Job summary
- Main area
- Counselling, Talking Therapies
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- 12 months (FIXED TERM TRAINEE POST)
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 350-CC8046059
- Employer
- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Talking Therapies St Helens
- Town
- St Helens
- Salary
- £39,959 - £48,117 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 18/06/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 26/06/2026
Employer heading
Trainee High Intensity Therapist - Counsellor
Band 6
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Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnically diverse, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce. Furthermore we welcome applications from reservists and ex-armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.
Using AI to support your application
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a helpful tool when preparing your application, supporting you to organise and structure your application and present your experiences clearly. However, we want to hear about your experiences and achievements. Please ensure everything you submit is truthful, accurate, and reflects your own work and experience. Your authentic story is the best way to help us understand who you are and what you can bring to the role. If content appears to be copied or misrepresented, it may impact the outcome of your application. We encourage you to use AI responsibly as a support tool, not a substitute for your own voice.
For tips and guidance, please refer to our applicant guidance.
Your experiences matter, let them shine.
Applications that appear mostly or fully generated by AI, without clear personal examples linked to the person specification, may be rejected.
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Job overview
PLEASE NOTE THE ADVERT IS FOR COUNSELLING FOR DEPRESSION THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION (CFD) TRAINING PLACES. PLEASE ENUSRE THAT YOU HAVE THE RELEVENT ACCREDITABLE COUNSELLING QUALIFICATION LISTED IN THE PERSON SPEC FOR THIS ROLE PRIOR TO APPLYING.
We are excited to be expanding our workforce for counsellors here at Mersey Care in our Talking Therapies service.
We are seeking applications from qualified counsellors who wish to pursue additional modality training in the Talking Therapies compliant modalities.
You will be qualified to Diploma Level in Counselling with significant clinical experience of working with clients presenting with depression. In addition the successful candidate will hold accredited membership of BACP or an equivalent registering body. Above all, you will be an enthusiastic clinician, committed to driving the Talking Therapies provision within our communities, and taking pride in making a difference to peoples lives
You will hold a clinical caseload providing Talking Therapies compliant counselling at step 3 of the stepped care model for individuals assessed and diagnosed with depression that are deemed as meeting the criteria for counselling, whilst being supported to undertake training in Counselling for Depression.
We have positions available across all of our Talking Therapies localities which include St Helens, Halton, Liverpool and Knowsley and our clinical staff are to hold sessions both in person and remotely.
Main duties of the job
You will hold a clinical caseload providing Talking Therapies compliant counselling at step 3 of the stepped care model for individuals assessed and diagnosed with depression that are deemed as meeting the criteria for counselling, whilst being supported to undertake training in Counselling for Depression.
Working for our organisation
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We’re currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
As well as fully funded training and supervision, we offer our Talking Therapies team members weekly protected time for CPD as well as clinical supervision and support with caseload management. Our CPD is facilitated by Lead Clinicians and is made up of taught sessions, group discussions as well as self directed study and peer group discussions. You will benefit from being part of a clinical team made up of therapists with a variety of skills including CBT, EMDR, IPT, DIT CTfD and Counselling as well as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and Employment Advisors.
We have opportunities available across our Talking Therapies Services covering St Helens, Halton, Knowsley and Liverpool.
Please see Job Description for further details of responsibilities and person specification for this role.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care
- Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health / benefits & employment systems
- Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
- Knowledge of child protection issues and other relevant legislation
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- For trainee counselling for depression roles: A recognised and recorded/registered qualification at graduate/diploma level in counselling.
- For trainee CBT therapist roles: A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or within a psychological therapy.
- Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP. 2 years post qualified experience for Psychological Well-being Practitioners
- For other training roles (e.g., DiT, IPT, EMDR etc.): Relevant graduate/diploma qualifications that meet the specific high intensity course/training requirements.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Able to travel to attend training course and clinical venues
- Able to demonstrate ability to complete the academic element of the training
- Able to integrate training into practice
- Computer Literate
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively both orally and written, sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professionals both within and outside of the NHS.
- Has received training (either formal or through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice
- Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients
- High level of enthusiasm and motivation
- Advanced communication skills
- Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships.
- Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality
- Ability to be self reflective, whilst working with service users, & in own personal and professional development and in supervision
- The ability and skills to act as an advocate for a new service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system
Desirable criteria
- Accredited with a professional psychological therapy organisation
- Completed clinical audits within a service.
- Ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation.
- Fluent in languages other than English
Values
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable experience of working in mental health services
- Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets.
- Ability to manage own caseload and time.
- Demonstrates high standards in written communication.
- Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers.
- Experience with routine outcome monitoring
- Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discreet
- Change oriented
Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable experience of working in mental health services
- Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
- Ability to manage own caseload and time.
- Demonstrates high standards in written communication.
- Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers.
- Experience with routine outcome monitoring
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression
- Experience of working in Primary Care mental health Services
- Worked in a service where agreed targets are in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
- Relevant experience in Primary Care treating anxiety and depression
- Clinical experience within NHS Talking Therapies
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Julie Smith
- Job title
- Operational Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07787 687815
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