The West Midlands School of Psychiatry offers higher training in Medical Psychotherapy as a dual CCT, with 3 posts coupled with General Adult Psychiatry and 1 with Forensic Psychiatry. The training is 5 years in total and on satisfactory completion will lead to accreditation with the GMC on the Specialist Register in both Medical Psychotherapy and General Psychiatry / Forensic Psychiatry.

The main modality of psychotherapy training with the West Midlands Medical Psychotherapy training scheme is in Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. The trainee’s development in this model would be supported through clinical supervision, a psychotherapy academic programme and also personal therapy, all of which will be available as part of the training scheme.

In addition to the main modality of training in Psychodynamic / Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, it is desirable and expected that the trainee in Medical Psychotherapy has a broad-based experience in a variety of psychotherapeutic modalities. Opportunities are available to gain specific experience in Psychodynamic Interpersonal Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Other psychotherapy experiences available in the region will include Mentalisation-Based Therapy (both individual and group), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Group Analytic Psychotherapy and Family Therapy (Systemic and/or Behavioural).