Postgraduate Diploma in Evidence-Based Psychological Treatment

Teaching typically takes place on Wednesdays or Thursdays, and supervision and Clinical Skills on Fridays during term-time at the University of Reading, with the exception of the intensive four-day introductory module at the start of the programme. This timetabling allows students to plan their other commitments around the course.

Students choose up to 14 full-day workshops from the CWI programme to attend as part of their formal teaching requirements, and can optionally attend up to three more. The other teaching days will be practically-focused combining supervision and clinical skills sessions.

A sample of areas covered by the teaching programme includes:

• Fundamentals of CBT Theory
• Assessment skills
• Formulation skills
• Structuring sessions
• CBT and the therapeutic relationship
• Cognitive interventions in CBT
• Behavioural interventions in CBT
• The fundamentals of working with older people
• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Complex presentations
• Psychosis
• Bi-polar disorder
• Body dysmorphic disorder
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders
• Long term conditions
• Chronic fatigue
• Perfectionism
• Mindfulness

Supervision is held in pairs or small groups (max 5) on Friday mornings. This enables supportive working relationships to be formed and students to benefit from the experiences of their colleagues and maximise learning potential. All supervision is led by individuals with extensive clinical and supervisory experience who are accredited as therapists by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP).

Supervisors will assist student development through a number of active methods including case discussion, role-play, reflective practice and review of session recordings. We aim to provide an environment in which students can refine their skills through role-play and guidance in supervision while receiving valuable feedback on their ‘live’ practice. Over the course of the Postgraduate Diploma, students will develop advanced skills and knowledge of CBT in practice.

Sessions will focus on maximising students’ transfer of learning from teaching into practice. They will be tailored to the stage of therapy being conducted with supervised cases and the interventions discussed in the taught components of the programme.

Clinical knowledge assessments
The clinical knowledge assessments comprise one 90 minute exam and three short essays.

Clinical Modules
In addition to the clinical knowledge assessments, Diploma students also complete one clinical case report, two extended case reports and one case presentation during the programme. Three video recorded treatment sessions accompanying the case report and extended case reports are also required for summative assessment. All submitted recordings are rated using the Cognitive Therapy Scale – Revised (CTS-R) to support students in their implementation of CBT. Recorded sessions are also routinely used for monitoring clinical work and skills-development feedback during supervision sessions.

As part of the course, all students receive teaching on academic writing. Students are also invited to access further support in the form of individual academic tutorials, study skills advice sessions and by looking at previous exemplary coursework. If you have concerns or queries about the academic component of any of our courses, please contact Dr Katherine Simons, Deputy Director of Training (katherine.simons@reading.ac.uk) to discuss further.

Entrants to the Postgraduate Diploma programme are normally required to have:

an Honours degree in a discipline connected to mental health/clinical qualification in mental health

AND

a postgraduate-level qualification in mental health

AND

evidence of contact with client groups relevant to mental health.

Applicants without these qualifications but with extensive clinical experience in mental health will be considered on an individual basis.

The fees for 2022 are £11,000 which can be paid in 2 installments.

Our students come from a range of backgrounds and include clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, registered mental health nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, counsellors, other mental health workers and therapists trained in other modalities working in public or private healthcare settings.

The Postgraduate Diploma is accredited at Level 1 by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). For students with prior professional training in CBT it can be used to top-up their training and supervision requirements in order to apply for BABCP accreditation as a CBT therapist.

For those with no prior CBT training, the course allows significant progress towards the accreditation requirements. Course staff are experienced in assisting those students who decide they wish to work towards BABCP accreditation to plan how they will meet the remaining requirements. Typically students attend some additional workshops, engage in ongoing CBT practice with supervision from a BABCP accredited therapist and successfully complete one additional case report.