Course Handbook: Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

The Clinical Qualification in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy trains psychotherapists to work with adult patients on a once-weekly basis. Progression through training is dependent on individual development in the three areas of personal growth, theoretical understanding, and clinical practice. The Training Committee, Course Tutors, Personal Tutors, and Supervisors work collaboratively and individually with each trainee to ensure their readiness to progress, recognising that this might involve different rates of development for each trainee.

The taught component of the training is delivered through theoretical and clinical seminars, led by experienced psychotherapists and psychoanalysts in their respective fields of theoretical knowledge, clinical practice, and research.

The curriculum has been devised to familiarise the trainee with a broad spectrum of psychodynamic schools of thought and their development, and to instil a solid grasp of their clinical applications. The aim is to provide the trainee with a confident understanding of the unconscious processes that lead to either healthy or pathological development, and of the psychological treatment of mental and emotional disturbance. This is done through the teaching and critical evaluation of the work of the Freudian, Kleinian and British Object Relations schools, with the emphasis on a firm grounding in clinical technique.

The training and curriculum are under regular review, with the best interests of the trainee and prospective psychodynamic psychotherapist and their patients in mind. The bpf reserves the right to make any changes considered necessary during the course of the training.

The Psychodynamic Psychotherapy training programme is administered by a dedicated Training Manager, who serves as the primary point of contact for all student enquiries.

Overall responsibility for the programme rests with the Course Director, Dr. Sheelagh Lippell, who oversees its delivery.

Teaching Staff

Teaching within the Clinical Qualification in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy is provided by experienced psychoanalysts and psychodynamic psychotherapists affiliated with the British Psychotherapy Foundation, complemented by input from external clinicians and published authors. This ensures that students receive a comprehensive and diverse perspective on both theoretical and clinical practice.

Course Structure Overview

The full clinical training begins with the Foundation Course (Year 1), where students are introduced to key psychodynamic theory and taught clinical skills. Students then move on to the Years 2–4 theoretical programme, building on the foundations gained earlier, alongside supervised clinical work with training patients.

• Academic Qualifications: An undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline is expected. However, candidates without a degree may still be considered if they can provide clear evidence of academic ability, such as completion of professional training courses, certifications, or substantial written work.
• Counselling or Counselling-Related Experience: Prior involvement in counselling, support work, or related fields is an advantage but not mandatory, and should be clearly documented in the application.
• Emotional Resilience and Capacity for Self-Reflection: Applicants must exhibit emotional maturity, psychological robustness, and a proven ability for self-reflection, including demonstrating a thoughtful engagement with personal development and readiness for clinical training.

Attendance on the Foundation Course does not guarantee a place on Year 2 of the PD Training — applicants must still apply and be interviewed for a place. Anyone intending to apply for the complete PD Training course (Years 2–5) must have completed both Foundation Course modules, Theory and Clinical.

Personal Therapy

The trainee’s personal psychotherapy is regarded as a cornerstone of their professional development as a psychotherapist.

For those wishing to join the Psychodynamic Psychotherapy training, this therapy must be conducted with an approved Training Therapist or Analyst, at least once per week and in-person (not online). The therapeutic relationship should be well established prior to the commencement of the course and must be maintained for the duration of training, until qualification is achieved. Training Therapists are required to be Psychoanalysts, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists or Jungian Analysts (not Psychodynamic therapists), registered with the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), and to have been qualified for a minimum of five years.

Applicants and prospective trainees are expected to have engaged in personal therapy for at least six months before enrolling on the programme, and to continue in therapy throughout the entirety of their training. Trainees who are not in personal therapy at any point during their training will not be meeting the full training requirements. Should any unexpected interruptions or unresolved issues arise, it is mandatory for the trainee to promptly inform both the Training Manager and the Course Director, so that the matter may be considered and appropriately addressed.

This personal therapy or analysis is subject to the strictest confidentiality and is classified as a ‘non-reporting’ element of the training. Nonetheless, the Training Manager will seek the trainee’s consent on an annual basis to contact the Training Therapist or Analyst, for the purpose of confirming that the minimum requirement of once-weekly, in-person therapy is being fulfilled.

Work or Voluntary Experience

Year 2 applicants are required to have experience of listening to and/or helping people, whether via professional work experience or from a voluntary role.

Suitable voluntary roles can be helpline work, befriending, caring, charity group support, community outreach projects, etc. Experience in this kind of role will help prospective trainees to build active listening skills and emotional resilience, and to develop an understanding of boundaries. The kinds of professional roles that are suitable as prior experience are nursing, medical roles dealing directly with the public, teaching and teaching assistants, care workers, community workers, etc.

Year 3 applicants (MES) are required to have experience of working psychotherapeutically with adult patients on a one-to-one basis, either in a psychotherapy placement (the NHS or other organisational setting) and/or private practice, where this work has been supervised regularly by a supervisor who meets programme requirements (psychodynamic psychotherapists, psychoanalytic psychotherapists or Jungian Analysts, registered with the BPC, who have been qualified for a minimum of five years).

Selection

• Applicants are evaluated on qualities essential for becoming a psychodynamic psychotherapist.
• Successful candidates typically have experience providing one-to-one support or care to adults, obtained through professional roles or volunteer work.
• Academic qualifications are preferred, but not mandatory.
• Candidates without formal higher education may be considered if they can demonstrate the ability to meet the academic demands of a postgraduate-level course.

Applicants may be eligible for direct entry into Year 2 if they have successfully completed one of the following:

• The full bpf Foundation Course (both modules — Theory and Clinical)
• The MSc Psychodynamics of Human Development
• An equivalent course at another recognised psychodynamic or psychoanalytic training institution

Candidates must submit supporting documentation, including transcripts, course syllabi, and evidence of clinical experience. Assessment will also address the following questions:

• What was the scope and depth of theoretical and clinical components in previous training?
• How has previous experience prepared you for advanced psychodynamic psychotherapy training?
• Can you demonstrate reflective practice and ongoing personal development?

Eligibility requires a recognised qualification in psychotherapy or counselling, prior professional experience in clinical practice, and previous and ongoing personal psychotherapy meeting programme requirements. Personal psychotherapy must be well established before starting the course (ideally for at least six months) and must be continued at least until qualification. Applicants must provide relevant certificates, a summary of professional experience, references, and documentation of personal therapy.

MES: Personal Therapy

During the application and selection process, therapeutic experience will be reviewed. Trainees applying via the MES route should have been in once-weekly, personal psychotherapy or psychoanalysis with an approved training therapist for a minimum of eighteen months during prior training. This therapy should ordinarily have concluded no more than five years before application. Where necessary, approval for previous therapeutic experience may be required from the relevant committee before an offer of a training place is made.

On occasion, the need for further personal therapy may become apparent during the selection interviews. In such instances, the trainee must inform the Training Manager when this therapy has commenced and provide the name and contact information of the approved training therapist. The therapy will then continue for the full duration of the training. Any subsequent unexpected interruption or difficulty must again be reported to the Training Manager and Course Director for appropriate consideration.

The Training Committee reserves the right to require additional personal therapy with an approved training therapist should it become necessary, based on reports from supervisors, tutors, or seminar leaders. Trainees are also encouraged to reflect on whether further personal therapy may be of benefit during their training journey.

MES: Psychiatric Experience

This is a requirement for MES trainees who have not previously undertaken these elements of training. This will be discussed during the selection process and will be followed up with the Course Director. In the case of MES trainees, these modules can be taken alongside clinical work with training patients.

MES: Selection and Application Process

In addition to the above requirements, MES applicants are individually evaluated based on their professional experience, personal qualities, and readiness for advanced training. All applicants must submit a formal application, attend an interview, and provide references. Further details about the application process and programme expectations are available online.

• Applicants should ensure they meet qualification and experience requirements prior to applying, particularly if applying for Year 3 (MES) entry.
• Applicants without a British passport or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK (ILR) should ensure they have a visa in place that will allow them to train and carry out clinical work for the entirety of the course.
• Submit an online application; follow the instructions given and pay the application fee. The closing date for applications will be clearly posted on the course web page.
• Attend an interview if offered one, which will be either in-person or online. If no interview is offered, the application fee will be refunded.
• Accept the place offer by signing and returning the offer letter and student contract by the date stipulated.
• Pay the place deposit by the date stipulated in the offer letter; a place cannot be held or guaranteed for an applicant after this date. The deposit will be debited from the first year’s training fees.
• Submit the documents required by the Training Manager for enrolment purposes: copy of passport, photocard ID, visa/ILR confirmation, proof of address, education certificates, emergency contact information, and a recent photograph (head & shoulders shot).
• Personal therapists should be informed that the Training Manager will send them a form to complete, which will ask them to list their qualifications, and verify that they see the trainee for at least one in-person therapy session per week.
• Pay training fees before the start of term. The bpf accounts department will send an invoice in advance. Trainees can pay in 3 termly instalments or for the whole year up front. bpf Trainee Membership fees are included in annual fees.
• Complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at the start of the first term of entry year. Details of how to apply will be available from the PD Training Manager.
• Attend the first day of Term 1 for any induction sessions arranged.

The induction and orientation process is designed to help students settle smoothly into training and become familiar with the resources, staff, and expectations of the British Psychotherapy Foundation (bpf).

All new Year 2 PD trainees will attend an Induction Day on the first day of Term 1. This session introduces the bpf, covering its structure and main departments, including administrative and academic support. There will be a focus on the bpf library, with instructions on how to access its resources for study and research. Trainees will also receive guidance on using the bpf’s online platforms and communication tools.

Each new Year 2 trainee is assigned a Personal Tutor in the first few weeks of Term 1. Personal tutors are experienced professionals who support and advise students throughout their training. It is expected that trainees will have the same personal tutor throughout their training, where possible.

Trainees should arrange to meet with their Personal Tutor once in each term for 30 minutes, either face-to-face or online. It is the students’ responsibility to organise these meetings. Meetings offer a chance to discuss academic progress, personal development, and any issues faced during training. Personal tutors can give advice and feedback, and help trainees reflect on their experiences and progress, as required by the programme.

The PD Training programme commences annually in September. Application deadlines for this route are announced in the preceding year and can be found on the bpf website. Generally, applications will open in early March, and close at the end of June each year. This should be verified each year by checking the website information.

Course Objectives

The Clinical Qualification in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy is designed to prepare trainees for effective, ethical practice with adult patients through a structured, once-weekly therapeutic approach. The programme centres on three core elements: the trainee’s personal analytic experience, comprehensive theoretical and clinical instruction, and supervised clinical engagement. Together, these form the foundation for professional competence, guiding trainees in the development of sound judgement and integrity in clinical work.

Progress throughout the course is measured by growth in personal insight, mastery of psychodynamic theory, and increasing clinical proficiency. The Training Committee, Course Tutors, Supervisors and Personal Tutors work both collaboratively and individually to support each trainee, recognising and accommodating varied rates of progress. Teaching is delivered via seminars led by experienced clinicians and psychoanalysts, offering a thorough grounding in a broad spectrum of psychodynamic schools — including Freudian, Kleinian, and British Object Relations — while emphasising their clinical application.

Learning outcomes

Personal and Professional Qualities & Competencies

The course is structured around personal therapy, supervision, theoretical and clinical seminars, experiential groups (Year 2 & 3 only) and personal tutorials.

1. Personal Therapy

The trainee’s personal psychotherapy is regarded as a cornerstone of their professional development as a psychotherapist. This therapy must be conducted with an approved Training Therapist or Analyst, at least once per week and in-person (not online). The therapeutic relationship should be well established prior to the start of the course and must be maintained for the duration of training, until qualification is achieved. Training Therapists are required to be Psychoanalysts, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists or Jungian Analysts (not Psychodynamic therapists), registered with the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), and to have been qualified for a minimum of five years.

Trainees are expected to have personal therapy for at least six months before enrolling on the programme, and to continue in therapy throughout the entirety of their training. Trainees who are not in personal therapy at any point during their training will not be meeting the full training requirements. Should any unexpected interruptions or unresolved issues arise, it is mandatory for the trainee to inform both the Training Manager and the Course Director promptly, so that the matter may be considered and appropriately addressed.

This personal therapy or analysis is subject to the strictest confidentiality and is classified as a ‘non-reporting’ element of the training. Nonetheless, the Training Manager will seek the trainee’s consent on an annual basis to contact the Training Therapist or Analyst, for the purpose of confirming that the minimum requirement of once-weekly, in-person therapy is being fulfilled.

2. Personal Tutor

Each trainee is assigned a Personal Tutor (PT) for the entirety of their training (normally allocated in the first few weeks after joining Year 2 or 3). Trainees must meet with their Personal Tutor once per term for 30 minutes, which can be by phone or online. It is the trainee’s responsibility to arrange these meetings in advance, contacting their PT early each term to agree on a suitable date and time.

From Year 2 onwards, during the Summer term, the Personal Tutor writes an annual progress report on the trainee for the Training Committee. This report is shared with the trainee and discussed together. The Personal Tutor can provide ongoing support, advice, and feedback.

3. Supervision

Supervision is a key aspect of psychotherapy training and practice. It ensures patient/client safety and welfare, promotes ethical practice, and facilitates the professional development of supervisees at all levels of experience. In psychotherapy training, supervision acts as a bridge between academic theory and real-world clinical practice.

Supervisors provide constructive feedback to help trainees refine their technique, identify blind spots, and tailor their modality to the patient’s needs. They will often do this by reviewing the trainee’s session notes or recordings.

Supervision provides a dedicated space to assess risks, handle emergencies, and enforce boundaries. It offers a contained space to process the emotional toll of psychotherapy work and develop professional resilience.

Trainees are allocated a first supervisor at the commencement of their training. It is acknowledged that many Year 2 trainees may not yet have acquired a psychotherapy placement. Either way, supervision at this stage is a space to listen and think together about peers’ clinical work with patients. It is also an opportunity to reflect on voluntary or professional work interactions and experiences and look at these from a psychodynamic perspective, as a work experience discussion group. Valuable insights about psychodynamic techniques, competencies and skills are gained as a result.

bpf Training supervisors are BPC-registered psychoanalytic psychotherapists or Jungian analysts, five years post qualified. When trainees have two supervisors, one of them is permitted to be a BPC-registered psychodynamic psychotherapist, five years post qualified.

First Supervisor

Each PD trainee is assigned a bpf First Supervisor (SUP1) for the entirety of their training, the cost of which is included in the annual training fees. Trainees must meet with their First Supervisor on a weekly basis for 1.5 hours, in groups of up to 3 trainees. Supervision does not follow the term-time calendar; instead, trainees are expected to see their First Supervisor for up to 44 weekly sessions across the calendar year, starting from 1st October. Breaks and holidays should be arranged with the First Supervisor and fellow supervisees in the assigned group.

Supervision meetings are additional to the weekly in-person seminars and will often fall on a separate day. Upon joining the course in Year 2, trainees will be offered various days and time slots for first supervision, some of which will be in-person and some online. The course aims to provide a variety of options for first supervision, according to supervisor availability. Individual requests for specific days and times for first supervision cannot be accommodated; a degree of flexibility will be required from trainees in order to be allocated a First Supervisor. Ordinarily, it is expected that a trainee will continue with the supervision arranged in Year 2 until they have qualified.

As with all elements of the course, trainees are expected to achieve at least 80% attendance for supervision. If a trainee cannot attend a supervision session they must inform the supervisor at the earliest possible opportunity. Supervisors will keep a record of attendance and inform the Training Manager of any regular absence.

First Supervisors are required to submit reports on trainees in January and June of each training year. Once the PD Training Committee has reviewed and discussed the reports, they can be shared with trainees. Copies will be sent to trainees via the Training Manager. All supervisor reports must be satisfactory, in order for trainees to progress on the course.

Trainees who experience any problems with their supervision should inform the Training Manager and/or Course Director as soon as possible. Any requests to change supervision group, whether due to timetabling issues or problems with the group work, must be discussed with the Course Director.

Supervision with both first and second supervisors is expected to continue into the Year 5 Qualifying period, and onwards until a trainee has been notified that they have qualified.

Second Supervisor

From Year 2 onwards, when a trainee has more than one training patient either from bpf Clinical Services or via an approved psychotherapy placement, they must arrange to work with a Second Supervisor (SUP2). This is in addition to continuing work with the First Supervisor. The cost of a Second Supervisor is not included in course fees; trainees must pay fees directly to the Second Supervisor.

The Second Supervisor can be allocated via a pre-approved course list or can be arranged privately by the trainee. All private Second Supervisor arrangements must be approved by the Course Director before the supervision commences, to ensure that the supervisor meets qualification and training requirements. Second supervisors are required to submit two bi-annual reports (January and June) on trainees’ progress through the competencies required by the programme.

Second supervision can be done individually or with one or two fellow trainees (maximum three trainees per group). Second supervision does not follow the term-time calendar, but the number of sessions needed in a calendar year (from 1st October) will vary according to how many trainees are in the group and when the supervision starts — the Training Manager and/or Course Director will advise on this. This will be proportional to the 44 weekly supervision sessions required across the calendar year, depending on whether this is individual, in pairs, or in a group of maximum three trainees:

• 1 trainee per Second Supervisor: must be for 1 hour per session, on a fortnightly or twice per month basis (22 sessions in a calendar year).
• 2 trainees per Second Supervisor: must be for 2 hours per session, on a fortnightly or twice per month basis (22 sessions in a calendar year).
• 3 trainees per Second Supervisor: must take place for 1.5 hours per week (44 sessions in a calendar year).

The fee for second supervision will depend on the particulars of the above arrangement and is negotiated directly with the supervisor. Whilst this is a private arrangement, some approved supervisors may take account of the fact that this is a training supervision and may adjust their fee to reflect this.

As with first supervision, trainees who experience any problems with their second supervision should inform the Training Manager and/or Course Director as soon as possible. Any requests to change a second supervisor, whether due to timetabling issues or problems with the work, must be taken to the Course Director.

4. Theoretical Seminars

The theoretical seminars span a four-year period, which includes the bpf Foundation Course or an equivalent introductory course from a recognised training organisation.

The bpf Foundation Course: This year includes one Saturday theory session per month, which may be attended either in person or online. It includes two theory presentations, followed by a Theory Discussion Group session.

Years 2–4: In Years 2 to 4, students continue their theoretical studies within their respective year groups, attending weekly in-person seminars at the bpf building, following the term-time calendar:

• Year 2: Mondays from 13:15 to 17:45
• Year 3: Fridays from 09:30 to 14:15
• Year 4: Fridays from 13:00 to 16:00

Please note: when the four-year theory curriculum is completed, trainees will need to continue with clinical seminars until they have qualified. This will be provided on a termly basis, at a reduced fee rate (please see the website for current PD Year 5 fee rates).

• Year 5 Qualifying Period / Clinical seminars only: an in-person and online option will be provided. Days/times to be confirmed by the Training Manager at the end of Year 4, subject to Clinical Seminar Leader availability each year.

5. Clinical Seminars

Clinical seminars constitute a core element of the psychotherapy training programme, designed to integrate theoretical understanding with clinical practice and to facilitate the ongoing professional development of trainees.

Following on from the bpf Foundation Course Clinical Module, Year 2 clinical skills seminars will further deepen trainees’ understanding and clinical application. Issues relating to working once weekly, or in a time-limited frame, will be introduced and discussed. Later in the course, the seminars provide an opportunity to present and discuss the treatment of training patients with experienced seminar leaders of various psychodynamic orientations.

Clinical seminars take place on the same teaching days as the theory seminars outlined above, using approximately half the allocated seminar time. The seminars are scheduled on a weekly term-time basis, with attendance being compulsory and sessions conducted in-person, unless exceptional arrangements are sanctioned by the Training Committee.

From Year 3 onwards during the clinical seminars, trainees will be asked to present a case to their allocated group. The aim of the clinical seminars and presentations is not to test, critique or supervise the trainees, as they are already supervised separately. Instead, these seminars are meant to be a reasonably informal space where trainees can explore different ideas and reflections around what might be happening in the presented material. They will also consider how theory can be applied to practice, and how to approach the therapeutic relationship. Each week’s individual presentation is the vehicle through which all trainees will learn — the aim is to support the presenter by joining them in the exploration and thinking around the material. An attitude of openness and curiosity is maintained throughout, and all trainees learn through the ideas exchanged.

From Year 3 onwards, clinical seminar groups are typically composed of no more than eight trainees, fostering an environment conducive to in-depth discussion and mutual learning. Membership of these groups may change throughout the course as new trainees join or others complete their training.

Placements: Year 2/3

All trainees are required to complete an approved psychotherapy placement as part of their training, whether in an honorary, hospital or counselling setting. They will be supported to take on a voluntary placement in Year 2 by the bpf’s Clinical Placement Tutor.

Year 2 trainees are normally expected to have found a clinical placement by the end of Term 2 — those who have not done this by the end of Term 3 will be required to be in placement for at least six months in Year 3, before they can apply to bpf Clinical Services for a training patient. In this instance, the point at which the trainee is considered ready to apply for a patient from bpf Clinical Services will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Clinical work with patients in placements must be face to face (in-person, not online) but can be done locally to trainees if they live outside of London. All placements must be approved by the bpf’s Clinical Placement Tutor, to ensure that they meet the bpf’s training requirements.

There are no fixed requirements for weekly hours and total placement duration, as each one will be tailored to the individual trainee, and dependent on placement organisation needs. The bpf Clinical Placement Tutor will release information on available placements and trainees will be required to apply and interview for the positions. If a trainee wants a placement closer to the area where they live, or to work with a specific organisation, they must seek the advice and approval of the Placement Officer before applying for any unlisted opportunities.

A psychotherapy placement must ordinarily be completed by the end of Year 3, in order for a trainee to progress on to Year 4. The length of time a trainee is required to have worked in the placement will depend on a range of factors (number and range of patients, length of time patients have remained in therapy, number of DNAs, frequency and modality of placement supervision, first supervisor feedback on trainee competencies, etc.).

Psychiatric Placements: Year 3/4

In addition to their honorary or paid work in a psychotherapy placement, trainees will need to have experience of work within a psychiatric placement. It should be for a minimum of one half-day session a week for six months. This element of training needs to be arranged by the trainee, with the tutor’s help if necessary.

Trainees without experience in the mental health field, and for whom a psychiatric placement is not forthcoming, will need to take part in a Psychiatric Simulation Workshop in Year 4. This is a one-day course delivered by an outside contractor, approved by the bpf and the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC).

The aim of undertaking a psychiatric placement or attending the psychiatric simulation is to enable trainees to:

Year-by-Year Requirements

Foundation Course

• Trainees participate in weekly clinical seminars focused on work discussions, typically involving patients seen in honorary placements, hospital settings, or counselling services.
• Emphasis is placed on the challenges of once-weekly or time-limited therapeutic work, with dedicated sessions addressing these modalities.
• Each trainee must submit a reflective paper at the conclusion of the term, demonstrating insight into their clinical experiences and learning outcomes.

Year 2

• 80% attendance of all course elements must be achieved.
• Attend in-person Theory & Clinical seminars and Experiential Groups on the specified day and time during term time.
• Trainees are expected to secure a clinical psychotherapy placement by the end of Term 2 and commence work with training patients under bpf supervision.
• Participate in weekly bpf first supervision sessions, in-person or online.
• Attend meetings with a Personal Tutor once a term.
• A reflective paper, detailing the trainee’s development and clinical engagement, is to be submitted in April (2,000 words).
• Satisfactory end of year reports from the Supervisor and Personal Tutor have been received.

Year 3

• 80% attendance of all course elements must be achieved.
• Attend in-person Theory & Clinical seminars and Experiential Groups on the specified day and time during term time.
• Trainees may undertake a psychiatric placement, if one can be arranged that meets training requirements.
• Trainees will continue to work with training patients (either from bpf Clinical Services, the placement setting, or both), each supervised by an approved bpf supervisor.
• A Second Supervisor will be needed once a trainee has more than one training patient (from either bpf Clinical Services or a placement).
• The course requirement of an approved psychotherapy placement must be completed by the end of Year 3.
• Submission of a clinical practice essay, synthesising theoretical concepts with clinical material, is due in June (3,000 words).
• Satisfactory end of year reports from the Supervisor and Personal Tutor have been received.

Year 4

• 80% attendance of all course elements must be achieved.
• Attend in-person Theory and Clinical seminars on the specified day and time during term time (there is no Experiential Group in Year 4).
• Trainees will continue to work with training patients, each supervised by either a bpf approved first or second supervisor.
• A psychiatric simulation workshop must be attended by all trainees whether they have completed a psychiatric placement or not. Date and time will be advised.
• Satisfactory end of year reports from the Supervisor and Personal Tutor have been received.

Year 5 — Qualifying Period (termly basis)

• The Year 5 Qualifying Period Term 1 is the earliest opportunity for a trainee to qualify from the course, provided they have met and completed all other course criteria, and have seen at least 2 training patients weekly for 12 months each.
• All trainees must continue with bpf supervision (first and second supervisors) and clinical seminars on a termly basis until they are notified that they have qualified.
• Trainees may submit their final clinical paper, which forms a significant component of the qualification process, provided their supervisor(s) have given permission for the paper to be written, and all other course requirements have been completed satisfactorily each year.
• There is an opportunity to submit a final paper each term: Term 1 — 23rd October 2026 by 12pm (submissions open 1st September); Term 2 — 12th February 2027 by 12pm; Term 3 — 14th May 2027 by 12pm. Final papers cannot be submitted on an individual/ad hoc basis, the above dates apply to all trainees, and results are released at the end of each term.

Mode of Study & Attendance

Trainees are expected to attend all seminars in-person at the bpf, including theory and clinical sessions, experiential groups in Year 2 and 3, and the Psychiatric Simulation workshops in Year 4 (usually a Saturday — trainees will be given a date for this as early as possible). Remote or hybrid attendance is only allowed in exceptional cases, such as ongoing illness, and must be agreed in advance with both the course tutor and the Training Manager. Any request for online participation should be submitted beforehand and will be reviewed to avoid disrupting the classroom environment. At least 80% of seminars must be attended in person; remote attendance is permitted only in rare circumstances.

This programme requires a substantial weekly commitment. Students should expect to dedicate between 21 and 30 hours each week to their studies. This includes about three hours of seminar attendance, 1.5 hours of supervision (2.5 hours when a Second Supervisor is added), six to twelve hours of clinical placement work, six hours for report writing, and up to ten hours of personal study. The academic year lasts up to 36 weeks, and the full course usually takes at least 4.5 years to complete (including the Foundation Course), though the exact duration may depend on individual progress and completion of clinical work with training patients.

Attendance and Participation Requirements

Trainees are expected to attend all the seminars, experiential groups, supervision and meetings that constitute the training. An attendance of 80% is required, logged by a signing-in process for each seminar. Supervisors will log attendance of weekly supervision.

Should there be difficulty in attending the in-person seminars and experiential groups, trainees should firstly inform the PD Training Manager, in advance where possible. The Training Manager can then let course tutors and group leaders know of the absence. If a significant number of seminars and/or groups are to be missed, the Training Manager and Course Tutor should be told. Trainees should notify supervisors directly of any absence.

Holidays and Absences

Holidays should be taken outside term times. In exceptional circumstances, trainees may ask the Course Director for permission to be absent during term time. If too many theoretical seminars are missed it is usually necessary to repeat the module, or term, before qualifying.

Unexplained, protracted absence will be followed up by the Training Manager and Course Director; in some circumstances it may be necessary to inform relevant external authorities, such as Immigration/Home Office or Police. Trainees are also required to notify the Training Manager if their training therapist or supervisors are away for more than two weeks outside a normal holiday period.

Online Attendance at Seminars

Trainees are required to attend all Theory and Clinical seminars and Experiential Groups in person. Remote or hybrid attendance is only allowed in exceptional cases, such as ongoing illness, and must be agreed in advance with both the course tutor and the Training Manager. Any request for online participation should be submitted beforehand and will be reviewed to avoid disrupting the classroom environment. At least 80% of seminars must be attended in person; remote attendance is permitted only in rare circumstances.

Qualification Process Overview

Once trainees have met all course requirements and reached their final expected year of training — usually after their second training patient has completed one year of therapy — they may ask their supervisor for permission to write the clinical paper, focusing on one of their training cases. The supervisor will then either support the trainee’s progression or raise any concerns.

Both the Course Director and Training Manager will be informed when the trainee is ready to submit their final clinical paper. Once the finished paper has been assessed, the Training Committee considers all reports — including personal tutor, supervisor, and seminar leader reports — in the decision to award qualification.

The Training Committee reserves the right to require trainees who do not meet the qualification criteria to remain enrolled in training until they have attained the competencies necessary to qualify as psychodynamic psychotherapists.

Personal Therapy

The trainee’s personal psychotherapy is regarded as a cornerstone of their professional development as a psychotherapist. This therapy must be conducted with an approved Training Therapist or Analyst, at least once per week and in-person (not online), and must be maintained throughout training until at least qualification. Training Therapists are required to be Psychoanalysts, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists or Jungian Analysts (not Psychodynamic therapists), registered with the BPC, and to have been qualified for a minimum of five years.

Personal psychoanalytic psychotherapy remains a non-reporting therapy. In accordance with BPC regulations, the Training Committee does not receive reports concerning the content of a trainee’s personal psychotherapy. However, in order to verify that the personal psychotherapy requirement is being met, the Training Manager will, on an annual basis, seek the trainee’s consent to contact the personal therapist to confirm that therapy is being attended at the required frequency.

Training Patients & End-of-Term Reports

The trainee normally works with a range of patients, diverse in presentation — for example, ideally at least one male and one female patient — and/or diverse in terms of demographics such as ethnicity, age, class, gender, disability, sexuality, etc. Supervision continues throughout the work with the training patient until qualification.

Trainees can apply to take on their training patients from either their placements and/or bpf Clinical Services. bpf Clinical Services will offer up to four training patients; this is to give trainees more experience and act as a buffer if any training patients drop out before completing 12 months of therapy. Trainees will take these patients into private practice but can also see their training patients in a placement if they prefer. Patients seen in placement will be supervised by both the placement supervisor and the bpf supervisor (first or second). Training patients referred by bpf Clinical Services will be supervised by a bpf approved training supervisor (first and second). Trainees will attend supervision groups either in person or online, and outside of scheduled teaching sessions. Supervision groups are no more than three trainees.

Supervisors are asked to submit six-monthly reports on trainees and sign off permission to write the final clinical paper, as an accurate account of the clinical work that has taken place. The supervisor provides the Training Committee with a written report in January and June of each year on the trainee’s progress, commenting on readiness to write the clinical paper and, at the point of qualification, on whether the trainee is able to work independently.

To be eligible for qualification, and before they can submit a Final Clinical Paper, trainees must complete 12 months of training therapy with a minimum of two training patients. Each patient must be seen weekly for 12 months (which can include normal holiday periods of one to two weeks and public holidays, but not extended breaks). Trainees should seek the advice of course staff if they are unsure of meeting the 12-month target with each patient.

Written Clinical Material

Trainees need to keep verbatim process notes for use in supervision and for discussion in clinical seminars. These notes must preserve the anonymity of the patient with the adoption of a pseudonym and disguised identifying details. Trainees must always work within good practice under GDPR. Written clinical material and reflective papers, where relevant, should be sent to the Training Manager.

The End of Term Report Form

This is submitted with a patient number to bpf Clinical Services in December, March, and July each year and constitutes a formal record of treatment, which may, under the law, be seen by the patient if they request to see written material held on them by the bpf.

The Low Fee Scheme Manager will send a reminder to complete these reports in time and should be informed when they have been submitted to the Clinic. For confidentiality reasons, the report itself should not be sent to the Training Manager.

Premature End of Therapy with Training Patients

If a training patient terminates therapy before the minimum required time (12 months), the trainee is required to write a termination report. This report provides an opportunity for the trainee to reflect on and discuss their understanding of the patient’s reasons for ending therapy early, considering both their insights into the patient and the dynamics of the therapeutic relationship.

The trainee must notify the Clinical Services Director and Low Fee Scheme Manager, with the PD Training Manager copied in, to confirm that the patient has discontinued therapy. Subject to approval from the Training Committee, the trainee may subsequently apply to Clinical Services for permission to take on a replacement training patient. The new patient will need to be seen for at least the same minimum treatment duration as originally required (12 months).

Final Clinical Paper Guidelines

Once trainees have met all course requirements and reached their final expected year of training — usually after their second training patient has completed 12 months of therapy — they may ask their supervisor for permission to write the clinical paper, focusing on one of their training cases. The supervisor will then either support the trainee’s progression or raise any concerns.

To this end, trainees can arrange a one-to-one paper-writing tutorial with an allocated Academic Paper Tutor (APT) after the supervisor has given permission for the trainee to draft their final paper and has checked this for accuracy. Both the Course Director and Training Manager will be informed when the trainee is ready to submit their final clinical paper.

The clinical paper should be a personal account, highlighting the trainee’s individual learning and professional development. The focus must be on the psychotherapeutic process with one training patient, illustrating how theoretical concepts are integrated with clinical experience.

Permission & Preparation

• Permission to write the clinical paper: During the last anticipated year of training, when the second patient has completed 12 months in therapy, the trainee should discuss with the Supervisor their readiness to seek permission from the Training Committee to write their clinical paper. The Training Committee will consider this on the basis of their knowledge of the trainee and other reports. Supervisors are asked at this stage to comment on the trainee’s readiness to qualify and practise independently once they have completed all elements of the training. The Training Manager will inform the trainee when permission has been granted.
• Appointment of academic tutor for the paper: The Training Committee will normally allocate a dedicated Academic Paper Tutor (APT) for the drafting of the final paper. All trainees are given one hour with their APT to consider their first draft. The trainee chooses which training patient to write about in discussion with the Supervisor. The case chosen should normally have ended, but should it be ongoing, this should be discussed with the tutor in light of how long it has been since the patient started.

Content & Structure

• Integration of Theory and Practice: The final clinical paper should clearly demonstrate how psychodynamic theory informs the trainee’s clinical work, using specific examples from their case material.
• Confidentiality and Ethics: Patient anonymity must be rigorously maintained by using pseudonyms and disguising identifying details. Trainees must adhere to all ethical guidelines, including those related to diversity and inclusivity, and ensure compliance with professional standards and GDPR requirements.
• Structure and Referencing: Trainees must follow the specified structural format and referencing style provided by the training guidelines. The paper should be well-organised, with clear sections that guide the reader through the trainee’s clinical reasoning and reflections.
• Word Count: The clinical paper should be 5,000 words, +/- 10%, excluding references.

Submission and Review Process

• The clinical paper should normally be submitted within 3–4 months of a trainee completing the clinical requirements of the course. In exceptional cases, extensions may be granted after discussion with the Supervisor and Course Director.
• The paper cannot be submitted until: (1) all theoretical and clinical requirements have been met in the treatment of both patients; (2) all six-month supervisor reports and clinical record forms are up to date; and (3) all previous assignments have been completed and graded. This should be verified in consultation with the Manager of the Low Fee Psychotherapy Scheme and PD Training Manager before submitting the paper.
• The trainee submits the paper to the Training Manager with a Final Paper Agreement form signed by the Supervisor of the case, as a fair representation of the work.
• The Training Manager sends an anonymised copy of the paper to two Markers.

Guidance for Readers and Markers

Guidance is also given to the reader/markers about the knowledge, skills and competencies that trainees are required to demonstrate in their final paper. Trainees may begin to draft their Final Clinical Paper toward the end of the 4th year of training; however, the earliest trainees can submit is 1st September 2026 (i.e. in Year 5). This is to give trainees the time that they need to go through the following process:

1. Get permission from their supervisor to draft the final paper.
2. Send the draft paper to the Academic Paper Tutor (APT) for review.
3. Book in for a one-hour review meeting with the APT.
4. Inform the supervisor that they are submitting and ask them to send a signed copy of the Supervisor Final Paper Agreement form to the Training Manager.
5. Submit the final paper.

There will be two further final paper submission dates in the 2026–27 training year — 12th February 2027 and 14th May 2027.

Checklist for the Final Paper

• At least one year of once-a-week, supervised work with both training patients (and all other clinical requirements) must be completed.
• All other assignments must have been completed and submitted.
• All supervisors’ six-monthly reports must be completed and submitted.
• The supervisor’s agreement that adequate progress has been made must be obtained before the final paper can be submitted. It is advisable not to write the paper until this agreement has been obtained.
• The paper must not be a case study but an account of the trainee’s development, drawing upon clinical material and utilising appropriate literature.
• It should be approximately 5,000 words (+/- 10%).
• General advice may be obtained from the supervisor and course tutor.
• The paper should be submitted to the PD Training Manager together with the completed clinical paper front sheet.

The training is based on the student’s ongoing capacity to be reflective about their personal and professional development. To this end, tutors will share and discuss all reports received from seminar leaders and supervisors during the training. The annual appraisal is an opportunity each year to consolidate and set any necessary learning goals. The Training Committee oversees this process carefully and encourages students to raise any difficulties at the earliest opportunity with their tutor.

Feedback Mechanisms

Effective feedback mechanisms are integral to maintaining the quality and integrity of the Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training, supporting both trainee development and continuous programme improvement. These processes ensure that all stakeholders — trainees, Training Committee members, and seminar leaders — contribute meaningfully to course delivery and enhancement.

Each module and seminar is subject to ongoing evaluation through structured feedback from trainees regarding the content, delivery, and effectiveness of teaching. Seminar Leaders actively solicit feedback at key intervals, using standardised forms and Trainee Rep meetings to identify areas for improvement. This process enables prompt adjustments to course delivery and supports responsive teaching practices.

Trainee progress is systematically reviewed through annual reviews, report submissions, tutorials, and participation at seminars. These formal checkpoints allow trainees to reflect on their learning journey, identify strengths and areas for further development, and set goals in collaboration with their supervisors and personal tutors. The annual review process is supported by required documentation and forms, ensuring a thorough and consistent approach to progress evaluation.

In addition to formal reviews, trainees are encouraged to provide feedback during workshops, seminars, and via year group Trainee Rep meetings, which are held once a term. These opportunities foster open communication and allow for immediate responses to concerns or suggestions, further enhancing the learning environment.

Training Directors conduct annual reviews of the programme, analysing feedback from trainees, staff and external examiners. These reviews focus on identifying opportunities for enhancement and ensuring that the course remains responsive to evolving educational standards and trainee needs.

All assignments must be submitted in accordance with the prescribed deadlines and formatting requirements set forth by the programme. Trainees are expected to consult their supervisors, paper tutors and course tutors for guidance on academic standards and submission protocols. Completed work should be submitted electronically to the Training Manager, ensuring that all relevant documentation is included.

The Training Committee oversees the process, ensuring compliance with institutional standards, while the Training Manager is responsible for confirming receipt and addressing any administrative queries. Late submissions or requests for extensions should be communicated promptly to both the Course Tutor and Training Manager for consideration by the Training Committee.