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There has been a recent initiative in England to establish a wider provision of psychotherapy. Studying the models of psychological treatment and experiences in other countries may enable policy makers in England to learn lessons and avoid pitfalls. This paper assesses and compares the provision of psychotherapy for adults in a selected number of European and non‐European countries. A structured list of psychotherapy features was used to collect information from each country on the number of psychotherapists, professional qualifications, the settings and models of psychotherapy, the referral procedures, funding arrangements, quality management and outcome assessments. These data were then compared in a non‐systematic way. Comparison of levels of provision was the most difficult to establish, but the findings suggest that psychotherapy that is broadly free at the point of entry is more widely available in other EU countries than in England. They also show that the plans currently being discussed for a psychotherapy service in England differ from those provided in most of the other countries in this study. The differences include the lack of statutory accreditation rules and lower qualification thresholds for psychotherapists, the concept of treatment centres, the low number of sessions, and the regular assessment of outcome data. Therefore, based on this comparison, the necessity of these features, their priority and possible alternatives may need to be considered.

Deliberate practice (DP) is an innovative training method for improving psychotherapy skills acquisition and expertise in the twenty-first century. I introduce the reader to the principles and processes of DP and the rationale for its use. The concept of DP is not new, indeed it is used to support the improvement of performance in diverse areas, from sport to music. However, its application to psychotherapy is still in its infancy. Firstly, I provide the rationale for including DP as a method of therapist training based on research that illustrates that many of the current criteria that we use to identify expertise have little to no added impact on client outcomes. Additionally, some of the limitations of current traditional training regimes are outlined, along with the emerging evidence base for DP as a training method that can help improve the acquisition of therapeutic skills and expertise.

The article seeks to differentiate counselling and psychotherapy so that users can distinguish between different kinds of service provision. Roles, functions, qualifications, training, areas of competence, distinctive focus and professional organisations are specifically defined for counsellors and psychotherapists. The article similarly but more briefly describes the “core professions”: psychiatrist, psychologist; clinical, occupational and counselling psychologists. Emphasis is placed on areas in common and the value of counselling.

This paper seeks to report upon psychiatric trainees' experience of providing psychodynamic therapy for the first time and their experience of group supervision.

A total of five trainees, undertaking training in psychodynamic therapies, were interviewed on multiple occasions over an 18‐month period – before, during, and after undertaking their first case of psychodynamic therapy. A semi‐structured, qualitative interview approach was used to explore providing psychodynamic psychotherapy and participating in psychodynamic supervision groups. Interviews were transcribed in full and data analysed following the conventions of thematic analysis.

Trainees' anxieties about working psychodynamically and their concerns for developing new competencies are recognised. Personal and professional challenges associated with this therapeutic approach are identified and the importance of ”looking after” trainees is stressed; the role of trainee supervision groups in this is advocated. The potential challenges of integrating psychodynamic thinking into general psychiatric practice are discussed and suggestions to address these difficulties are proposed.

The small sample size reflects the total number of trainees participating in training at the time of the study; for future work, a larger sample drawn from multiple training centres would be recommended.

Training in psychotherapy is now mandatory for all trainee psychiatrists and this is something which many trainees find daunting; training in psychodynamic techniques is particularly challenging. A fuller awareness and understanding of trainees' experiences is important in nurturing clinicians who are competent in psychodynamic thinking, and who might consequently apply these skills clinically.

The purpose of this paper is to examine pre and post outcome measures following a course of Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). Participants were students enrolled on a Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP). The aim of the research was to explore whether CMT would increase self-compassion, compassion for others, dispositional empathy and reduce self-critical judgement.

In total, 21 participants who had enrolled on the CBP programme took part in the study. Data were collected using the self-compassion scale, interpersonal reactivity index, and the compassion for others scale.

Results reveal an overall statistically significant increase in self-compassion scores and statistically significant reduction in self-critical judgement scores post training. There was no statistically significant difference post training on the interpersonal reactivity index or the compassion for others scale.

CMT training may help students develop healthy coping strategies, which they can use to balance their affect regulation systems when faced with organisational, placement, client, academic, personal and supervision demands. Further research and longitudinal studies, using larger sample sizes are needed to explore if cultivating compassion whilst on psychotherapy training helps students build resilience and provide a barrier against empathic distress fatigue, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout.

Incorporating CMT into a CBP programme may bring changes in student levels of self-compassion and self-critical judgement.

This inaugural study examines whether incorporating CMT into a CBP programme impacts on students levels of compassion, dispositional empathy and self-critical judgement. The findings from this preliminary study suggest the potential benefits of training students in compassion focused practices.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce problem-solving therapy (PST) training to an Ontario health region. The aim of this pilot project was to increase psychotherapy access by training community-based outreach clinicians and to understand their satisfaction with the training program as well as their confidence in applying the principles of PST.

Clinicians from Southwestern Ontario who provide community-based mental health outreach services to older adults were invited to participate in this training opportunity. Selection was based on their existing client base, the geographic area they served, and self-reported foreseeable PST training benefits. Selected individuals received an eight-hour in-person didactic session, eight one-hour case-based learning opportunities, and individual case supervision. Acquired knowledge, perceived confidence in their skills, level of adherence to PST principles in clinical interactions, and satisfaction with the training program itself were measured.

Of the 36 applicants, eight trainees were selected. All trainees completed their training and seven were successfully certified in PST. Trainees indicated a high level of satisfaction with the training experience. According to the evaluation tools, trainee confidence in providing PST significantly increased, though there was no statistically significant change in knowledge.

This study provides the first evidence that PST can be introduced within a regional geriatric mental health service in Canada. The training involved both in-person training, web-based conferencing sessions and a supervisory component. The training lasted 16 hours and resulted in staff skill development in an evidence-based psychotherapy modality.

The purpose of study was to assess the impact of an online training program for a brief cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that integrated physical health management designed for use by mental health providers in the primary care setting.

In total, 19 providers from two Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical centers completed online training as part of a larger trial. Statistical analyses compared provider self-reported CBT knowledge and abilities at pretraining, posttraining, and long-term follow-up. Additionally, data were collected on providers’ experiences of the training.

Providers’ baseline to post-training scores improved on general CBT knowledge and ability, as well as across 11 CBT principles and techniques. Post-training scores were maintained over time.

A small sample size, sole focus on VHA data, and reliance on self-report measures are limitations of the study.

Qualitative data suggested training was feasible, acceptable, and potentially scalable; however, a one-size-fits-all approach may not be ideal.

Online training has potential for providing wider access to providers with limited access to traditional face-to-face training.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the similarities and differences in the development of psychological therapies in three European Union countries (the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and France) in the context of national policies about health services and public mental health.

Three case studies are utilised for this purpose as historical descriptions. The latter are then discussed in the light of traditional approaches to the sociology of the professions.

Whilst some similarities are identified across the three countries (for example the recent convergence of policy interest in “evidence‐based practice”) it is also clear that the particular national cultures have shaped developments and their different forms of healthcare organisation have been reflected in national legislative and regulatory arrangements.

These case studies draw attention to the need to explore national variations in policy formation about the same matter (in this case the professionalization of psychological therapies) and to extend discussions within the sociology of the professions to ones of healthcare organizational contexts. In addition, the contested nature of applied psychology may require special attention relative to other forms of health work practice.

This paper provides a particular form of understanding about psychological practices within modern healthcare and public health policies, in the light of the peculiar and contextualised aspects of the case studies provided.

The purpose of this paper is to describe transient therapeutic communities (TCs) and their value for training.

This is a descriptive account which includes the findings of two field study evaluations, and direct participant feedback. It is an exploration of the application of TC and group analytic theory to transient TCs.

The transient TC format is an excellent training format for creating a powerful and effective environment for learning and personal development in the very short time frame of three days.

These courses are a very efficient and effective way of promoting reflective practice, enabling environments, and emotionally safe working practices. The trainings are useful for a wide range of people from mental health professions, those working in human resources, and those in senior positions in industrial, commercial and public sector fields.

This paper will raise awareness that target-driven training is insufficient to improve quality of services beyond a certain point. A relational focus of training is needed to deal with issues of complexity which cannot be resolved by simple managerial methods. This experiential training can help to meet the need for inculcating compassion, kindness, and empathy in its participants.

Although other psychotherapy and group relations courses exist, and are used beyond the mental health field, the focus on generating an experience of belonging, emotional safety and democratic empowerment in the relational field of the course itself – by use of TC methodology – is novel, and could be of considerable value more widely.