Qualify as a Psychotherapist

Meet the Psychotherapy team Psychotherapy Courses

Advanced Psychotherapy skinny

A psychotherapist helps individuals, couples, families, or groups manage and overcome emotional, psychological, and behavioural challenges. Using structured talk therapy, they guide clients toward better mental health, personal growth, and improved relationships.  

Becoming a psychotherapist is not just about a career—it’s about making a positive impact on individuals and society while continuously growing as a person. If you are empathetic, curious about the human mind, and passionate about helping others, psychotherapy offers a fulfilling, challenging, and purpose-driven path.

Here at Iron Mill College we teach an integrative approach to psychotherapy grounded in relational transactional analysis and a humanistic philosophy. 

Pyschotherapy Info Card


Back to How to Qualify 



Studying to become a psychotherapist

The main professional body for psychotherapists in this country is the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). They set out Standards of Education and Training for the psychotherapy training courses that they Accredit. These psychotherapy courses are all at least 4 years long, and at Postgraduate level (these are requirements of the UKCP).

Learning to become a psychotherapist is much more than learning about a new profession. It is about learning about yourself, your humanity, the meaning of your work and making long lasting friends and colleagues who enrich your life. Challenges are that we sometimes look at parts of our self that we may not like. However, this is also healing and helps us to have a better relationship with ourselves and others

At the Iron Mill, the Integrative and Relational Psychotherapy programme is accredited by UKCP. The programme is grounded in Relational Transactional Analysis and the training is recognised by International TA organisations. The programme is designed to lead to qualification as a UK based psychotherapist.

The Iron Mill route to qualifying

Iron Mill Route to Qualifying in Psychotherapy

Step 1.  Complete a TA 101

This two-day introductory course covers key aspects of TA theory. It is an essential ‘taster’, not only for TA theory but also the way we work with that theory in the College TA courses.  It is a stand-alone course, with a standardised syllabus agreed by international TA organisations, recognised by the European Association of Transactional Analysis (EATA) and the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA). Participants will be awarded an officially recognised TA 101 certificate upon completion. 

Step 2.  Certificate in Transactional Theory and Practice

This is the essential foundation year for future study in psychotherapy. The course runs for 9 weekends from October to June during which you’ll deepen your understanding of a wide array of TA theories and approaches as well as learning practical counselling skills.

Step 3:  Advanced Training in Psychotherapy

This course builds on your learning from your Certificate in TA Theory and Practice year. The Advanced training progresses to a post graduate level or Masters level equivalent, in line with UKCP Standards in Education and Training, (SETS).  The programme is a 3 year taught course, followed by a dissertation year. For each of these years, the programme runs between September and July for 10 weekends in total.

Step 4 UKCP Dissertation Year and registration as a qualified psychotherapist

This is a ten-day programme structured to support students in psychotherapy towards UKCP registration as a qualified psychotherapist. The dissertation year is designed for Iron Mill Psychotherapy students who have completed a minimum of four years of psychotherapy training and are on course to complete all requirements for UKCP registration.  On successful completion of a written dissertation followed by a viva-voce, candidates gain the Iron Mill Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy and will be put forward for UKCP registration as a psychotherapist in the college of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy, (HIPC).

Step 5  Become a Certified Transactional Analysis (CTA (P))

Students successfully completing the Iron Mill psychotherapy programme can also expand their dissertation and viva recordings to become a Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) with psychotherapy specialism

Course Venues:   Exeter   |   Poole

Website Pop -Up

.