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Route from Counselling to Relational and Developmental Psychotherapy: Theory, Practice, Inclusion
Course Leader: Lydia Noor
SCPTI offers a bespoke two-year post-qualifying route from counselling to psychotherapy which builds on an applicant’s previous training and experience. Graduates from the course can register with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. UKCP registrants are in column C of the SCoPEd framework. Each applicant’s accreditation of prior experience and learning (APEL) will be considered in dialogue with the course leader.
There are many forms of psychotherapy integration, and at SCPTI our training takes a relational and developmental perspective. This approach is built through dialogue, personal development, theoretical integration of key concepts, theory into practice where therapeutic use of self is a key consideration.
What does Relational and Developmental Psychotherapy mean?
Our earliest relational experiences communicate what we can expect from others, even though it might not always be what we want and need. Our relational adaptations are originally an essential means of survival and belonging and can become the blueprint for future relationships, even when these ways of relating are not in our best interest.
Patterns of relating may have words but often have not yet been worded and our communication is through the therapeutic relationship. Here is the potential to explore our known and yet to be known ‘enduring relational themes’ (Jacobs, 2017) from relational and developmental perspectives.
The relational and developmental psychotherapist provides the container for aspects of self which have been essential in the past but are no longer useful in the here-and-now of our lives so they can be known, processed and integrated.
Theoretical concepts are drawn from the modalities of self-psychology, object relations, gestalt, intersubjectivity theory and linked to the developmental theories of attachment, human development shame and neuroscience. Concepts are woven together, forming the basis of a map for each individual therapeutic journey. This bespoke course expects participants to enhance this map with their own interests and experience.
Central to the development of relational and developmental psychotherapists is our authenticity, compassion and humanity towards self and others. This is a gradual process, as we integrate aspects of ourselves that have not been welcomed or recognised. This includes our talents as well as aspects of ourselves that we prefer to keep hidden. It is a journey of growth into becoming more ourselves.
An essential core component of the post-qualifying route is the challenge of how privilege, disadvantage, equality and diversity is present for each person in each moment and how this intersects within the relational field.
The post-qualifying route has five components, group process and personal therapy, theory, skill development, work with clients and supervision.
A key feature of all training at SCPTI, is group process where we explore whatever arises in the here-and-now between self-and-self and self-and-other. Alongside our personal therapy, this is the bedrock of our development as therapists.
Each module has an integrated theoretical theme which considers previous learning. Participants will be supported to create learning maps on human development, assessment and formulation, communication through the therapeutic relationship, the moment-by-moment of theory into practice, awareness of diversity and inclusion in psychotherapy.
Throughout the training, experiential exercises link awareness of our own process with our work with clients. Skill practice, demonstration, observation and development will focus on theoretically informed therapeutic use of self.
Depending on previous experience, applicants will be able to accredit an agreed number of client and supervision hours.
Course requirements:
FEES FOR 2025/26: £3800 (+ £50 if paying by standing order)
Training dates:
Each 5-day module begins at 1pm on the first day and finishes at 3.30 on the final day
5 to 9 November 2025
21 to 25 January 2026
11 to 15 March 2026
27 to 31 May 2026
1 to 5 July 2026
Plus 12 online hours to be decided by the group
Route from Counselling to Relational and Developmental Psychotherapy: Theory, Practice, Inclusion
Course Leader: Lydia Noor
SCPTI offers a bespoke two-year post-qualifying route from counselling to psychotherapy which builds on an applicant’s previous training and experience. Graduates from the course can register with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. UKCP registrants are in column C of the SCoPEd framework. Each applicant’s accreditation of prior experience and learning (APEL) will be considered in dialogue with the course leader.
There are many forms of psychotherapy integration, and at SCPTI our training takes a relational and developmental perspective. This approach is built through dialogue, personal development, theoretical integration of key concepts, theory into practice where therapeutic use of self is a key consideration.
What does Relational and Developmental Psychotherapy mean?
Our earliest relational experiences communicate what we can expect from others, even though it might not always be what we want and need. Our relational adaptations are originally an essential means of survival and belonging and can become the blueprint for future relationships, even when these ways of relating are not in our best interest.
Patterns of relating may have words but often have not yet been worded and our communication is through the therapeutic relationship. Here is the potential to explore our known and yet to be known ‘enduring relational themes’ (Jacobs, 2017) from relational and developmental perspectives.
The relational and developmental psychotherapist provides the container for aspects of self which have been essential in the past but are no longer useful in the here-and-now of our lives so they can be known, processed and integrated.
Theoretical concepts are drawn from the modalities of self-psychology, object relations, gestalt, intersubjectivity theory and linked to the developmental theories of attachment, human development shame and neuroscience. Concepts are woven together, forming the basis of a map for each individual therapeutic journey. This bespoke course expects participants to enhance this map with their own interests and experience.
Central to the development of relational and developmental psychotherapists is our authenticity, compassion and humanity towards self and others. This is a gradual process, as we integrate aspects of ourselves that have not been welcomed or recognised. This includes our talents as well as aspects of ourselves that we prefer to keep hidden. It is a journey of growth into becoming more ourselves.
An essential core component of the post-qualifying route is the challenge of how privilege, disadvantage, equality and diversity is present for each person in each moment and how this intersects within the relational field.
The post-qualifying route has five components, group process and personal therapy, theory, skill development, work with clients and supervision.
A key feature of all training at SCPTI, is group process where we explore whatever arises in the here-and-now between self-and-self and self-and-other. Alongside our personal therapy, this is the bedrock of our development as therapists.
Each module has an integrated theoretical theme which considers previous learning. Participants will be supported to create learning maps on human development, assessment and formulation, communication through the therapeutic relationship, the moment-by-moment of theory into practice, awareness of diversity and inclusion in psychotherapy.
Throughout the training, experiential exercises link awareness of our own process with our work with clients. Skill practice, demonstration, observation and development will focus on theoretically informed therapeutic use of self.
Depending on previous experience, applicants will be able to accredit an agreed number of client and supervision hours.
Course requirements:
- The post-qualifying route for the Diploma in Relational Integrative Psychotherapy is taught at post-graduate level. Applicants need to give evidence of prior qualification and learning.
- The diploma is at level 7 and leads to registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
- Each year, trainees attend five x five-day in-person modules plus 12 online training hours. A five-day module begins Wednesday afternoon, followed by four full days with a late mid-afternoon Sunday finish. The total number of training hours is the equivalent of 26 days.
- Time is allocated for personal and professional development through individual tutorials, online workshops presentations and directed study.
- The course requires agreed written assignments for each year of study including a personal development profile based on an ongoing personal development journal. One assignment per year can be replaced by a presentation and one assignment is a research project.
- Courses accredited by UKCP require participants to engage in personal therapy during each year of training.
- Participants also need to be engaged in ongoing clinical teaching supervision either individually or in a group.
- The course requires a mental health familiarisation component which is comprised of a three-day workshop and experience of a range of mental health services.
- After the completion of the taught component trainees may take two further years to complete client hours, a case study and a transcript with accompanying commentary.
FEES FOR 2025/26: £3800 (+ £50 if paying by standing order)
Training dates:
Each 5-day module begins at 1pm on the first day and finishes at 3.30 on the final day
5 to 9 November 2025
21 to 25 January 2026
11 to 15 March 2026
27 to 31 May 2026
1 to 5 July 2026
Plus 12 online hours to be decided by the group