropsychological expertise in cognitive assessments, diagnostic formulations, and neurorehabilitation.
Associate and Assistant Roles
- Clinical Associate in Psychology: Provides psychological assessments and interventions under supervision, contributing to service delivery.
- Assistant Psychologist: Supports psychological services through research, assessments, and therapeutic activities.
Psychological Therapists
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT): Delivers structured therapy to address issues like anxiety and depression.
- Systemic Practitioners and Family Therapists: Use systemic theory and techniques to support individuals and families experiencing mental health difficulties.
- Psychological Therapists: therapists delivering a specialist therapy such as EMDR, MBT, CAT.
- Psychotherapist: Offers in-depth therapy for a range of psychological issues, including trauma and relationship difficulties.
- Art, Drama, and Music Therapists: Utilise creative modalities to support emotional expression and healing.
- Counsellors: work in some formally contracted NHS Talking Therapies services providing person centred counselling for depression.
Psychological Practitioners
- Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP): Provides low-intensity interventions for individuals experiencing common mental health problems.
- Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP): Supports children and young people in educational settings, addressing mental health concerns.
- Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP): Supporting children and young people in our mental health support teams by delivering CBT-informed brief interventions.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner (MHWP): Works across various services to promote mental well-being and provide psychological support.
- Youth Intensive Psychological Practitioner (YIPP): Works across Crisis and Inpatient services to deliver psychologically informed interventions to young people.
Psychological Professions Network has some really useful information for initial routes into these professions.
Training and development
CNTW is committed to the professional growth of its psychology staff. We offer:
- Developmental posts: Offering a range of posts where we support staff to develop competencies that support progression to a higher banding. (Band 7 Clinical psychologist to a Band 8a Senior clinical psychologist).
- Appraisals and job planning: Annual appraisals incorporate detailed job planning to ensure that there is a diversity in roles and responsibilities to enhance job satisfaction.
- Supervision and Mentorship: Regular clinical supervision, opportunities for mentorship and a variety of special interest groups and peer support opportunities.
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD): Access to workshops, seminars, internal conferences and training programs to enhance skills and knowledge in evidence based psychological therapies and interventions.
- Training Placements: We support several Higher Education Institutions across the Northeast and North Cumbria, by providing high quality clinical placements to support training in various psychological professions.
Why work with us?
- Innovative Services: Be part of pioneering psychological services in mental health and community settings.
- Research activity: Psychological professionals contribute significantly to the Trust’s reputation for research. All staff can be involved in research, evaluation, and audit to improve best practice and to contribute to national guidance and evidence-based practice.
- Collaborative Environment: Work within multidisciplinary teams that value diverse perspectives.
- Coproduction: Working alongside service users and families to explore mental health and wellbeing, and to develop an understanding and confidence in positive recovery.
- Career Progression: Opportunities for advancement through various psychology roles and leadership positions.
Current opportunities
Each summer we have an inspiring 2-day psychology careers event supported by our psychological services staff. This event covers topics such as:
- Presentations from NHS trust psychological roles
- Hearing from professionals and service users
- Discovering pathways into the profession
- Connecting with students
Interested? Keep a look out for more details on our social media channels.
Vacancies
Explore our latest psychology vacancies and apply to join our dedicated team.
Additional resources
Find out more about psychology careers in the NHS on NHS Health Careers website