Community Links

Senior Systemic Psychotherapist

The closing date is 20 July 2025

Job summary

You will be part of the Early Intervention multi-disciplinary team, working with 14 65-year-olds and their families/social networks who meet criteria for a first episode of psychosis or an At-Risk Mental State.

You will provide specialist systemic understandings and therapeutic inputs to families and social networks who present with a range of relational and emotional difficulties, in addition to participating in social network meetings with colleagues and systemically-informed interventions.

In addition, you will lead on systemic input into the team, working alongside colleagues to facilitate service development, which may include supporting the multidisciplinary team to enact Anti-Racist/culturally appropriate practice and being part of the Open Dialogue project. The postholder will be involved in facilitating team reflective practice and provide supervision and line management to people in the psychology team.

Main duties of the job

As part of the psychology team, you will be contributing to a context of trauma-informed work alongside people trained in systemic, cognitive-behavioural and creative/dramatherapy approaches. This work may happen with individuals, families and social networks, and potentially groups or communities to promote our preventative and community engagement work.

About us

Heres what youll enjoy as part of our team:

  • Flexible working optionsto help you balance work and life in a way that suits you.
  • 25 days annual leaveplus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days with service because your time off matters.
  • A wealth of learning and career development opportunities,with paid and tailored training to support your growth.
  • Free, confidential Employee Assistance Programme24/7, including access to counselling and GP services your wellbeing is a priority.
  • Employer contributory pension schemeto help secure your future.
  • Great maternity, paternity and adoption benefitsto support you and your family.
  • Exclusive care workers discountsto make life a little easier.
  • Access to a range of Employee Networksincluding People of Colour, LGBT+, Mental Health and Accessibility we embrace and celebrate diversity.
  • A variety of health and wellbeing initiativesto keep you feeling your best.
  • Cycle to Work Schemeto help you stay active and reduce your carbon footprint.
  • Access to a Corporate Health Planto support your physical and mental health.

We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, anti-racist environment where everyone can thrive by being their true self. Join us in driving this important agenda forward and help shape a workplace where all voices are valued!

Apply Now!

Good Luck!

Details

Date posted

25 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0447-25-0001

Job locations

Community Links Aspire

Armley Road

Armley

Leeds

LS12 2LB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Band 8a Senior Systemic Psychotherapist (0.8 wte)

Aspire has a well-embedded culture of family collaboration and systemic working and is currently developing the Open Dialogue approach in the team. For example, the entire team is engaging in systemic and dialogically-informed training. This happens within the context of national drivers to provide Family Interventions and Inspire North being an actively Anti-Racist organisation with a focus on social justice.

Aspire is a creative and innovative team. This is an exciting role incorporating therapeutic work with people who express unshared and apparently unusual distressing experiences (the psychosis field), as well as leading on developing systemic work in the team.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Band 8a Senior Systemic Psychotherapist (0.8 wte)

Aspire has a well-embedded culture of family collaboration and systemic working and is currently developing the Open Dialogue approach in the team. For example, the entire team is engaging in systemic and dialogically-informed training. This happens within the context of national drivers to provide Family Interventions and Inspire North being an actively Anti-Racist organisation with a focus on social justice.

Aspire is a creative and innovative team. This is an exciting role incorporating therapeutic work with people who express unshared and apparently unusual distressing experiences (the psychosis field), as well as leading on developing systemic work in the team.

Person Specification

Approach and Values

Essential

  • Demonstrate a commitment and enthusiasm for working with our client group
  • Demonstrate a good understanding of and active commitment to diversity, inclusion and anti-racism
  • Ability to build and maintain positive relationships while maintaining professional boundaries
  • Demonstrate a commitment to supporting clients to take an active role in shaping the services they receive

Qualifications

Essential

  • Possess a postgraduate qualification from accredited Family & Systemic Therapy course)
  • Hold current professional registration/accreditation with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • A good understanding of the principles of the Early Intervention approach, including At-Risk Mental State pathways
  • Advanced skills in systemic thinking and therapeutic practice to work collaboratively with individuals, families/social networks and/or communities
  • Ability to assess and work with risk within a positive (therapeutic) risk-taking framework
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a strong focus on accuracy, attention to detail.
  • Proficient in using Microsoft Office applications and other information systems

Desirable

  • Awareness of dialogical practice and how this may be enacted within an Open Dialogue-informed service
  • Language skills (e.g., Urdu, BSL, etc.)

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial experience of delivering systemic approaches to people (individuals and/or families and social networks) presenting with a range of difficulties and presentations
  • Experience of providing leadership, training, supervision and/or consultation to the team and relevant people

Desirable

  • Experience of working in an ARMS/Early Intervention service and/or applying the principles and model of early intervention
  • Experience of working with adolescents and/or working or liaising with the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
  • Experience in mental health, housing or homelessness, whether as a client, carer, employee or volunteer
Person Specification

Approach and Values

Essential

  • Demonstrate a commitment and enthusiasm for working with our client group
  • Demonstrate a good understanding of and active commitment to diversity, inclusion and anti-racism
  • Ability to build and maintain positive relationships while maintaining professional boundaries
  • Demonstrate a commitment to supporting clients to take an active role in shaping the services they receive

Qualifications

Essential

  • Possess a postgraduate qualification from accredited Family & Systemic Therapy course)
  • Hold current professional registration/accreditation with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • A good understanding of the principles of the Early Intervention approach, including At-Risk Mental State pathways
  • Advanced skills in systemic thinking and therapeutic practice to work collaboratively with individuals, families/social networks and/or communities
  • Ability to assess and work with risk within a positive (therapeutic) risk-taking framework
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a strong focus on accuracy, attention to detail.
  • Proficient in using Microsoft Office applications and other information systems

Desirable

  • Awareness of dialogical practice and how this may be enacted within an Open Dialogue-informed service
  • Language skills (e.g., Urdu, BSL, etc.)

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial experience of delivering systemic approaches to people (individuals and/or families and social networks) presenting with a range of difficulties and presentations
  • Experience of providing leadership, training, supervision and/or consultation to the team and relevant people

Desirable

  • Experience of working in an ARMS/Early Intervention service and/or applying the principles and model of early intervention
  • Experience of working with adolescents and/or working or liaising with the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
  • Experience in mental health, housing or homelessness, whether as a client, carer, employee or volunteer

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Community Links

Address

Community Links Aspire

Armley Road

Armley

Leeds

LS12 2LB


Employer's website

https://www.inspirenorth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Community Links

Address

Community Links Aspire

Armley Road

Armley

Leeds

LS12 2LB


Employer's website

https://www.inspirenorth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Psychology Team Lead

Simon Platts

simon.platts@inspirenorth.co.uk

01132009170

Details

Date posted

25 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0447-25-0001

Job locations

Community Links Aspire

Armley Road

Armley

Leeds

LS12 2LB


Supporting documents

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