UKCP is creating a new strategy to define and steer our work for the next three years. We want to create a strategy that captures a collective vision for UKCP and are currently engaging with members on key areas of UKCP’s work as well as topical issues likely to impact the profession.

We asked writer, broadcaster and speaker, David Baker, who has written and spoken about artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of work, to explore the relationship between psychotherapy and AI. He sought views from across the profession and looked at the implications of this rapidly emerging technology.

How can you build a psychotherapeutic career working with dreams?
In this episode, Emily Bridges, our head of content and engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Dave Billington.
When it came to pursuing a career in psychotherapy, Dave explored his long-standing interest in dreams, pursuing training that allowed him to explore this psychotherapeutic way of working. 
His experience, interest and career led Dave into private practice and to take on the role of director of the DRI Centre for Dream Studies, which supports research into the uses and applications of psychospiritual dreamwork for holistic well-being. 
He now also runs ‘The Dream Boat’ podcast series, alongside his colleague Laura Payne. It brings together experts and the public to delve into the world of dreams. 
‘There’s something that comes through from just being with the imagery that’s there, and feeling the feelings the dream is bringing, that connects us to our deepest unconscious.’ 
If you’re interested in learning more about a career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
You can also find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

How can organisations work more therapeutically? 
In this episode Helen Willingham, our head of content and engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Hendrix Hammond. Motivated by his passion to work with people led Hendrix to pursue a career in psychotherapy. 
Alongside his clinical work as a family and systemic psychotherapist, Hendrix began consulting with organisations, and their staff, on diversity and engaging marginalised individuals. This work drew him to start his doctorate in organisational consultancy. 
Helen speaks to Hendrix to find out about his work supporting organisations to create a more culturally informed environment.  
‘I started running these workshops on anti-racist approaches in work contexts, thinking about the challenges of having a diverse workforce, what gets in the way of certain conversations and just thinking about feelings and anxieties that people hold in relationship to talking about the subject matter.’ 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website.  

In this episode, Helen Willingham, head of content and engagement, talks to UKCP member Melinda Powell.
Melinda reflects on what drew her to the profession and dream work, and what led her to transition into the non-clinical aspect of psychotherapeutic work. 
‘If you’re making that change from clinical to non-clinical, make haste slowly. There’s no rush, take your time. What I did do is phase out over time, working with fewer and fewer clients and less involved directly with the clinical aspect of supervision. So, it was again a devolution in that sense, a process over time.’
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website.  

You don’t have to sacrifice your personal joy and self-care to succeed in the long term. 
In this episode, Helen Willingham, head of content and engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Luq Adejumo. Luq shares how he balanced training and full-time work while pursuing a career in psychotherapy that would allow him more autonomy. 
Luq reflects on his training and how he went about setting up his own private practice. 
‘If you’re in private practice you’re running your own mini business, and that’s one thing I had to get my head around quite quickly, even though I had been an operations director in a large business.’ 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website.  

Evolving as a psychotherapist may mean changing how you practice and finding where your passion lies. 
In this episode, Helen Willingham, head of content and engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Lou Lebentz. 
Lou reflects on what drew her from fashion and radio into psychotherapy, and her more recent desire to pursue public speaking, writing, programme creation and training in trauma-informed psychotherapy.
‘What we do as a profession needs to get out there and be heard by more people.’
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website.  

How can a psychotherapist overcome the hurdles in establishing their client base in a new location? 
In this episode, Helen Willingham, Head of Content and Engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Alessio Rizzo.
Alessio looks at his entrance into the therapy profession and how he brought in his background in education to inform and shape his psychotherapeutic work. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.

How can a psychotherapist navigate the financial constraints of training?
In this episode, Helen Willingham, Head of Content and Engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Josephine Discepolo Ahmadi. Navigating the logistics of training and working, with her disability, Josephine looks back at how she began her psychotherapeutic career. 
Stay tuned to find out about Josephine’s transition from an artistic career into psychotherapeutic practice and the range of roles she has held. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website.  

Why should therapists represent the communities they serve?
In this episode, Helen Willingham, UKCP’s Head of Content and Engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Eugene Ellis. He looks back at why he entered training and what promoted his to set up the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network. An organisation which aims to encourage people of African, South Asian and Caribbean heritages to proactively engage with psychological support, and encourage more diversity in the therapy profession to tackle underrepresentation.
Stay tuned to find out about Eugene’s leadership role working to support diversity in the therapeutic profession.
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website.  

Welcome to this special edition UKCP podcast with UKCP chair Azmat and UKCP member John Paul Davis, who are discussing the upcoming General Meeting. Azmat will discuss the proposals from the Board, provide some rationale and context around the General Meeting and voting. 

We hope that this podcast provides more information about the General Meeting, the rationale and the resolutions. And now to introduce themselves, John-Paul Davis and Azmat.

What are UKCP’s proposed strategic proprieties for the coming years?
In this podcast, UKCP Chair Syed Azmatullah speaks to members about the draft plans for UKCP’s future priorities. 

How can psychotherapists support organisations to reduce bias and promote a more diverse environment? 
Aileen began her career as a psychiatric and general nurse, moving into senior management within a psychotherapeutic resident community. Her mental health work led her to train as a counsellor. Her desire to continue learning more led her to psychotherapy and later a doctorate. 
Now working as a psychotherapist and supervisor, Aileen also offers consultancy to organisations and educational institutions wanting to address difficult and sensitive issues relating to race and cultural diversity in the workplace. 
  
In this podcast, Aileen sits down with Helen to talk about her psychotherapeutic career working with culture, generational trauma and black identity. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website.  

When someone is struggling with disordered eating, it affects both the individual and their family. 
In this episode, UKCP psychotherapist and eating disorder specialist Gladys Ellis talks with Martha Williams, the senior clinical advice coordinator for Beat, the UK's leading eating disorder charity. 
Gladys and Martha discuss Beat's efforts to break down stereotypes of eating disorders in society and the media. They also highlight the importance of working in multi-disciplinary teams to support the physical and psychological wellbeing of individuals with an eating disorder. 
According to Gladys, ‘weight is not a prerequisite to get support,’ especially for young people.
If you’re interested in learning more about a career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
You can also find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 
You can find support by contacting:
In an emergency, call: 999
NHS (England), call: 111
NHS Direct (Wales), call: 0845 46 47
The Samaritans 24-hour helpline, call: 116 123
Anorexia and Bulimia Care helpline: 03000 11 12 13
Beat Eating disorder: 0808 801 0711 (open between 3-8pm each day) 

Why is it important for a therapist to have a diverse workload? 
Prior to training as a psychotherapist, Lorna worked in video games, technology and television for 20 years. 
Now working as a psychotherapist and trauma-informed yoga teacher, Lorna seeks to integrate psychotherapy, the body, breathing and movement to help people experiencing trauma, anxiety, and depression.
In this podcast, Lorna sits down with Helen to talk about her psychotherapeutic career seeking to integrate body and mind. Listen and find out about how she works to diversify her work and income. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website.  

In this podcast, Helen talks to UKCP psychotherapist Martin Weaver about his work during the 80s AIDS epidemic and the London Bombings, providing psychological support for those in times of extreme crisis. 
Martin looks back at his journey through the NHS as a HIV Prevention Co-ordinator, where he began the initial stage of training in psychotherapy. He reveals how he navigated the cost and logistics of training in the 1990’s and went on to open his private practice. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

Why is it important for psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors to reflect the communities they serve?
Sharing what you hold deeply can be very difficult. So, having psychological support from someone who represents aspects of who you are can make healing much easier. 
‘I think if we come across as a profession that includes the full range of diversity that we see within the population, we are going to be far more able to welcome people and hold them in a therapeutic relationship and really hear the depth of what their bringing. I think that’s really important for the therapeutic relationship.’ 
In this episode, Helen talks to UKCP psychotherapist Syed Azmatullah, also known as Azmat, about his experience in equality and diversity and how he is working with colleagues to create change. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

How can community-based psychotherapeutic work help people affected by trauma?
Anyone can experience trauma. Sexual violence can trigger intense responses that we might recognise as trauma or post-traumatic stress. UKCP psychotherapist Erene Hadjiioannou utilises her specialist skill set to help people of any gender overcome the trauma they may have experienced. 
‘In terms of community-based work, I feel we have a social responsibility as therapists to not only work with people who have been able to navigate the mental health system to access what we offer, but to actually say ‘how about I use my power, my resources, my skills and expertise to step out of the room, into communities to invite people in to what I have to offer?’'
In this episode, we speak to UKCP psychotherapist Erene Hadjiioannou about her work with survivors and what drew her to utilising her psychotherapeutic expertise within the community. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

How can you balance voluntary work with private practice? 
Working to enact change on prescribed drug dependence, UKCP psychotherapist Anne Guy shares her time between sitting on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence and on an NHS advisory group.
In this episode, Anne talks about the balance between her voluntary work and private practice, and offers advice to those seeking to influence change. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

How can residential therapeutic communities benefit children and young people?

A therapeutic community provides a safe environment for children and young people who  possibly had a very difficult start in life. The care they receive allows them to address their complex emotional, psychological, and behavioural needs.
In this episode, UKCP psychotherapeutic counsellor Gary Yexley unpacks what drew him to working psychotherapeutically in this setting and offers advice to those looking to train and work in residential therapeutic communities. 
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
If you have decided that a job in psychotherapy is for you, then you can find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

Welcome to the My psychotherapy career podcast series.

What challenges and rewards does group work present for those involved?

In this episode Tim Foskett unpacks his career and reveals what inspired him to begin training and working with groups. He also offers advice to those looking to do the same.

🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.

Welcome to the My psychotherapy career podcast series.

How can you balance your private practice and working for an organisation?

After setting up a psychotherapy practice in the School of Life, UKCP psychotherapist Charlotte Fox Weber went on to recruit and manage psychotherapists working in the organisation, whilst continuing to run her private practice.

In this episode Charlotte talks about what drew her to the psychotherapeutic profession and how she balanced her clinical work with setting up and running a psychotherapy service within an organisation.

🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.

Welcome to the My psychotherapy career podcast series.

How can you establish a career in the NHS?

In this episode, we speak to UKCP psychotherapist Jackie Fosbury to find out what drew her to psychotherapy and working in NHS diabetes care.

She offers advice to those exploring training and looking to start their career within an NHS service.

🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.

Welcome to the My psychotherapy career podcast series.

Leaving behind a career as a lawyer, UKCP psychotherapist John-Paul Davies found a new passion when he began training as a psychotherapist.

Find out about how his private practice and how it allowed him to have more control over his work and life in this episode.

🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.

How can you find work opportunities and follow your passion?  
In this episode, Emily Bridges, our head of content and engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Gladys Ellis. 
Working in the NHS as a mental health nurse, Gladys decided to pursue psychotherapeutic training to support young people and their families. After qualifying, she worked in an NHS CAHMS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) team, where she noticed an increase in the number of young people entering for disordered eating. This sparked her interest to learn more and specialise. Now with over 21 years of experience, she shares her learnings. 
‘One needs a lot of different skills and ability to support people. I would encourage people to work in generic roles before they specialise and definitely to be really aware that going into private practice when one is newly quailed can be really risky, both for themselves as clinicians, but also for the population you’d be working with.’ 
If you’re interested in learning more about a career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
You can also find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

Welcome to the My psychotherapy career podcast series.

Transitioning from NHS primary care to private practice, UKCP psychotherapist Dr Christian Buckland takes us through his career, offering advice to those seeking to enter the psychotherapeutic field.

🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.

Welcome to the My psychotherapy career podcast series.

UKCP psychotherapy Judy Beckett reflects on her transition from the third sector to the NHS, and the roles she has held whilst working psychotherapeutically within this setting.

🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.

When we begin to experience issues with getting rest how do we know when it is time to reach out for psychological support? 

In this episode, our CEO Sarah Niblock talks to UKCP psychotherapist Heather Darwall-Smith to find out how prevalent sleep issues are and how psychotherapy can help us find relief. 

Our sense of happiness can be influenced but so many things, leaving us to question what really brings us joy.

In this episode we speak to UKCP psychotherapist Martin Weaver to find out how psychotherapy can help us better connect with ourselves and our sense of happiness. 

When we experience anxiety, the symptoms can manifest in our body, signifying the emotional toll it's having on us. 

In this podcast, we speak to UKCP psychotherapist Lorna Evans to uncover how moment and breath can help us find relief in the face of anxiety. 

As people we are ever evolving. 

Psychotherapeutic training offers us an opportunity to reflect on where we are and look forward to where we want to be. So, should more of us take advantage of this opportunity to reflect and gain important life skills? 

The emotions that often ensue after a life-changing event can be overwhelming. A bereavement, job loss and a pandemic can trigger a chain of emotions that can feel impossible to navigate. 

In this episode our CEO Sarah Niblock talks to UKCP psychotherapist Alivia Rose to discuss the emotional toll that unexpected events have on us and how we can find a path to healing. 

Communicating what we want and need is important, we are urging more people to start talking about consent. 

But how do we start to have open conversations about sex and why are they so important? 

Oppression and the psychological damage it can have on someone can be long lasting. 

In this episode we talk to UKCP psychotherapist Eugene Ellis to uncover how we can find healing after oppression.

Access to sex and porn have changed drastically over the last decade. 

In our podcast we speak to UKCP psychotherapist Paula Hall to understand the psychology of sex and porn addiction, and how we can recognise healthy and problematic sexual behaviours. 

Exploring yourself through psychotherapy can lead you to transform your life. 
In this episode Helen Willingham, our head of content and engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Richard Hughes. 
After a 25-year career in the TV industry and owning his own production company, Richard began experiencing an existential crisis which led him to psychotherapy. He later became inspired to make this his career. 
‘But doing therapy I just found that I could tap into a vulnerability that I wasn’t really familiar with. It just allowed me to be deeply relational with someone and I really loved it. And I thought why do I just have this for one hour a week, this could be bigger, this could be my life.’
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
You can also find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

In this episode, UKCP’s CEO Sarah Niblock talks to UKCP psychotherapist Nicholas Rose, he outlines how to recognise when your power dynamics have become toxic, and the role of psychotherapy plays in helping a couple find resolution.  

How we develop our notions of home and how they can change over our lifetime?

In this episode, UKCP’s CEO Sarah Niblock talks to UKCP psychotherapist Dr Hannah Sherbersky to understand why our perceptions of home can differ so much. 

Being placed on ventilated support in hospital is one of the most extreme experiences a person can face. 

In this episode our CEO Sarah Niblock talks to UKCP psychotherapist Laura Barnett to find out how time in intensive care can affect us. 

In this episode, UKCP’s CEO Sarah Niblock sits down with UKCP psychotherapist Gary Bloom to discuss his work with sportspeople. 

They also go on to discuss why more of us need to open up about the physical impact of injury.

In this episode of our coronavirus podcast series, we speak to UKCP psychotherapist Shaun Bookhouse who spent five weeks in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after contracted the virus. Shaun shares his experiences and emphasises why policymakers should draw on the expertise of psychological professionals to tackle the long-term mental health implications of the pandemic. 

Do our dreams hold meaning?

In this podcast UKCP’s Chief Executive talks to UKCP psychotherapist and author of The Hidden Lives of Dreams, Melinda Powell, to find out how we can better understand our dreams.   Melinda is also a co-founder of the Dream Research Institutes. If you are interested in finding out more about dreams, then you can visit their website.

When we experience discrimination, people see us as one thing and we end up becoming defined by our gender, race or sexuality. They pick on this one aspect of our identity and declare us an outsider.    In this episode, UKCP’s CEO Sarah Niblock sits down with UKCP psychotherapist Dwight Turner to discuss discrimination and the real impact it can have on our mental wellbeing.

Each therapist has a unique story about their entrance into the profession.

In the first episode of our 'How I became a therapist series,' we spoke to five of our members to find out what lead them to psychotherapy.

This episode features UKCP psychotherapists Divine Charura, Kelly Hearn, Gary Bloom, Melissa Cliffe and Suzanne Worrica. 

It can hard to acknowledge our relationship is at breaking point. 

In this episode we sit down with UKCP psychotherapist Suzanne Worrica to find out how we can recognise it's over. 

Feeling isolated can be a painful and sometimes even shameful experience. 

But how can we address our isolation and loneliness? We spoke to UKCP psychotherapist Stephen Westcott to find out. 

How can a psychotherapist use social media in their career?
In this episode Helen Willingham, our head of content and engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Tasha Bailey. 
An author, speaker and social media influencer, Tasha specialises childhood wounds, healing, and self-love.
In this episode Tasha looks at her career and how social media led her to a book deal. Her new book, titled Real Talk: Lessons From Therapy on Healing and Self-Love, seeks to give readers the reflective tools they need to start exploring who they are. 
‘When I was working with young people, I always had this feeling of, I wish there was something I could give to them, like a book or a toolbox that they can just go away and have access to whenever they need it after therapy. That’s what I wanted to create. I wanted to create a book that could be a toolbox for people who either are in therapy, or have finished therapy, or who have never had therapy, but something where they’re getting all the therapeutic lessons I’d wished they’d had earlier on.’
🎙️Have you listened to our podcast series? We'd love to hear your thoughts in our 5-minute survey.
If you’re interested in learning more about a potential career in psychotherapy, then visit our website for more information.
You can also find information about choosing a training that’s right for you on our website. 

Bereavement can leave you in a state of shock, and only when the shock is over you start to look at what’s left.    In this episode of our series, our CEO Sarah Niblock sits down with UKCP psychotherapist Juliet Rosenfield to discuss loss and the journey through grief. 

Marketing yourself and your psychotherapy services during lockdown is no easy feat. In this episode, UKCP psychotherapist Nicholas Rose discusses self-marketing with UKCP's CEO Sarah Niblock. 

In this episode of our Covid-19 series, UKCP CEO Sarah Niblock spoke to UKCP psychotherapist and Trustee Divine Charura to find out how important research really is.

Unexpected changes and life events can derail our plans.

In this episode of our podcast our CEO Sarah Niblock sits down with UKCP psychotherapist Melissa Cliffe to discuss mid-life and the change that comes hand in hand with getting older.