Psychological professions

If you want to help people with mental health problems, a career in the psychological professions could be for you.

Psychological wellbeing practitioners

Psychological wellbeing practitioners (PWPs) are trained to assess and support people with common mental health problems – mostly anxiety disorders and depression – in the self-management of their recovery.

As a PWP you will:

carry out patient-centred interviews

identify areas where the person wishes to change how they feel, think or behave

carry out risk assessments

provide a range of evidence-based psychological interventions including guided self-help based on cognitive behavioural therapy, online psychological treatment programmes and psycho-educational groups and workshops

liaise with other agencies and provide information about services such as employment and housing to patients.

High intensity therapists

High intensity therapists equip people with the tools and techniques they need to overcome complex problems related to anxiety and depression.

As a high intensity therapist in NHS Talking Therapies, you will work with adults from a variety of backgrounds.

You’ll usually work with them on an individual face-to-face basis or through therapeutic groups. You will work with service users with depression and anxiety disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A large part of your role will be to assess a service user’s suitability for evidence-based psychological interventions, formulating and implementing treatment and evaluating progress.

Forensic psychologists

Forensic psychologists apply psychological theory to criminal investigation to help understand psychological problems associated with criminal behaviour, and the treatment of those who have committed offences.

Most of your work will be done in association with the police, probation services, prisons, young offender institutions, or secure mental health hospitals.

Your work may include:

implementing treatment programmes

reducing stress for staff and offenders in secure settings

providing research evidence to support psychological practice with offenders

carrying statistical analysis for prisoner profiling

giving expert evidence in court

advising parole boards and mental health tribunals

crime analysis.

Counsellors

Counsellors work with clients experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties to help them bring about effective change and/or enhance their wellbeing.

Clients could have issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, loss and relationship difficulties that are affecting their ability to manage life.

You could work in a wide range of contexts and at different levels. Within the NHS, experienced counsellors with specific accreditations carry out training to deliver forms of counselling and psychotherapy recommended for depression such as counselling, interpersonal psychotherapy or dynamic interpersonal therapy.

Others who work in NHS-funded services may:

provide help, care and support to patients with cancer and their families

work with individuals who have drug or alcohol-related problems

help individuals understand and deal with genetic disorders

provide counselling and support for families with an unplanned pregnancy.