Psychotherapy and Counselling

Overview

The focus of this MA in Psychotherapy and Counselling at the University of Leeds is on theories of therapy that focus on the therapeutic relationship as the crucial factor and students will have the opportunity to learn about various relational theories and are encouraged to learn more about themselves in relationships, to develop their own approach to therapy based on their own values and beliefs.

You’ll benefit from the knowledge of experienced counsellors and psychotherapists, with senior levels of registration on the MA programme. Our teaching staff are also active researchers, with a range of specialisms. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills to conduct independent in-depth research into a complex specialist area. In your final year, our innovative annual student conference gives you chance to share your research with peers.

You’ll learn in a relatively small cohort of students (up to 24) and this will become your learning environment, involving much experiential learning to develop your self- and intersubjective awareness. This small group enables personal support from your peers and tutors to help with the emotional challenges of such learning.

The programme aims to equip you to work as a counsellor/psychotherapist and make independent clinical decisions in a variety of settings including complex and unpredictable situations. Many students also bring a wealth of personal experience that helps them to reflect on a range of human issues. Our excellent relationships with a range of agencies throughout the region will assist you in finding a practice placement.

Staff research specialisms include: values and ethics, power and politics, person-centred approaches, phenomenology, reflexivity in research, autoethnography, practitioner-based research, eating disorders, addictions, cross-cultural research, maternal wellbeing and eating behaviours, mother-infant mealtime interactions, transgenerational trauma, the therapeutic alliance, co-occurring traumatic brain injury and drug and alcohol use and developing a head injury speech analysis case finder with embedded artificial intelligence.

Career opportunities

Many of our graduates go on to combine counselling and psychotherapy with their existing professions, such as nursing or education. Some continue to work in a voluntary capacity to build sufficient supervised client hours to join the advanced category of individual BACP accreditation, while others set up in private practice.

Our graduates are highly sought after by employers within the region, many of whom are closely associated with the course as practice providers or supervisors. Many of our graduates have gone on to hold positions of responsibility as counsellors or psychotherapists within the NHS and voluntary bodies, and some have returned to us to undertake PhD research or teaching.

Accreditation

MA Psychotherapy and Counselling has received British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited course status which, on successful completion, will allow you to be added to their voluntary assured register of practitioners.