Clinical and Health Psychology

Humera

"My experience of clinical training has been stimulating, challenging and rewarding. It has definitely been worth the effort to gain a place on the course! The pluralistic orientation of the training has been particularly appealing, providing a grounding in CBT, as well as the opportunity to experience placements in other approaches, such as solution focused therapy."

"Experience in working with a range of client groups across the life-span has encouraged me to develop more flexible clinical skills, as well as a more open-minded outlook."

Paul Bibby

"I came to the course nearly ten years after graduating from my first degree, so I'd had plenty of time to think about it! I'm glad I had some experience outside Psychology in that time, and also some clinical experience (as an Assistant). I've really enjoyed the clinical placements so far, and feel I've gained at least as much from the clients as they (hopefully) have from me."

"I'm on the 4-year flexible route to qualification, which for me is ideal - a bit longer to wait, but a little more time to get things done. I also feel more connected to the department I work in, as they've made an investment in my future.

The workload has been manageable providing I'm organised, and I've tried to get as involved with the course as I can - it becomes a big part of your life. Having said that, I definately believe in having a life outside the course too - having other interests, a supportive partner and a house to decorate helps keep things in perspective. I've developed as a person as well as professionally, and expect to keep on learning and changing once the course is over and I'm doing the job for real. Having wandered from one job to another until now, it's great (if a little frightening...) to have finally found what I want to do with the rest of my working life!"

Rhiannon Howie-Davis, 3rd year, full time trainee   "I think the course pretty much ‘does what it says on the tin’ it trains you to be a clinical psychologist, by providing knowledge and clinical experience.  The clinical placements provide the best opportunity to develop your clinical skills and put your knowledge onto practice.The placements and supervisors can all be very different and it can be hard adjusting to a new way of working every six months when you change placements.  But this does mean you get the opportunity to experience different ways of working and working in different specialties. A real strength of the academic teaching is that most lecturers are practising NHS clinical psychologists so there is a practical, real-life basis to what they’re saying.  Personally the course is hard work, particularly balancing clinical work on placement and academic coursework.  However it is worth it and the skills you gain are useful for life, not just working as a clinical psychologist!"

Helen Rae, 2nd year, full-time trainee   "The postgraduate clinical psychology training feels like the most natural progression from undergraduate psychology.  It provides you with further knowledge and skills to link the basic psychological principles that you learn during undergraduate to more comprehensive evidence-based models, which you then apply to your clinical practice.  It essentially allows you to make use of everything you learnt and didn't know what to do with from undergraduate!  The balance of teaching and placement experience means you never feel unequipped when working clinically and the levels of supervision you receive mean you always feel supported to develop both as a clinician and a person. Helping people to make sense of their experiences and difficulties and providing them with tools and guidance to make positive changes means that clinical psychology is a very rewarding profession to be part of. Be under no illusions - training is hard work and requires a high level of commitment, however, the support you receive from your fellow trainees, the course and your clinical supervisors makes the course a much less daunting and a more enjoyable experience." Helen Rae, 2nd year, full-time trainee