Counsellor - Talking Therapies

Job summary

Talking Therapies Portsmouth is a well-established and high performing NHS Talking Therapies service provided by Solent NHS Trust and commissioned by NHS Portsmouth CCG. The service was launched in 2009 to provide evidence based psychological interventions for the population of Portsmouth in primary care. The service was part of the national and regional initiative to help improve access for long term health conditions and military communities, and as a result we have developed a number of innovative pathways to support these clinical populations. As well as having a CBT and Step 2 team, Talking Therapies Portsmouth has an integrated counselling and psychotherapy team and employment advisors as part of the service, which ensures different teams work very closely together. The clinical services provided to clients are supported by competent, friendly and efficient admin team. A great strength of the service is our supportive culture and nurturing environment.

The service provides a wide range of treatment options such as CBT, EMDR brief counselling, DIT, CfD and IPT, as well treatments with strong emerging evidence base. We also have a strong commitment to CPD and have an annual cutting edge training programme to ensure our clinical teams remain up to date with latest research and innovative practice within the field. Given our various clinical pathways, there are numerous opportunities to get involved with service development initiatives post qualification.

Main duties of the job

The service is aimed at adults experiencing one or more of the following problems:

• Marital, family, relationship disharmony, including separation and divorce
• Reactive depression, including loss and bereavement
• Self-image esteem and identity problems
• General anxieties
• Stress/trauma (pre and post-event) Developmental life crisis (e.g. job related stress, unemployment, redundancy, role changes, parenting, infertility, ageing)
• Material or practical stresses (e.g. housing, financial)
• Coping with injury or illness
• Appropriate emotional/physical/sexual abuse issues

About us

At Solent, our teams mirror the communities we serve. The Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging plan fosters authenticity, ensuring every Solent NHS Trust member feels visible, validated, and valued.

The Annual Staff survey positions us among top-performing Community and Mental Health trusts in 3 of 9 themes:

• Compassion and inclusivity
• Each voice matters
• Staff Engagement

Our commitment to enhancing diversity, inclusion, and belonging fosters a strong sense of uniqueness, celebrated among colleagues, contributing to excellent patient outcomes.

We welcome applications from underrepresented communities, offering an informal chat for those uncertain about job fit. Our revamped recruitment process prioritizes inclusivity, aligned with Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interviews.

Join our 7 staff networks:

DisAbility

LGBTQ+Allies

Carers

50+

Multi Faith

Black, Asian, and minority ethnic

Veterans

Solent supports flexible working, providing a carer's passport. Our award-winning Health and Wellbeing service, including Employment Disability, Neurodivergent, and Menopause support, makes Solent NHS an inclusive workplace.

We promote staff vaccination as the primary defence against Flu and Covid-19. Join us in contributing to outstanding patient outcomes in a diverse and inclusive environment.