Senior DBT Therapist

Job responsibilities

1. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

To provide specialist DBT assessments for young people presenting with complex emotional needs, drawing on structured interviews, self-report measures, behavioural observations, and collateral information from families, schools and professionals.

To formulate and deliver individualised DBT treatment plans for young people based on a robust psychological formulation, identifying crisis patterns, vulnerabilities and behavioural targets, in line with evidence-based practice.

To deliver all components of the standard DBT-A model, including weekly individual therapy, co-facilitating multi-family skills training groups, phone coaching (during working hours), and participating in weekly DBT consultation meetings.

To co-facilitate multi-family DBT skills groups, contributing to the delivery of DBT content to both young people and their parents/carers.

To provide DBT-informed parent/carer coaching and family sessions as part of the standard DBT-A model, and to support the inclusion of carers in the therapeutic process where clinically appropriate.

To undertake comprehensive assessments with parents and carers as part of pre-treatment and formulation development.

To contribute to the maintenance of treatment fidelity through active participation in the DBT consultation team, offering and receiving peer consultation to support high-quality, consistent DBT delivery.

To monitor and evaluate therapeutic outcomes using routine outcome measures, goal-based outcomes, and behavioural tracking tools, adapting interventions accordingly.

To provide specialist DBT-informed consultation and advice to colleagues within CAMHS and external partner agencies (e.g., schools, social care, inpatient units), promoting psychologically informed care and trauma-sensitive practice.

To support the delivery of psychoeducation and DBT-informed interventions to families and carers, in collaboration with colleagues where appropriate.

To contribute to multi-disciplinary risk assessments, formulations and management plans, including assessing and responding to risk of suicide, self-harm, and other high-risk behaviours.

To work collaboratively with professionals across agencies to ensure coordinated, holistic care planning and safe transitions, including discharge planning and step-down from inpatient care.

To maintain high standards of clinical record keeping in accordance with professional and Trust guidelines, including contemporaneous notes, formulation summaries, risk documentation, and structured reports.

To receive regular specialist DBT supervision and clinical supervision, engage in continuing professional development, and contribute to a learning culture within the team.

To contribute to the development and improvement of the DBT-A service through participation in audit, service evaluation, and team learning forums.

To practice within professional ethical guidelines and Trust policies, including safeguarding, health and safety, information governance, and equality and diversity.

2. LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

Ensure the systematic provision of a highly specialised clinical service to service users of the NCEL DBT Service, with a focus on delivering Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) across all sectors of care.

To provide management supervision and manage workload to clinical/counselling psychologists and other professionals within the DBT Service.

To be involved, as appropriate, in the shortlisting and interviewing of new staff.

To participate in the development of an effective team and the development of productive working relationships throughout the Trust.

To actively promote integrated health professional working internally and externally.

To facilitate the development of a positive and supportive team culture by taking responsibility for dealing effectively with potential conflict.

To participate in the audit process, linking in with the clinical governance agenda.

Utilise research skills for conducting audits, developing policies, advancing service development, and supporting research initiatives.

To advise, encourage and share knowledge utilising the latest research and practice development, through literature and peer reviews.

To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members

To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking research.

To initiate project management, including complex audit and service evaluation, with colleagues within and across the service to help develop and improve services to clients and their families.

To engage with outreach about the service and eliciting of appropriate referrals. To participate in triaging for referrals and managing waitlists.

3. CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To provide comprehensive DBT assessments for young people referred to the DBT-A service, integrating information from interviews, observations, structured measures, and third-party reports.

To formulate clear and collaborative treatment plans based on DBT principles, identifying key problem behaviours, vulnerabilities, and treatment targets across all DBT modes.

To deliver individual DBT therapy, co-facilitate multi-family and adolescent DBT skills groups, and provide DBT-informed phone coaching (within working hours), in line with the standard DBT-A model.

To deliver DBT-informed parent assessments, parent coaching, and family sessions to support systems change and the generalisation of DBT skills in the home environment.

To carry out and update risk assessments and collaboratively formulate risk management plans related to self-harm, suicidal ideation, or other risk behaviours.

To act as care coordinator for a caseload of young people, maintaining oversight of care planning and ensuring continuity across multiple systems (e.g., school, social care, CAMHS, inpatient units).

To liaise and work in partnership with parents/carers, schools, social care, and other professionals, offering DBT-informed consultation and contributing to multi-agency meetings.

To maintain detailed and timely clinical records in accordance with trust and professional guidelines, including formulations, session summaries, progress reviews, and outcome measures.

To contribute to the weekly DBT consultation team, engaging in peer supervision and team-based clinical decision-making.

To monitor clinical outcomes and treatment adherence using appropriate DBT tools and audit measures (e.g., diary cards, progress charts, routine outcome monitoring).

To adjust interventions responsively based on risk, developmental needs, therapeutic progress, and family context, while maintaining fidelity to the DBT model.

To deliver DBT-informed psychoeducation and skills training content to young people and families as part of pre-treatment and ongoing therapeutic work.

To provide trauma-sensitive care and consider the impact of past trauma on the young persons presentation, using DBT as a stabilising foundation for future trauma work where appropriate.

To actively contribute to service evaluation, audits, and clinical research within the DBT-A pathway, including the collection and interpretation of outcome data.

To promote a psychologically informed culture across the MDT by sharing formulation-based thinking and offering case-specific advice when appropriate.

To ensure a safe working environment by maintaining up-to-date knowledge of risk procedures, safeguarding protocols, and personal safety guidance, including managing incidents involving distress, dysregulation, or aggression.

To remain actively engaged in professional development, including attending DBT supervision, maintaining professional registration, and participating in relevant CPD and training events.

Please see attached document for more detailed information of job description and person specification.

Qualifications/ Registrations

Essential

• Core health professional qualification (Psychology, Nursing, Social work, Occupational Therapy)
• Registration with the appropriate professional body (HCPC, NMC, Social Work England)
• Basic Training Certificate in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Evidence of CPD relevant to adolescents or DBT
• Post qualification training in the clinical supervision of trainees.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Desirable

• Formal training in the supervision of a psychotherapeutic modality.
• Working towards Accredited Practitioner Status DBT
• Completion of DBT Intensive or Foundational Training

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of two years' experience of working directly with patients with Personality Disorder or complex trauma, including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
• Experience working in CAMHS or adolescent mental health
• Experience delivering DBT or DBT-informed interventions
• Experience working with young people who self-harm or present with emotional dysregulation or suicidality
• Experience in group facilitation (e.g., DBT skills groups)
• Experience of working with parents/carers
• Experience of working in a multi -disciplinary team and/or CAMHS service and/or with wider professional networks and agencies
• Experience of outcome monitoring / clinical measures
• Experience working in diverse or multicultural contexts
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision, including supervision of clinical psychology trainee(s)

Desirable

• Experience of service development.
• Experience in assessing for DBT and application of using supervision to address and resolve clinical and professional dilemmas

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of the DBT model and theory
• Understanding of safeguarding and risk management
• Awareness of trauma-informed and systemic practice
• Knowledge in assessment, formulation, and care planning

Desirable

• Knowledge of the DBT model and application with adolescents and families/carers
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities, children with complex problems etc).
• Familiarity with NHS systems / clinical governance

Skills

Essential

• Skills to manage emotional intensity and therapeutic boundaries
• Ability to offer consultation and advice to professionals and non-professional groups
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.

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).