Becoming a Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy Supervisor

Experienced Dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) practitioners have a unique opportunity with Anna Freud to enhance their professional development by becoming a qualified DIT supervisor.

Applications now open

Applications are open for 2026/27. Please review the information below or contact DIT@annafreud.org for more details.

What is DIT Supervisor training at Anna Freud?

This training equips practitioners with the knowledge and skills to supervise both Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) trainees and qualified clinicians. It combines specialist teaching with individual and group supervision.

On completion, you’ll gain a recognised supervisor qualification from Anna Freud, join a professional network of supervisors, and have access to ongoing CPD events. We recommend allowing at least a year after qualifying as a DIT practitioner before applying.

Eligibility

Applicants must have at least one year’s experience providing general supervision in high intensity NHS Talking Therapies work (or equivalent for those not working in an NHS primary care setting) that demonstrates their ability to apply generic and specific supervision competencies.

Please refer to the UCL website for more information.

Fees

The course costs £4,650. This includes supervision on two extra cases with assessed recordings, consultations of supervision, and up to three CPD supervision workshops.

Applicants from NHS Talking Therapies services may qualify for a fully funded place on this training. Applicants should contact their service lead or DIT@annafreud.org to find out whether their service has been allocated any funded places by the NHS.

If you wish to self-fund this training, please contact us to discuss this option.

How to apply

Applicants are asked to download and complete the DIT Supervisor Training Programme application form. Once their section is filled in, the form should be forwarded to their DIT supervisor to complete the next part. The supervisor will then pass it to the applicant’s line manager, who completes the final section and returns the form to DIT@annafreud.org, copying in the applicant.

Next steps

Applicants from NHS Talking Therapies services may be eligible for a fully funded place on this training. To confirm whether their service has been allocated funded places by the NHS, applicants should contact their service lead or email DIT@annafreud.org.

Those wishing to self-fund should also contact DIT@annafreud.org to discuss this option. Self-funding applicants will need to secure a supervisor to oversee their training requirements. Where possible, we recommend that supervisors-in-training work with a new supervisor at this stage.

A list of accredited DIT supervisors is available on our website. Where there has been a change in supervisor, we recommend a handover takes place to share feedback and identify focal areas for further training. If disagreements arise regarding supervision decisions about a supervisor-in-training’s progress, a consultation procedure is available at any stage of the accreditation process

Supervisors-in-training are required to record and complete two DIT cases under supervision to demonstrate a secure working knowledge of the model. You will need to record these cases and two recordings from each case will be submitted to an accredited supervisor to rate. We recommend that at least one of these recordings is an IPAF session. Both clinical cases need to pass, not just in terms of familiarity with the model but also in terms of demonstrating ability to work independently as a DIT practitioner. Any major difficulties in working with the model at this stage would usually suggest that more input is required before completing the supervisor stage of training. This could be a further period of supervised practice, additional reading, more training and so on.
After passing two cases, supervisors-in-training will receive six one-hour sessions focused on their supervision of trainee DIT practitioners. By this stage, supervisors-in-training are expected to have secured at least two supervisees of their own. Preferably, one of the supervisions is of a small group and the other an individual. At the end of this process, the supervisor who oversaw the supervisor-in-training’s work is required to write to Anna Freud (DIT@annafreud.org) to advise that all supervisory requirements are complete.
Those who wish to go on to becoming a DIT trainer should discuss this with their supervisor to get their recommendation. Qualified supervisors then register their interest with Anna Freud. There are limited places for shadowing DIT trainings and supervisors are expected to make themselves available to shadow four teaching days from the 5-Day DIT Training course.
Supervisor training deadlines:
- Starting clinical work (the two further cases) - within six months of your application being approved/funding confirmed.
- Completing clinical work (two further cases) - within two years of starting the 1st case. If there are extenuating circumstances, you can apply for one 1-year extension (maximum of three years if extension is granted).
- Completing the necessary supervision of trainees with consultation - within two years of completing the clinical work.
Not adhering to these deadlines means that your training funds will be lost and you will need to fund your training again if you would like to complete it.
You are required to maintain your DIT Practitioner status by seeing at least one patient a year. This should include one hour of DIT supervision for every 12 hours of DIT therapy work for the first year of work as a DIT Practitioner and using peer supervision beyond the first year.
You are also required to attend a minimum of one CPD day a year during the Supervisor training and beyond.