Job summary
Teesside Mind are seeking applications for a Trainee (CFD) Counsellor. The Postholder will provide a range of
evidence-based psychological interventions within the framework of the
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Programme as part of Impacts
Primary Care Psychological Wellbeing Therapies (PWT) Service across the Tees
area. They will contribute to patient assessment and treatment within the Core
IAPT and Counselling & Wellbeing pathways of the service.
This position may require flexible hours between 8am until 8pm weekdays.Successful candidates will be expected to attend York St John University for Counsellor training on either Cohort 1 on 27th and 29th October and 6th and 7th November 2025 (Deadline for receiving applications 10 October 2025) or they will be expected to attend on Cohort 2 on9th and 11th and 19th & 20th March 2026 (Deadline for receiving applications 20 February 2025).
The successful applicant will be employed by Teesside Mind and will be working within the Impact on Teesside service, which is a partnership between Alliance Psychological Services and Teesside Mind.
Main duties of the job
Closing date for applications: 1 October 2025
Interview dates: 8 October 2025 in person
You must be able to attend the interview in person, please do not ask for a Teams interview.
Please note that due to the nature of the duties of these roles, an enhanced criminal records disclosure will be sought in the event of a successful application.
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About us
Impact on Teesside has a responsibility for safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults within our service, we must follow safer recruitment processes for all appointments. All staff must understand their individual responsibility and commit to promote and safeguard the welfare of our clients. An enhanced criminal records disclosure is a requirement of these roles.
At Teesside Mind our staff are at the core of all we do. To offer the best possible services we need the best possible people within our team. We offer varied and rewarding roles with substantial development opportunities. We hope that we offer a sense of community and belonging to something meaningful. Mind offers up to 40 days annual leave pro rata commencing at 34 days (Inc BH) and rising 1 day every year of service (up to a maximum of 40 days inc BH). We offer up to 2 paid days per year to volunteer with other organisations, Spectrum Health, and shopping discounts. We offer lots of health and well-being initiatives for our staff and promote flexible working for a positive work-life balance. We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in our employment practice and service delivery. We have a commitment to equality and diversity.
We are signatories to the Mindful Employers Charter and have Investors in People status and is a Living Wage employer.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
To work as a member of the Impact PWT Service Team
- To create and maintain effective working relationships within the PWT Team and elsewhere
- To offer advice and support to other members of the wider Primary Care Team, including GPs and other Health Professionals, on mental health issues, and in relation to appropriate referral pathways for patients with mental health needs
- To liaise effectively with Secondary Care and voluntary sector organisations and services
- To attend meetings and provide reports as required
- To assist in the development and promotion of the service
To provide a range of therapeutic interventions
- To provide assessment, including risk assessment, of clients referred for psychological therapy within the Primary Care setting
- To select and deliver a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions, including IAPT-appropriate modalities, in collaboration with the client
- To work within an appropriate time framework,
- To make appropriate onward referrals following assessment for clients requiring other services, including statutory and voluntary agencies
- To maintain clients confidentiality within agreed guidelines
To undertake the required training programme
- To attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post. NB: Satisfactory completion of the training programme is a condition of continued employment.
- To apply learning from the training programme in practice
- To attend university-based supervision in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
- To work with an appropriate range and number of cases selected with the support of their Clinical Supervisor as suitable for the current stage of clinical skills development.
Safeguarding
- Responsible for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults by promoting the welfare of service users at all times and operating within local policies and procedures.
- Under guidance and support taking appropriate safeguarding action to protect children and vulnerable adults at risk of significant harm.
- Under guidance and supervision to identify and support families in accessing Early Help Services
- To share appropriate information with other agencies regarding the service users wellbeing and progress keeping within the boundaries of Confidentiality and Information sharing protocols.
To provide a professional and ethical service
- To maintain appropriate records including all required assessment and evaluation tools
- To undertake relevant Continuing Professional Development activities both as required for the purposes of continued professional accreditation or registration and as identified through Impacts Professional Development and Appraisal System
- To undertake an appropriate amount of clinical supervision from a qualified Clinical Supervisor within Impacts Supervision Programme
- To operate within agreed NHS, Impact and professional guidelines and Codes of Practice
- To ensure a safe and secure working environment for self and others and to take action as necessary within Health and Safety and other guidelines
- To adhere to all service Policies, Procedures and Guidelines
- To promote and value the rights, responsibilities and diversity of people using the Service
This job description is designed to identify principal responsibilities only. The post holder is required to be flexible in developing the role in accordance with changes in Impacts organisational objectives and priorities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
To work as a member of the Impact PWT Service Team
- To create and maintain effective working relationships within the PWT Team and elsewhere
- To offer advice and support to other members of the wider Primary Care Team, including GPs and other Health Professionals, on mental health issues, and in relation to appropriate referral pathways for patients with mental health needs
- To liaise effectively with Secondary Care and voluntary sector organisations and services
- To attend meetings and provide reports as required
- To assist in the development and promotion of the service
To provide a range of therapeutic interventions
- To provide assessment, including risk assessment, of clients referred for psychological therapy within the Primary Care setting
- To select and deliver a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions, including IAPT-appropriate modalities, in collaboration with the client
- To work within an appropriate time framework,
- To make appropriate onward referrals following assessment for clients requiring other services, including statutory and voluntary agencies
- To maintain clients confidentiality within agreed guidelines
To undertake the required training programme
- To attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post. NB: Satisfactory completion of the training programme is a condition of continued employment.
- To apply learning from the training programme in practice
- To attend university-based supervision in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
- To work with an appropriate range and number of cases selected with the support of their Clinical Supervisor as suitable for the current stage of clinical skills development.
Safeguarding
- Responsible for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults by promoting the welfare of service users at all times and operating within local policies and procedures.
- Under guidance and support taking appropriate safeguarding action to protect children and vulnerable adults at risk of significant harm.
- Under guidance and supervision to identify and support families in accessing Early Help Services
- To share appropriate information with other agencies regarding the service users wellbeing and progress keeping within the boundaries of Confidentiality and Information sharing protocols.
To provide a professional and ethical service
- To maintain appropriate records including all required assessment and evaluation tools
- To undertake relevant Continuing Professional Development activities both as required for the purposes of continued professional accreditation or registration and as identified through Impacts Professional Development and Appraisal System
- To undertake an appropriate amount of clinical supervision from a qualified Clinical Supervisor within Impacts Supervision Programme
- To operate within agreed NHS, Impact and professional guidelines and Codes of Practice
- To ensure a safe and secure working environment for self and others and to take action as necessary within Health and Safety and other guidelines
- To adhere to all service Policies, Procedures and Guidelines
- To promote and value the rights, responsibilities and diversity of people using the Service
This job description is designed to identify principal responsibilities only. The post holder is required to be flexible in developing the role in accordance with changes in Impacts organisational objectives and priorities.
Person Specification
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Skills in assessment, formulation and treatment of a range of psychological presentations
- Skills in developing and implementing focused, time limited treatment plans.
- Computer literate
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- surrounding clinical risk
- Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients
- Good understanding of issues
Desirable
- Trained and experienced in groupwork.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a mental healthcare setting
- Ongoing clinical supervision of therapeutic work.
- Up to date knowledge of therapeutic approach to be practised.
- Awareness of a range of therapeutic approaches.
- Ability to meet agreed or specified service targets
- Experience of working in a mental healthcare setting
- Ongoing clinical supervision of therapeutic work.
- Up to date knowledge of therapeutic approach to be practised.
- Awareness of a range of therapeutic approaches.
- Ability to meet agreed or 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
- Demonstrates an understanding of a range of mild moderate mental health problems including: anxiety and depression and the impact of childhood abuse and neglect 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 and employment systems
- Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Desirable
- Experience of working in Primary Care Services
- Experience in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
Qualifications
Essential
- 2 Years Post Qualified Diploma or higher award in counselling or counselling psychology or recognised training / qualification in a major psychological therapy approach
- Membership of or registration with an appropriate professional body
- Evidence using the career framework of training in mental health and experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression
- Good record of Continuing Professional Development and willingness to continue this
Desirable
- Accreditation/registration with BACP, BABCP, UKCP, BPS or other recognised professional organisation
Personal Qualities
Essential
- High level of 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 and 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 of the service with the wider health care system
- Act in ways that support equality and promotes diversity
Desirable
- Access to transport to travel to locations throughout the organisation with appropriate business insurance
- Fluent in languages other than English
Person Specification
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Skills in assessment, formulation and treatment of a range of psychological presentations
- Skills in developing and implementing focused, time limited treatment plans.
- Computer literate
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- surrounding clinical risk
- Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients
- Good understanding of issues
Desirable
- Trained and experienced in groupwork.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a mental healthcare setting
- Ongoing clinical supervision of therapeutic work.
- Up to date knowledge of therapeutic approach to be practised.
- Awareness of a range of therapeutic approaches.
- Ability to meet agreed or specified service targets
- Experience of working in a mental healthcare setting
- Ongoing clinical supervision of therapeutic work.
- Up to date knowledge of therapeutic approach to be practised.
- Awareness of a range of therapeutic approaches.
- Ability to meet agreed or 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
- Demonstrates an understanding of a range of mild moderate mental health problems including: anxiety and depression and the impact of childhood abuse and neglect 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 and employment systems
- Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Desirable
- Experience of working in Primary Care Services
- Experience in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
Qualifications
Essential
- 2 Years Post Qualified Diploma or higher award in counselling or counselling psychology or recognised training / qualification in a major psychological therapy approach
- Membership of or registration with an appropriate professional body
- Evidence using the career framework of training in mental health and experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression
- Good record of Continuing Professional Development and willingness to continue this
Desirable
- Accreditation/registration with BACP, BABCP, UKCP, BPS or other recognised professional organisation
Personal Qualities
Essential
- High level of 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 and 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 of the service with the wider health care system
- Act in ways that support equality and promotes diversity
Desirable
- Access to transport to travel to locations throughout the organisation with appropriate business insurance
- Fluent in languages other than English
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
