So, you’ve got a degree in Psychology... What Next?

Written by Emma Fowler

We get a lot of students coming in to ask us just this. Unfortunately, we do not have capacity to offer work experience or training at the moment, but we are so aware of how challenging this field can be. Working in mental health can feel like such a catch-22, where you need experience to get experience, and it can be very hard to get your foot in the door. I thought I would outline some of the things we routinely talk about with people in this position, to help them get a leg up.

At this point, it’s worth checking your undergraduate degree gives you graduate basis for chartership with the BPS, if not it might be worth trying to look for an accredited master’s degree or conversion course as you might struggle without this. A lot of the information out there that I have seen is centred around the structure in England. As the NHS in Scotland has different services, the routes look different here. This is what the rest of this blog will focus on. I should also note, this is based on my experience of the profession and my knowledge at the time of writing. This is such a fast moving field, there may be other jobs popping up that I am not aware of!

Where to begin?

There isn't one single "right" route into this field, and there's rarely a straight line from graduation to your dream role. Most people we see end up taking a slightly different path such as a support role here, some volunteering there, a couple of years of paid clinical experience before postgraduate training even becomes realistic. That's normal, not a failure to plan properly, or a sign that you are not good enough to make it in the profession.

First of all, and this might seem like odd advice in a post about career routes, but it's something I feel very strongly about. While you are at university, have fun. Spend time with the people who matter to you. Get involved in clubs and societies, whether or not they have anything to do with psychology.

This isn't just about your wellbeing (though that matters a lot on its own). The things you pick being a part of a society such as working as a team, navigating group dynamics, taking on responsibility for something you care about, will serve you well whatever path you end up on. A lot of what makes someone a good therapist, relating to people, handling pressure, working within a team, resilience when things don't go to plan, gets built in exactly these kinds of spaces, not through sitting in lectures.

When you are taking your first steps, whether while you are still at university (while still having fun!) or soon after graduating, any role that involves working directly with people is worth doing, even if it has nothing to do with mental health on paper. Things like; working in an after-school club; nannying or babysitting; support work for people with additional support needs; retail or hospitality roles that involve a lot of client contact or pupil support assistant in schools.

These build the everyday relational skills; patience, communication, managing behaviour, adapting and relating to different people, that will underpin clinical work later on, you will be amazed by how much you learn though this. Once you've got some general people-facing experience under your belt, the next step is trying to find roles or volunteering that bring you into contact with people who are struggling with their mental health specifically. Helplines such as Childline, The Samaritans, Nightline, and shout are a brilliant place to start. You might also like to try and find a befriending service. These may be a few hours a week and you should be able to continue other work alongside them.

Try to find something local to you if you can. These organisations will train you thoroughly in risk management and how to hold difficult, sometimes distressing conversations safely, and that training and experience is invaluable going forward, whichever route you end up taking.

Initial Experience

Once you have some experience of working with people struggling with their mental health, you might feel ready to apply for paid roles such as

Mental health support work/peer supporter. These are paid, hands-on roles supporting people day to day, in the NHS, third sector, or private services. This might involve 1:1 or group work. Some of the most valuable early experience you can get, and a route in many clinicians started out on.

Assistant psychologist: often highly competitive, these role give exposure to assessment, therapeutic work, and often research while being supervised by more experienced clinicians usually within the NHS. A established path towards further training.

Psychological interventions assistant (PIA) (Education Mental Health Practitioner, Children's Wellbeing Practitioner, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, Low Intensity CBT therapist, etc. in England) therapist etc in England): this is a relatively new path, In Scotland the PIAT programme provides comprehensive training in evidence-based interventions to enable staff to deliver high-quality, brief, outcome focused, evidence-based psychological interventions. There are pathways for training to work with both adults and Children, young people and their families. They are usually fixed term contracts for 18 months. You will be an NHS band 4 while training, and band 5 once your training is complete. Training is given by NHS Education for Scotland (NES). You may be able to progress into psychological therapist tiles at band 6 after this.

Note: After completing a NES funded course, you will not be able to complete another NES funded course for 2 years from date of exit of the course

Professional training

Clinical Associate in Applied Psychology (CAAP), These are fixed term posts for 1 year. You will work in the NHS while also completing either the MSc in Psychological Therapies in Primary Care (MSc PTPC) which is jointly run by the University of Dundee and the University of Stirling or the MSc Applied Psychology (Healthcare for Children and Young People, MSc APCYP) run by the University of Edinburgh. You will be employed at a band 6 level. You'll receive training in delivering evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)/CBT informed interventions to people in primary care, and develop your knowledge of the prevalence, diagnostic criteria, presentation and treatment of common mental health disorders within a CBT framework.

CBT therapist/psychotherapist training- although not NHS funded unless you are currently employed and is signed off by your service, you may be able to get postgraduate loans to help you to complete further training. Look out for courses which are accredited by the relevant professional body (BABCP for CBT and BACP/UKCP for other courses). These might require you to evidence that you have the necessary Knowledge, skills and experience to begin the course, which is where prior experience mentioned above can be invaluable. If you are working outside of the NHS you may also need to find your own placement and supervisor.

Clinical psychology: this is the most well-established doctoral route, funded and NHS-employed once you're on it. Applications go through Clearing House, and competition is high. Successful applicants often have several years of paid clinical experience behind them before they're shortlisted. It's also very common to apply more than once before getting an interview let alone a place, so an unsuccessful first (or second) attempt isn't a sign you're on the wrong path, it's just how competitive this route is. For more information about this see the clearing house website. There are also Facebook groups and many trainees on social media who provide more information about this route.

Counselling psychology, in Scotland Glasgow Caledonian University runs a Doctoral-level training with a strong emphasis on the therapeutic relationship. A key part of the course involves completing your own personal therapy. This is self-funded and placements and supervisors may need to be found independently. Although this adds a level of complexity, it allows you to tailor your training to the path that you want to complete.

Health psychology, A related but distinct field, focused on physical health, behaviour change, and chronic illness rather than mental health specifically. If this interests you, it may be worth looking into level 1 training at Aberdeen or Stirling University then doctoral level (level 2) training is run by Glasgow Caledonian or Strathclyde

Mental health nursing, occupational therapy, and social work also offer meaningful careers working with people experiencing mental health difficulties and are well worth considering alongside routes into psychology mentioned above.

No matter the label, you will be able to have a meaningful career working in mental health, helping people who are struggling. Sometimes it can take time to get there but it’s worth it in the end, and rejection should not be taken as a reflection on you or your potential. Keep going!