Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist/Psychotherapist

Job summary An exciting opportunity has arisen for a professionally registered experienced Psychotherapist/Clinical Psychologist/Counselling Psychologist to join the Therapeutic community team delivering specialist treatment for adults with complex emotional difficulties.
We are keen to recruit an analytically trained clinician experienced in conducting therapeutic groups for people with severe and complex emotional needs.
Ideally, you will also have experience of working within, or lived experience of being a member of a therapeutic community and/or experience of using a trauma-focused therapy group model.
The Brenchley Unit is an established therapeutic community and an accredited member of the Community of Communities under the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
The service was Highly Commended in the National Positive Practice in Mental Health Awards 2018.
We are actively engaged in peer reviews of other TCs around the country.
We are active members of The Consortium of Therapeutic Communities TCTC and regularly present at conferences.
We continue to develop our practice,including MBT and Yoga for trauma in April adding to our program of verbal and non-verbal therapies including psychodrama, art psychotherapy, and occupational therapy.
Main duties of the job This role will involve advising on appropriate referrals, and offer supervision and case consultations.
You will offer assessment and out-patient psychodynamic psychotherapy groups, the initial treatment phase before service users join the TC.
You will offer small group psychotherapy in the TC and attend community meetings.
You will have opportunities to develop co - produced lecturing and training roles.
You will be committed to an analytic frame of ademocratic TC upholding ourrelational practice values and principles including co-production and inclusivity.
You will be capable of working with transference processes involved in working within this demanding environment.
You will also have the capacity to remain reflective and process the complex dynamics that can emerge in both team and community dynamics.
You will be confident with managing a caseload of clients with complex needs who may present with significant risk.
You will have the ability to organise and plan your workload so that priorities are attended to and quality standards are maintained.
You will also have acquired the necessary experience and skills to deputize for the clinical lead as required and to support her and the operational lead in the day-to-day running of the service.
About us You will be working within a multi-disciplinary service offering exciting opportunities for creative work.
The Trust has a second therapeutic community in Folkestone and there will be opportunities for both teams to come together to share learning experiences and work together on service will receive ongoing group clinical supervision and be part of a staff process group with the team as well as being offered professional support and development.
Maidstone is well situated for easy motorway access to the M25, M2 and M20.
Rail links connect the town with London and access to the continent via the Euro-Tunnel is only a short drive away.
There are excellent schools in the area and Kent has retained its grammar school system.
The Trust offers generous relocation packages to eligible staff who would need to move to take up this position Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust serves million people.
We are rated Good overall by the CQC.
We are proud to employ over 3,700 people from 66 nationalities and to serve an increasingly diverse range of communities across rural and urban areas.
Our strategy Our mission is what we set out to do every dayWe deliver brilliant care through brilliant people Our vision is where we want to be in the futureTo provide outstanding care and to work in partnership to deliver this in the right place, for every service user, every time.
Job description Job responsibilities Manage a caseload of approximately 16 patients in treatment.
Effectively manage the pathway into treatment so that group spaces are used optimally and patient waiting is minimised.
Undertake high-quality specialist psychological assessment Deliver MBT-informed/psychodynamic therapy groups in community services to adults with complex emotional difficulties To be an effective member of the Therapeutic Community MDT, deliver small psychotherapy groups, community meetings and other therapeutic groups Offer professional consultation regarding complex cases Build collaborative working relationships with colleagues in CMHT/MHT+ Assess and manage clinical risk Identify and respond to child and adult safeguarding concerns Offer group clinical supervision to colleagues in other services Please see job description for full details Person Specification Qualifications/training Essential Professionally qualified Clinical Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist or Psychotherapist to Masters level or higher Professionally registered with UK governing body (UKCP or BPS) Clinical supervisor's training/qualification for junior staff/trainees Desirable MBT training/qualification Clinical supervision training for supervision of Doctoral trainees on placement Experience Essential Experience of working in a range of mental health settings with a range of levels of need and full range of age groups Extensive experience in mental health psychotherapy Experience of minimum of 100 hours specialist clinical supervision in working with groups/personality disorder.
Significant clinical experience of therapeutic group work with adults with complex and severe personality disorder Experience of working as a qualified specialist psychotherapist/counselling psychologist/clinical psychologist for a minimum of four years.
Line management experience Desirable Experience of working in a therapeutic community Experience of service development using a co-production model Knowledge Essential Extensive knowledge of the therapeutic community model, principals and values Post graduate level knowledge of research design and methodology.
Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health.
Evidence of continuing professional development Desirable An awareness of NHS Plan, NSF and clinical governance priorities Skills Essential Ability to comprehend and communicate verbally and in writing highly complex and sensitive information in a manner appropriate to a range of settings and audiences, including complex highly emotive situations and those with significantly impaired communication capacities Advanced assessment, formulation and planning skills for highly complex adults Ability to plan, organise and flexibly manage own workload Ability to adapt to changing priorities Ability to support and contain the team to work with challenging dynamics and relationships Desirable Advanced key board skills