Postgraduate courses in Behavioural Therapy

Are you interested in helping others? Do you want to aid people in understanding their mental health while helping to make their lives a little easier by developing techniques and coping mechanisms? If you have a passion for helping others and want to make a difference then this may be for you. 

Have a look at the postgraduate courses below to see if they interest you in your further study pursuit. 

What is behavioural therapy?

Behavioural therapy refers to clinical psychotherapy that uses particular techniques in order to determine mental health disorders. This kind of therapy will identify behaviourisms that are potentially unhealthy or self destructive. Through this therapy, you may find treatments and learn how to deal with certain disorders. 

As a behavioural therapist you will use your skills and thought processes to help your clients understand and overcome unhealthy and different behaviours. You will also help clients to overcome different mental barriers such as the root of certain issues from trauma to addiction. You will understand your client and their mental health position while also helping them  understand themselves and how to treat, overcome and deal with certain disorders while aiding them in developing coping mechanisms. 

You will be able to develop certain techniques and personalized plans for each individual catered to their own personal needs. You will also work with your client’s families to help them to understand and to gain a greater and deeper insight into different aspects of their lives. 

In this position you may be self-employed which may mean you will work more flexible hours. In this case you are working in a medical setting you may work more structured hours such as Monday-Friday, 9-5. You can expect to be flexible and work unsocial hours from time to time and may also need to be on call for client’s who may need you at short notice. 

Courses

There are many courses on offer in the area across the UK. Some courses offer the opportunity to study either part time or full time. Universities may have certain restrictions in place due to Covid-19 and may offer courses online. Courses available include:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy 

A postgraduate course in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy will give you the opportunity to gain your skills and understanding in the area of behavioural therapy. You will become comfortable with working with adults that will have mental health disorders and difficulties as an independent practitioner. The majority of these courses will include work experience to gain an insight into working in the field. Modules include Developing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Practice, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Depression and with Anxiety as well learning the core skills needed for this area. 

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy 

Postgraduate courses in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy will allow students to gain training and consultation from experts in the DBT field. You will learn strategies of treatments, skills and knowledge in order to apply them to your own clinical practice under the guidance of experts. Modules include Advanced Clinical Skills, Behavioural Analysis, Clinical Applications, Mindfulness in Individual Therapy, Theories and Principles. 

Other courses available include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (High Intensity), Behavioural Analysis and Therapy multiple different courses in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Different courses may have differing content. 

Entry requirements

Entry requirements may differ from course to course or university to university. Therefore, it is important to research your specific course in detail to ensure you meet the entry requirements. As these courses are postgraduate courses, you will need a bachelor’s degree. Some courses may accept a 2.2 degree while others will require a 2.1 in a relevant degree.

Salary

Your salary in this area may be dependent on your employment type, your experience and sometimes your location can also play a role. It is believed that the average salary of a behavioural therapist in the UK is anywhere between £26,500 and £41,500. Starting out, your salary will be lower and with experience it will usually increase. If you are self-employed your salary may be different than if you are working within the NHS or other organisations. All figures are based on estimates and intended to be used as a guide only. 

Related Jobs

• Behavioural therapist
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Clinical or Counseling Psychologist
• Psychiatrist 
• Mental Health nursing 
• Doctor

Skills and requirements

Skills and requirements helpful in this area include: 

• Excellent communication skills
• Patient
• Understanding
• Compassionate
• A good listener
• Non-judgemental
• Trustworthy
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Time management skills
• The ability to work effectively with others