For those who have studied extensively or even qualified elsewhere, you may be eligible to apply for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) enabling you to either complete or compliment your training with us. This can mean achieving UKCP registered status, achieving a Masters degree or both. In order to be considered, you will need to have completed at least the equivalent of SPTI students who have reached the same stage. Please note that for our four-year MSc courses, no more than 50 per cent can be achieved through APL Train as a psychotherapist | UKCP (psychotherapy.org.uk)

You will need to evidence your equivalency in the following areas:

  • Training in the same or similar modality
  • Personal therapy
  • Supervision
  • Work as a therapist

Please click on your chosen course below to view relevant APL criteria information.

BSc (Hons) Counselling & Psychotherapy

Humanistic and Integrative Philosophy (Year 1 – Module 1)

  1. Reflexively explore your motivation for becoming a Humanistic and Integrative Therapist.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles of the Humanistic approach.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles of Psychoanalytic and Behavioural approaches.
  4. Evaluate the stance of different modalities within each of the above approaches and their appropriateness within Humanistic Integrative Psychotherapy.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge and make sound judgements relating to the principles that underly theoretical and clinical integration.

The Therapeutic Relationship (Year 1 – Module 2)

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the key concepts and principles of a Person-Centred approach.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of the key concepts and principles of a Gestalt approach.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of the key concepts and principles of a Relational approach.
  4. Evaluate the common principles of each of the approaches studied in establishing, developing and maintaining a therapeutic relationship and the appropriateness of these principles for Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy.
  5. Communicate effectively the skills you would use to establish, develop and maintain a Humanistic and Integrative therapeutic relationship online, by telephone and face-to-face in premises.

The Ethical Framework and Clinical Practice (Year 1 – Module 3)

  1. Demonstrate a knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles of the BACP Ethical Framework.
  2. Describe the fundamental values of the profession as outlined by BACP and critically evaluate these in light of their own values
  3. Present your own values and make sound judgements as to the ways in which these may impact the therapeutic relationship.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of two humanistic assessments.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding in applying humanistic theory and BACP ethical principles by developing a client therapist contract for online, telephone and face-to-face ? in premises? therapy?

Therapeutic Skills 1 (Year 1 – Module 4)

  1. Demonstrate knowledge and evaluate the skills that can help establish and promote a therapeutic relationship online or by telephone.
  2. Evaluate the therapeutic skills necessary to initiate, develop and maintain a humanistic and integrative therapeutic relationship online or by telephone.
  3. Demonstrate and effectively communicate your competency to use counselling skills to provide and end a therapeutic relationship.
  4. Demonstrate and communicate effectively an agreed contract appropriate to the media being offered.

Culture and Diversity (Year 1 – Module 5)

  1. Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of diversity within the 21st century.
  2. Evaluate and interpret concepts and principles of possible issues of power and oppression and develop lines of argument as to how these could impact the therapeutic relationship.
  3. Using the entries in your personal journal, identify and communicate your own personal values, culture and difference and evaluate the impact of these on the therapeutic relationship.

Clinical Obligations (I) (Year 1 – Module 6)

  1. Reflect upon 30 hours of personal therapy with a suitably qualified therapist and effectively communicate the results of your personal reflection from this process within an ongoing personal journal.
  2. Research at least two placement opportunities and make sound judgements as to their appropriateness for your practice as a humanistic and integrative therapist within these settings.
  3. Demonstrate the personal and professional responsibilities required in becoming an ethical humanistic and integrative therapist.
MSc Integrative Psychotherapy – Year 2 Entry
  1. Evidence a minimum of 40 sessions of personal therapy.
  2. Work in a learning environment to foster personal and professional growth.
  3. Establish understanding of some of the major theoretical concepts which inform the theory and practice of Integrative psychotherapy.
  4. A critical understanding of the relevance of Object Relations theory to Integrative Psychotherapy.
  5. A basic understanding of the unconscious processes at work in the dynamics of relationships, between self and others and especially between client and therapist.
  6. A basic understanding of Kohut’s approach to self-experience and the importance of empathy in the therapeutic relationship.
  7. A capacity for reflexivity in relation to personal and experiential material.
  8. Critically explore the ethical principles contained in the guidelines of the UKCP and the professional practice codes of the Sherwood institute.
  9. Demonstrate their capacity to critically explore the extent to which their own personal values are supported and/or challenged by the ethical and professional requirements of the UKCP and also the values inherent to the good practice of Integrative Psychotherapy, including an awareness of the impact of diversity.
  10. Demonstrate understanding of how change is theorised, facilitated and measured within Integrative Psychotherapy.
  11. Critique various theoretical concepts in order to demonstrate their understanding of the significance of emotional states in human behaviour.
  12. Illustrate a capacity to develop clinical practice informed by awareness and knowledge of factors which may facilitate or hinder the process of relating and change.
MSc Integrative Psychotherapy – Year 3 Entry

In addition to all Learning Outcomes & Clinical Requirements for Year 2 Entry:

  1. Evidence a minimum of 40 sessions of personal therapy (additional to Year 2 Entry).
  2. Evidence a minimum of 30 sessions of clinical supervision undertaken and with a ratio of 1 hour supervision to 4 hours of clinical work.
  3. Evidence 120 hours of clinical practice undertaken throughout the Stage.
  4. Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of theories key to an intersubjective approach to human development and the practice of psychotherapy and clearly communicate your understanding.
  5. Demonstrate a critical awareness and evaluation of the relevance and originality in the application of a developmental perspective to the practice of Integrative Psychotherapy.
  6. Demonstrate a reflexive understanding of the key issues within your own developmental history and explore the potential impact on the therapeutic relationship.
  7. Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of the main constructs of the module.
  8. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the relevance of these constructs to Integrative Psychotherapy.
  9. Demonstrate the independent learning ability to evaluate the significance of these concepts to your development as an Integrative practitioner.
  10. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the DSM system of diagnosis, together with an ability to identify and evaluate a range of client clinical presentations and establish suitability for psychotherapy.
  11. Demonstrate the independent learning ability required to connect knowledge and understanding of diagnosis with assessment and clinical treatment planning.
  12. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of the differing impacts of trauma, linking this to clinical practice.
  13. Demonstrate the qualities and skills necessary for reflexivity in relation to personal and experiential material.
  14. Demonstrate comprehensive and systematic understanding of the ethical implications associated with recording clinical work and critical evaluation of your integrative practice though the review of recordings in clinical supervision.
  15. Demonstrate your critical awareness and evaluation of the relationship between personal and professional development within Integrative Psychotherapy.
  16. Identify key aspects of your own ‘developmental agenda’ and determine ways in which these may be addressed in order to critically review your developing professional identity.
MSc Person-Centred & Experiential Psychotherapy – Year 2 Entry
  1. Evidence a minimum of 40 sessions of personal therapy.
  2. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the central philosophical and ethical assumptions which underlie Person-Centred and Experiential approaches to psychotherapy.
  3. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of ethical codes and frameworks, and matters of law relevant to Person-Centred/Experiential practice in a variety of situations and contexts.
  4. Demonstrate the independent learning ability required to develop therapeutic style with attention to relational ethics, therapist attitudinal qualities and specific skills in regard to relating, listening and responding.
  5. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of the interconnectedness of personal and professional development within the Person-Centred and Experiential framework.
  6. Demonstrate critical awareness and evaluation of research evidence within the Person-Centred and Experiential framework.
  7. Demonstrate a critical awareness and evaluation of the extent to which personal values are supported and/or challenged by the relational nature of the key ethical principles inherent in Person-Centred/Experiential practice.
  8. Systematically and creatively evaluate the ethical theories and principles essential to developing a sound model of ethical decision-making as a Person-Centred/Experiential psychotherapist.
  9. Communicate a rigorous response to criticisms levelled against the fundamental assumptions and principles inherent to Person-Centred and Experiential modalities.
  10. Communicate a critical awareness of your motivations for training as a Person-Centred/Experiential practitioner.
  11. Demonstrate practical understanding of the application of central philosophical assumptions and underpinning theoretical principles to your developing Person-Centred/Experiential practice.
  12. Demonstrate originality when identifying and evaluating key aspects of personal philosophy in order to determine the degree of fit with the central philosophical assumptions of Person-Centred and Experiential approaches.
  13. Demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary to establish high standards of professional practice together with the capacity to take initiative and act autonomously to secure an appropriate supervisory relationship and clinical placement.
MSc Person-Centred & Experiential Psychotherapy – Year 3 Entry

In addition to all Learning Outcomes & Clinical Requirements for Year 2 Entry:

  1. Evidence a minimum of 40 sessions of personal therapy (additional to Year 2 Entry).
  2. Evidence a minimum of 30 sessions of clinical supervision undertaken and with a ratio of 1 hour supervision to 4 hours of clinical work.
  3. Evidence 120 hours of clinical practice undertaken throughout the Stage.
  4. Demonstrate systematic understanding of how change is theorised, facilitated and measured within Person-Centred and Experiential approaches.
  5. Demonstrate systematic understanding and critical evaluation of a variety of Person-Centred and Experiential theories concerning human development across the lifespan.
  6. Demonstrate the independent learning ability required to advance your knowledge, understanding and professional expertise when critically appraising the relevance of theories proposed by alternative models of psychopathology to your clinical work as a Person-Centred/Experiential practitioner.
  7. Critically evaluate philosophical and theoretical concepts of relating in order to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of ways in which your own developmental agenda fosters professional identity, with specific attention to therapist-attitudinal qualities and capacity for contact-in-relationship.
  8. Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the ethical implications associated with recording clinical work and critical evaluation of your Person-Centred/Experiential practice through the review of recordings in clinical supervision.
  9. Demonstrate critical awareness and evaluation of Person-Centred and Experiential approaches to personality processes, behaviour and defence, including those associated with pre-therapy.
  10. Demonstrate your critical awareness and evaluation of the relationship between personal and professional development within the Person-Centred and Experiential framework.
  11. Systematically evaluate a range of lifespan developmental perspectives in order to determine relevance for your work as a Person-Centred/Experiential practitioner.
  12. Communicate your critical consideration of the relevance of contributions made by contemporary research in neuroscience to the Person-Centred and Experiential framework with specific focus on human development across the lifespan.
  13. Illustrate your capacity to develop originality in clinical practice informed by critical awareness and knowledge of client and therapist factors which may facilitate and/or hinder the process of relating and change.
  14. Demonstrate the therapeutic-attitudes and professional expertise necessary to Person-Centred/Experiential psychotherapy practice with a range of client populations within the field of psychopathology and mental ill-health.
  15. Demonstrate key aspects of your ‘developmental agenda’ with attention to identified ways in which this may be addressed to enhance your efficacy and professionalism.

Applying

To submit an APL application, please do so using our online APL Application Form.

Please note that you will also be required to complete the standard SPTI Application form available here.

If you would prefer to complete a hard copy of our APL application, please download the form for your chosen course below.

If you would prefer to receive any of this information in Word format, please contact the admissions office. Click here for contact details.