Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training for Adolescents with Depression (IPT-A)

It aims to equip students to become skilled and creative independent IPT-A practitioners in the context of service transformation and:

• To develop practical skills in delivering IPT-A for depression. 

• To develop practical competency in working collaboratively with parents and educational services as part of routine treatment of depression in young people

• To develop practice skills in conceptualizing and formulating from an interpersonal perspective and to develop a critical understanding of the parameters of such an approach

• To develop critical knowledge of the theoretical origins and research literature relating to IPT-A for depression.

Applicants must have:

• a professional mental health or psychological therapy qualification e.g. counsellor, psychologist etc., and be accredited with their professional body e.g. HCPC, BPS

• two years post qualification experience in conducting psychological therapy for young people with mental health problems

• a statement of support from a current supervisor on their practice of psychological therapy

• current employment to delivery psychological therapy within a service or private practice for young people with mental health difficulties (at least 0.6 WTE clinical time)

Applicants, who have completed two years full time training in delivering psychological therapies e.g. final year clinical psychology trainees, are also welcome to apply. Applicants with a range of training backgrounds are welcome e.g. clinical and counselling psychologists, counsellors, child psychotherapists, psychiatrists, nurse therapists, social workers, and GP’s. The course is not suitable for applicants who wish to acquire basic therapeutic skills.

The online platform Zoom will be used to deliver this training. Prior to booking on, please ensure you meet the system requirements so you're able to join this training. 

Before the training, please test your equipment is working by going to Zoom.us/test and follow the instructions.

All attendees are required to submit an application form. Completed applications should be sent toIPT@annafreud.org. no later than four weeks before the course start date. Once your application has been accepted by the course tutor, you will be prompted to book a place.

The course provides the first stage in working towards becoming an IPTUK Accredited IPT Practitioner. Following attendance on the course those wishing to become IPT practitioners are required to undertake supervision with an IPTUK accredited Supervisor. NHS Talking Therapies staff must arrange supervision that follows the IPT NHS Talking Therapies protocol and must confirm the supervision arrangement before attending the course. Supervision must be arranged directly with the supervisor and will involve an additional fee. Supervision can be provided face to face or remotely e.g. telephone, Skype. Trainees can be directed to qualified supervisors across the IPTUK network.

Accreditation to practitioner level requires four cases to be supervised, with recorded sessions reviewed. Each case runs for 12 sessions. We suggest leaving a one month gap between starting each case, picking up a new case when the formulation has been agreed on the previous one. Trainees will be required to submit digital recordings of therapy sessions as well as written and verbal reports.