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How to become a psychotherapist in the UK

Illustration of a psychotherapy tutor teaching a diverse group of students

Working as a psychotherapist can be an exceptionally rewarding and flexible career, but the route to qualification can seem complicated at first. If you are thinking about taking this step, this guide brings the common UK training pathway together in one place, including the qualifications and experience you may need, how long training can take, and what to check before choosing a course.

Requirements vary between therapeutic approaches, courses and professional bodies, so think of this guide as a helpful starting point. Always check the current entry, clinical-practice and registration requirements for the particular training you are considering.

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The short answer

If you want to become a therapist in the UK, psychotherapy is one of several routes, and the steps below cover it in detail. Becoming a psychotherapist in the UK usually involves choosing a therapeutic approach, meeting the entry requirements for a recognised qualifying training, completing supervised clinical work, undertaking personal therapy and supervision, and registering with an appropriate professional body.

Depending on the route, psychotherapy training commonly takes four years or more part-time. For BPC-accredited psychodynamic and psychoanalytic trainings, the minimum is four years before qualification, and the complete route is often longer. Some applicants begin with a foundation or introductory course, particularly if they are changing career or need relevant experience before applying.

What qualifications do you need to become a psychotherapist in the UK?

There is no single entry route that applies to every psychotherapy training. Many postgraduate courses expect applicants to have a degree or professional qualification in a relevant subject, such as psychology, nursing, medicine, social work, education or counselling. Relevant experience in a helping, listening or clinical role is also commonly required.

However, a psychology degree is not always essential. Some training organisations consider applicants from other academic and professional backgrounds, while some routes begin with a foundation course or psychotherapeutic counselling training. The deciding factor is the published entry criteria of the course and the standards of the professional body connected to it.

BPF trainings are connected to relevant professional organisations including the British Psychoanalytic Council and the Association of Child Psychotherapists. Always check the standards relevant to your chosen modality and course.

How do you become a therapist in the UK?

In the UK, the word therapist is used for several different professions, including counsellors, psychotherapists, clinical psychologists and arts therapists. Therapist is not a protected title, so the route you take depends on the kind of therapy you want to practise and the professional body you want to register with.

Counselling and psychotherapy are the two most common routes. Counselling training is often shorter and registration is usually through a body such as the BACP. Psychotherapy training is generally longer and more in depth, and leads to registration with a body such as the BPC or UKCP. Clinical psychologists follow a different route, through a psychology degree and a doctorate in clinical psychology.

Whichever route you choose, the practical steps are similar: check the entry requirements, complete a recognised training that includes supervised clinical practice and personal therapy where required, and register with the appropriate professional body. The five steps below explain this in detail for psychotherapy, and our guide to counselling and psychotherapy courses explains how the two differ.

1. Research different types of psychotherapy

A good first step is to spend some time exploring which therapeutic approaches, philosophies and client groups feel most meaningful to you. These may include psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, Jungian, cognitive behavioural, existential, humanistic, integrative, systemic, couple, parent-infant, and child and adolescent psychotherapy.

Read introductory texts, attend open days and speak to training organisations. Starting therapy yourself in a modality you are considering can also provide valuable first-hand experience of the approach. Personal therapy is a formal requirement of many qualifying trainings, although the required frequency and duration vary.

BPF members have described their own routes into the profession in Why become a psychotherapist? Part I and Part II. If you are drawn to the psychodynamic approach, our psychodynamic psychotherapy FAQ explains how it works and how to train.

2. Complete a foundation course or gain relevant experience

A foundation or introductory course can give you a supportive way to explore psychotherapy theory, develop listening skills and decide whether professional training feels right for you. It may be particularly useful if you are changing career or do not yet have experience in mental health, social care, education or another helping profession.

Not every qualifying course requires the same foundation training, so check before enrolling. You may also need experience in a listening or helping role. Relevant experience could include supervised clinical work, mental-health or social-care employment, education, youth work, befriending, or volunteering for a support service.

The BPF Foundation Course in Psychotherapy and Counselling introduces psychoanalytic, psychodynamic and Jungian thinking. Its clinical module includes taught clinical seminars. Students who want to progress to clinical training are strongly encouraged to secure their own supervised placement; BPF can share information about organisations used by previous students and provide supporting confirmation of course attendance.

3. Apply for a recognised qualifying training

Qualifying psychotherapy training combines academic study with clinical development. Courses commonly include lectures and seminars, written assignments, skills development, clinical placements, supervised work with clients, personal therapy and regular supervision.

Before applying, confirm exactly which professional registration or membership the training leads towards. Check the course’s entry requirements, clinical-hour requirements, personal-therapy commitment, teaching format, fees and additional costs. A course being described as a “psychotherapy course” does not by itself guarantee that it leads to recognised professional registration.

You can view BPF’s current qualifying psychotherapy trainings and read our guide to the key considerations when choosing a psychotherapy training course.

4. Complete supervised clinical practice, therapy and supervision

Professional training is not only classroom-based. You will normally work with clients in an approved clinical setting while receiving regular supervision. You may also be required to undertake personal psychotherapy or analysis throughout some or all of your training.

The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) does not set a single total number of clinical hours. Instead, its training criteria set out the clinical work that trainees must complete. For psychodynamic psychotherapy, the BPC criteria require at least four years of training, at least two training cases treated in person under weekly supervision (each seen once or twice a week for a minimum of one year), and personal therapy of at least once a week throughout the training. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy trainings are more intensive, with training cases and personal therapy both at least three times a week.

5. Apply for professional registration and membership

Psychotherapist is not currently a statutorily regulated title in the UK. Nevertheless, recognised training and registration with an appropriate professional body are important indicators that a practitioner has met established standards of education, clinical competence and ethical practice. Employers and clients may expect or require this.

Your training organisation should explain the registration route associated with its course. Depending on the modality, this may involve organisations such as the BPC, UKCP, BACP or ACP. Some registration routes also involve joining a member organisation such as the British Psychotherapy Foundation. Learn more about BPF membership.

How BPC registration fits into the pathway

For people considering psychoanalytic or psychodynamic training, the British Psychoanalytic Council accredits training delivered through its Member Institutions, and the BPF is one of those institutions. BPC-accredited trainings combine academic teaching, clinical work and personal psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

After completing an accredited training, graduates who join the relevant Member Institution and join the BPC Register. Your course provider should confirm the exact registration route before you enrol.

How long does it take to become a psychotherapist?

Many qualifying psychotherapy trainings take around four years part-time minimum, but the complete route is often longer. The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) requires a minimum of four years of training before qualification, for both psychodynamic and psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

For psychodynamic psychotherapy, at least three of those years must include thirty weeks of teaching a year, with three hours of teaching each week, and trainees must complete at least 360 hours of academic teaching. Personal therapy starts before the academic seminars begin, at least six months before for psychodynamic psychotherapy and at least one year before for psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

For psychoanalytic psychotherapy, an entry requirement course does not count towards the four years. The complete route is therefore often longer than four years, because foundation study, personal therapy before the seminars begin and the time needed to complete clinical requirements all extend the overall pathway.

How much does psychotherapy training cost?

It is worth planning for the full cost of training, not only the advertised tuition fee. Depending on the course, additional costs can include personal therapy, clinical supervision, books, professional membership, insurance, travel and reduced working hours while training.

At the bpf, the Foundation Course in Psychotherapy and Counselling costs £5,375 for the year, and the Psychodynamic Psychotherapy training costs £7,727 a year for each of years 2 to 4, with a termly fee if training takes longer. Together, tuition for the Foundation Course and the clinical training comes to around £28,500, before personal therapy, additional supervision, membership and other costs. Course fees increase each year, so check the course pages for the current figures.

Personal therapy is not included in the course fees and is agreed directly with your therapist. Some supervision is included in the course fee, and further supervision later in training is paid separately, at an estimated £800 to £1,000 a year through approved bpf arrangements. Private arrangements vary in cost.

Funding varies considerably. Some providers offer instalment plans or bursaries, and some employers may support relevant professional development. In England, a Postgraduate Master’s Loan is available only for eligible standalone master’s courses and depends on the course, provider and applicant. Confirm eligibility with the provider and the relevant finance body rather than assuming that every professional training qualifies. At the bpf, students pay for training through self-funding, a private student loan or employer sponsorship.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a psychology degree?

Not always. Some postgraduate trainings expect a relevant degree or professional qualification, but other routes accept applicants from a wider range of backgrounds. Relevant helping experience, foundation study and the ability to reflect on personal development may also form part of the assessment.

Can I train part-time or online?

Many psychotherapy trainings are part-time. Introductory study may be available online, but qualifying training normally includes live teaching, supervised clinical work and other requirements that cannot be completed through self-directed distance learning alone. Check the delivery and attendance requirements of each course.

Is child psychotherapy a different route?

Yes. Training to work as a child and adolescent psychotherapist has distinct pre-clinical, experience, clinical-training and registration requirements. Review the Association of Child Psychotherapists’ training pathway and the specific training provider’s current entry requirements before planning this route.

What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy training?

The titles, training levels, clinical depth and registration routes can differ. Read our guide: Should you study a counselling or psychotherapy course?

Your next step

If you feel ready to take the next step, begin by comparing therapeutic approaches, checking the requirements of recognised professional bodies and speaking to training providers about your experience. You can also explore BPF psychotherapy training, including foundation study and qualifying courses in London, Newcastle and online where available. You can see every option on our psychotherapy training page.

Information checked: 9th October 2026, against published guidance from the BPC, the Association of Child Psychotherapists, UKCP, GOV.UK and current BPF course information. Checked by Matthew Aldridge. Requirements can change; confirm current details with the relevant course provider and professional body before applying.