WPI Psychotherapy Training Courses are accredited through the   

There are 12 places offered for the First year, when the places are filled you can still apply for a place on the reserved list.

Places for Autumn 2026 are now taken for year 1 but we do have a reserve list.

Who can apply

Admission

The P.G. Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy and the P.G. Diploma in Gestalt Therapy are delivered at postgraduate level. Standards of training are deliberately rigorous to ensure that when qualified, participants feel equipped to deliver therapy of the highest competency.

Admissions Criteria

In general, the admission criteria are:

• to be educated to degree level 6 or equivalent.
• applicants will need to have a minimum of 4 years relevant work experience with adults. It will be up to the applicant to demonstrate in their personal statement and at interview how this experience equips them for psychotherapy training.
• be able to demonstrate own mental health and wellbeing.
• willingness to engage in adult education.
• willingness to engage in personal work through personal therapy.
• not to be related to an existing trainee or tutor.
• a willingness to disclose dual relationships with any WPI member.

A. To enter the course the trainee needs to demonstrate their academic ability through one or more of the following:

• Degree
• Professional Qualification e.g. nursing, Dip SW etc.
• Diploma of Counselling leading to BACP registration or NCS registration
• Masters / PhD

Where there is no formal higher education the trainee can demonstrate this by one or more of the following:

• Recognition prior learning – see WPI policy
• Suitable life experience – vocational courses
• WPI academic essay
• Foundation Course/Other Circumstances

B. Personal Development

• All prospective students are required to demonstrate a commitment to self- awareness and personal growth through their journey to date.
• Willingness to engage with personal therapy throughout the duration of the course.
• Have self care skills that can be applied to the training.

C. Clinical Awareness

• Preferably a counselling skills course or demonstrable people skills
• Experience of working with people
• Preferably some knowledge of mental health-ill health.

If you are interested in our training and are concerned there may be any barriers to your admission or learning, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss ways we may be able to support your professional development. At WPI we will assess your prior learning and experiences to discuss ways of gaining acceptance on the course if you should not meet the usual admission criteria.

Application forms available to download here

Download Reference forms to send to referees here

13. Recognition of Prior Learning Policy

Course Content

This is a 4-year part-time course. Each year is taught over 7 x 3 day modules (Friday to Sunday) and 1 x 5 day Module. 100% attendance is required.

The Schedule for each day is approximately the same and comprises:

• The day starts with an optional shared breakfast from 9am.
• Group Process (9.30 to 11am). During this time we sit together and listen to ourselves and each other. The group looks at the processes which occur both internally and between the group members. This is a therapeutic space but not group therapy and our aim is to be available for contact. No pens, paper or tablets are used during this process space.
• Refreshment (11am) we have a 30 minute break.
• Theory slot (11.30 to 1pm) – this is when theory is taught. Teaching methods vary as described above. We actively encourage you to tell us about your learning style and needs so we can endeavour to adapt these methods for you and your group.
• Lunch 1pm to 2.05pm
• Skills Practice – 2.05pm to 3.20pm
• Refreshment break 3.20 to 3.40pm
• Afternoon Session – (3.40pm to 5.15pm). This has a varied content depending upon group needs. It may include finishing theory, but usually the group does Fishbowl.
• Fishbowl. This is where one member is a therapist to another member in front of the whole group. It is compulsory to do 1 fishbowl as therapist and one as client each year and write up your learning in your Personal Learning Journal. During the 5 day module a fishbowl is where there are more than 8 students with a UKCP qualified therapist present.
• Personal Learning Journal (PLJ) 10 – 15 mins is given to this task most days.
• Process Out – it is vital to end well and leave as much unfinished business behind as possible. The last day of a workshop has a different timetable agreed by the group, often with a longer process out space.
• End 5.15pm

Modules can be subject to change on an annual basis

Common Workshop Topics

• The Role of the Therapist
• Introduction to Gestalt, Integrative Models, TA.
• Human Development and Attachment
• Working with Transference Phenomena
• Preparation for Clinical Work
• Neuroscience and Trauma
• Shame
• The Developmentally Needed Relationship
• Mental Health Familiarisation
• Ethics
• Anti -oppressive Practice and Intersubjectivity
• Formulation
• Experimentation
• Creative Psychotherapy
• Research

Gestalt Topics

• 3 Pillars of Gestalt-
• Dialogic Theory
• Field theory in the Here and Now
• Body Work and Exploring Fixed Gestalts
• Experimentation
• Contact and Relational Meeting
• Projective Techniques
• Phenomenological Enquiry
• Development Model for Gestalt

Integrative Topics

• Theoretical and Personal Approaches to Integration
• Enquiry, Attunement, Involvement
• Projective Techniques
• Object Relations
• Historical Models of Integration
• Contemporary Integrative Models- Including CAT & MBCBT
• Intersubjectivity and co-construction

Registration

The PG Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapy is accredited by UK Council for Psychotherapy. On passing the course you will be able to apply for UKCP registration as a Psychotherapist.

Fees  for 26/27 

Please note: Fees are payable for each year of study and may be subject to increase in subsequent years.

For Students in Year One (or Trainees who RPL and begin training in years 2 – 4)

• Membership Fee* £36 (annual fee separate from course fees below)
• Full annual course fee payment: £4878

Ways to pay (All deposits are non refundable)

1. Deposit £406.50 on enrolment then a single payment of £4471.50
2. Instalments (a Financial Agreement will be put in place) see options below:

A)  Deposit of £406.50 (on Enrolment) then a Standing Order of 11 equal payments of £406.50 (1st payment by 1st Module Autumn 2026)

B)  Or 3 payments of:

• • Deposit £1626 by first module Autumn 2026
  • 2nd payment £1626 by Jan 31st 2027
  • 3rd payment £1626 by May 31st 2027

For Student /Trainees progressing into Years 2 – 4

• Membership Fee £36 (annual fee separate from course fees below)
• Full annual course fee payment: £4878

Ways to pay

1. Full annual course fee payment: £4878
2. Instalments (a Financial Agreement will be put in place) see options below:

A)  payment of £406.50 followed by 11 payments of £406.50

B)  3 payments:

• • 1st payment: £1626 by the first module
  • 2nd payment: £1626 by Jan 31st 2027
  • 3rd payment: £1626 by May 31st 2027

Costs not included in Training fee for the year – For All Students / Trainees Year 1 onwards:

• A £25 Late marking fee is incurred if an essay is not submitted, and an extension request form is not submitted before the submission due date.
• Overnight Accommodation for the 5 Day Module is optional but will incur an extra affordable cost per night of £20
• There is an additional fee for the marking of the Level 6 diploma in Relational Counselling submission (this is optional for those who either wish to leave at the end of year 3 after completing all necessary requirements or wish to seek membership with other organisations as a counsellor) The fee is £550.
• There is an additional fee for the marking of the final Case study and Transcript. As from October 1st 2020, the Final Submission Marking fee is £675.

* Once you have begun a training year you are committed to the full fee for that year.  Personal Therapy and Supervision is external, and Students / Trainees are responsible for funding their own therapy and supervision sessions.

Trainee Growth Year

For those who need to take a year out during training

Growth Year Training Requirements

The requirement is to complete 30 hours of training remains, these must take the following form:

• Either to attend and pay for the WPI five-day module,
• Or to attend 30 hours (five days) of relevant external CPD agreed by the tutor team.
• Exceptions apply if a student/trainee has missed all or part of the compulsory modules (Ethics, Research and/or MHF). In such cases, students/trainees must attend and pay for these modules when they next run.

Fees for Growth Year Modules are as follows for 26/27:

• Membership Fee £36* (annual fee separate from course fees below)
• 3-day Module is £549.69  WPI Core Modules
• 5-day Module is £1030.15  (this includes training fees plus materials used, food and venue costs) plus additional fee per night for accommodation, if you decide to stay on site.
• Fees applicable to organiser of the relevant and agreed external CPD events.

The only fees you pay WPI in your Independent Study Stage years is your trainee membership fee until you qualify and any final submission fees (level 6 & Level 7).

Application forms available to download here

Download Reference forms to send to referees here

 Open WPI Admissions Policy and Appeals for Admission Policy

Policy 13. Recognition of Prior Learning Policy (3)

• Once you have started training and If you haven’t started seeing clients yet, you can become a UKCP student member for £24 . Please click here for further information

• For WPI Traineess who are also UKCP Trainee Members: 

         Information on UKCP Bursary scheme – To be eligible you must be a registered UKCP Trainee Member and not be in receipt of any other bursaries.

  Frequently Asked Questions by Potential Students.     

• What is special about WPI psychotherapy training?

WPI training specialises in long term humanistic relational therapy where people can address emotional wounds that may be long-standing and choose to change old habits that are no longer useful. We focus on developing trainees’ skills in actively using the Therapeutic Relationship as the locus of psychological growth. This is in line with consistent research outcomes which demonstrates that this is the most important factor in effecting therapeutic change.

At WPI our training is designed to apply to many settings but concentrates on Private Practice.

• Why Should I train at WPI?

WPI is a small Institute with a cohesive team that is committed to supporting you to achieve your training goals. We practice our values of being relational, flexible and ethical and seek both to support and challenge our trainees.

• How many places are there each year?

WPI takes a maximum of 12 people into the first year. Small cohorts means that trainees experience a supportive and creative training which is responsive to individual attributes and needs.

• How long is the course?

The course is spilt into 2 parts. The first is the taught part which is 4 academic years.

The second part is the Independent Study Stage, and this can be up to 30 months long.

The time at the end is to write up your final submission and to complete all the hours you need for qualification and UKCP Registration.

• Do you have a prospectus or a written breakdown of what is covered in each year, beyond that which you have on your website?

The website is our ‘shop window’ and is used for up-to-date course information.  Currently content is under review. 

Year 1 is a combined year of common modules

then in Years 2/3 the training separates into 2 specific groups which you choose at the end of year 1,

either Gestalt training

or Integrative training,

you then remain in this group until Year 4. 

Year 4 the groups merge and  changes back to common Modules.

• When do I have to select if I want to do the Gestalt or Integrative PG Diploma?

Year 1 is made up of common modules and gives you an introduction to all the themes of the training. At the end of year 1 you select which modality is for you.

• Approximately how many hours per week should I allow each year, in terms of (i) attendance at WPI for teaching (ii) doing the various forms of written ‘homework’ (iii) doing supervised clinical hours?

The open days cover this in more detail, however –

1. 21 days per year taught in Cardiff over 7 x 3 day modules and 1 x 5 days Creative Psychotherapy module is held as a residential usually in West Wales
2. Unlike a university, WPI does not specify hours of study. This is because people read and digest information at different speeds. There are 4 assignments a year for which you need to prepare and read widely.

From year 2 it is recommended that you will need to see a minimum of 2 clients a week. This will increase throughout the course as and when you are ready. Your clinical hours will need to be supervised at a ratio of 1:6 throughout your training. This could be through monthly group supervision or fortnightly individual supervision. 

• Is the training online or in-person?

Currently all training is in-person and we follow a strict risk assessment to reduce covid-19 transmission. WPI follows Welsh Government rules and so if there are further restrictions in Wales WPI would again use zoom based training.

• How many hours of personal therapy (as a client) should I allow for each year?

We believe that offering in-depth therapy is only possible if we have engaged with our own psychological processes to a similar level. For this reason, WPI requires each trainee to do a minimum of 40 hours of personal therapy per academic year. This needs to be with someone on the UKCP Adult Psychotherapy Register If you choose Gestalt then your therapist will need to be a Gestalt practitioner. This is in line with the requirements of the European Association for Gestalt Therapy (EAGT) and the UK Association for Gestalt Practitioners (UKAGP) If you choose the Integrative modality then your therapist can be any practitioner from the Humanistic and Integrative College of UKCP, which can include Gestalt psychotherapists.

• Aside from yearly fees, how much should I budget each year for (i) my personal therapy (ii) placement supervision (iii) consulting rooms in order to see training clients?

Prices vary regionally but in Cardiff therapists charge between £50 – £70 per session. Please ensure that the therapist you choose is the right ‘fit’ for you.

Supervision costs also vary widely with some placements contributing to costs. Expect to pay a similar price as for therapeutic work. For every 6 client hours you work, you will require 1 hour of supervision.

• What other costs should I allow for, other than travel and purchase of some books?

Membership fees to WPI  £36 and UKCP (see UKCP website for membership fees) and Indemnity Insurance approximately £45 per year from year 2. Extra for travel, accommodation and food if you live outside of Cardiff and also for the 5-day module if you choose to stay locally.

• Do I need to Buy Books and Journals?

Books – some students like to buy a lot of books, some use the WPI extensive lending library. We suggest you invest in journals too e.g. British Gestalt Journal.

• Do I need a placement to apply?

WPI does not require you to have a placement before applying. We encourage you to find a placement at the end of year one.

• Do you provide help with getting placements and supervision?

WPI Tutors can give guidance and support with this however it is up to you to research your local area and to approach potential placements in the first instance. Similarly with supervision, you are encouraged to search via the UKCP website for suitable supervisors in your locality. Once you have completed a minimum of 50 supervised clinical hours with a placement, you will be eligible to apply for the WPI Affordable Therapy Service where you can set up in semi-autonomous private practice whilst training.

Supervision:

You will need a UKCP supervisor from the HIPC College of UKCP. As above, if you choose the Gestalt modality your supervisor will need to have a Gestalt training. If Integrative, this can be anyone from the HIPC College of UKCP Placements do offer other supervisors and the hours you have with these are additional to the mandatory supervision hours needed with the Integrative / Gestalt Supervisor. Please request to see our Supervision Pack for more detailed information from the WPI administrator.

• Do you provide help with finding consulting rooms?

Trainees find consulting rooms local to where they live.  WPI runs the training from The Practice Rooms in Cardiff, which also rents rooms to Trainees (please see The Practice Rooms website for local rates if interested)

• Are there exams?

WPI does not give exams – each trainee builds a portfolio of evidence that is presented to the external examiner at the end of the training process. This is externally marked and assessed along with your final submissions.

Do I pass on merit?

WPI always passes our trainees on merit and not on a quota system. WPI endeavours  to ensure that all of our trainees develop a high standard of skilled and ethical practice so that vulnerable clients are protected.

• What qualification will I end up with?

WPI offers a vocational Post Graduate Diploma at level 7 in either Integrative or Gestalt Psychotherapy. This is at Masters level but is not a Masters, as WPI is not allied with a University. Our aim is to integrate a high level of theoretical training with rigorous interpersonal skills in order to develop effective, reflective and robust psychotherapists.

As an Organisational Member of UKCP, successful completion of WPI training leads to accreditation by and registration with UKCP. This enables graduates to practice as psychotherapists in private practice and in a range of organisations.

• WPI’s trainees also have the option – subject to several additional criteria – of attaining a Level 6 Diploma in Relational Counselling at the end of Year Three. This enables trainees to advertise as Level 6 counsellors in registers such as the Counselling Directory.

• What does it cost to train at WPI?

All costs are available on the website. The training fees can go up by no more than 10% per annum and it is our aim for any increase to be in line with inflation.

As WPI is not allied with a University, trainees cannot apply for post graduate funding; however UKCP has a limited number of bursaries for which trainees can apply to part-fund their training.

• What is WPI’s business model?

From 2020 WPI has a new ‘not for profit’ structure. It is managed by a small team of dedicated therapists and volunteer Board members. Students/Trainees have representatives on the Board. WPI has a business plan to ensure continuity for all our members.  

Disclaimer

WPI takes every effort to ensure that the information on this website is accurate at the time of publication.

WPI Psychotherapy Training Courses are accredited through    .

UKCP has a number of different ways that they can explore and address your concerns about their members or services. For information on how to raise a concern/complaint with UKCP please click on the following link https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/ukcp-members/complaints/