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Foundation Course – Psychotherapy & Counselling (London or Online)

Part-time. Study in London or Online.

Course length: 1 Year

The bpf’s Foundation Course is suitable for those at the beginning of their journey to become a qualified psychotherapist or counsellor. Built with flexibility in mind, this training is delivered through a combination of in-person and online teaching.

During this programme, trainees will gain an in-depth understanding of psychoanalytic and Jungian theory, and have the opportunity to reflect critically upon the ways in which these ideas intersect with their personal experiences and the world at large. This course also contains a supervised clinical placement and taught clinical module, where students will gain the practical experience that is essential for acceptance onto further clinical training.

The course aims to encourage critical thinking about human behaviour through a theoretical lens, facilitate opportunities for self-reflection, investigate differences in a creative and inclusive group setting, and spark the development of each student’s unique identity as a practitioner.

Students that successfully complete the Foundation Course will have all of the required theoretical and clinical experience to apply to the bpf’s qualifying courses.

Applications for October 2025 are now open.

This Foundation Course is the first year of our 4-year bpf psychodynamic psychotherapy training.

Download application form

For those based in the North of England/Scotland, we also run a Foundation Course in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Taking the first steps towards becoming a qualified psychotherapist can be daunting, and that is why we created a foundation course to provide trainees with all of the support, guidance, theory and experience they need at the very start of their journey.

Students will learn from experienced psychoanalytic psychotherapy clinicians, academics and researchers, and be taught to the bpf’s rigorous clinical and academic standards. Each trainee will also be provided with a tutor who will support them with their studies and offer further career guidance.

In addition to receiving world-class teaching, this part-time Foundation Course offers unparalleled flexibility and is easily accessible to those already in full time employment, as well as those who live outside of London. This course is taught across 10 Saturday study days (which can be attended online or in person) and fortnightly online seminars, on a weekday evening.

This course is uniquely positioned among psychotherapy foundation trainings in that it includes a clinical module which both teaching and a placement. In this clinical module, students will gain essential practical experience and start formulating their identities as practitioners. The taught component of the clinical module will also teach students about the nature of the therapeutic relationship and how to develop an analytic attitude. All students will benefit from the support of our dedicated placement officer, who will help students to secure a relevant placement during their studies.

Please note: if you have already completed Psychotherapy Today as a standalone introductory theory course, then you can study just the Clinical Module from our Foundation Course as a standalone module, in order to then be eligible for one of our qualifying courses.

If this applies to you, please contact [email protected]

This year-long Foundation Course is a pre-clinical course. To work as an accredited psychotherapist in the UK, students will need to complete a subsequent clinical/qualifying training, which typically last 3 years or longer.

Graduates of this course should have all of the theoretical and voluntary/work experience needed to apply for the bpf’s clinical/qualifying courses, or other clinical trainings in psychodynamic, Jungian and psychoanalytic practice taught elsewhere.

Acceptance onto a subsequent clinical training is not guaranteed, and students will need to meet the specific entry requirements for the clinical training they wish to apply to. Personal tutors will help students to prepare for these entry requirements.

This course will be of interest to those looking to take their first steps towards becoming a qualified psychotherapist.

The course is open to all sections of society and encourages applications from a diverse range of people. You may already be working in the caring professions (such as a GP, Social Worker or Nursery Nurse) or you might come from a completely different background.

Life experience is strongly valued. Just bring your curiosity, openness and an interest in exploring new ways of looking at the self and the world.

The theory module syllabus has been designed to facilitate reflection on the ways in which psychoanalytic and Jungian thinking can be applied to both one’s personal experience as well as political and social issues. You will examine questions ranging from ‘What is a mind?’ and ‘How do we become who we are?’ to thinking about issues like group dynamics, racism and homophobia.

In the clinical module, students will gain essential practical experience and start formulating their identities as practitioners. The taught component of the clinical module will also teach students about the nature of the therapeutic relationship and how to develop an analytic attitude.

How flexible is this course?

This course is taught across 10 Saturday study days (which can be attended online or in person) and fortnightly online seminars, on a weekday evening. This structure makes studying alongside full-time work possible.

If you are already gaining relevant clinical experience at work, or voluntarily, you may not be required to find another placement during your studies.

If you have any questions about anything mentioned above, please email: [email protected]

What happens if I have already completed the Psychotherapy Today course?

Students that have completed, or are currently studying, our Psychotherapy Today course will only need to take the clinical module on the Foundation Course to complete the programme. A reduced course fee will be available in such circumstances.

To find out more before applying, please email: [email protected]

Who is teaching?

All seminar leaders, discussion facilitators and mentors are bpf psychoanalytic psychotherapists, Jungian analysts, child and adolescent psychotherapists or psychoanalysts working in private practice, the voluntary sector and the NHS. All course members are skilled and experienced in managing and facilitating thinking and feelings in a group and individual context.

What other learning opportunities are out there?

The bpf offers infant observation groups, reading groups and advice on personal training analysis if you wish to develop your learning further. These may be taken in conjunction with the Foundation Course , particularly if you are looking to apply for qualifying training. On the course you will be assigned a personal tutor, who will be able to advise you on pathways to training.

2025/2026 Fees

Total course cost: £5150

The course fee is £5150, payable on offer of a place on the course (you will be invited to register and pay via debit card through a secured payment page). The Foundation Course fee can be paid in termly instalments.

You can also choose to pay for the modules individually, at your own pace:

Theory Module (Psychotherapy Today) – £1605

Clinical Module – £3545

Students that have studied or are currently studying our Psychodynamics of Human Development MSc can study the Clinical Module for a reduced fee of: £2266

Please contact: [email protected] to find out more.

Please note that the bpf will not be held responsible for travel/hotel expenses made or incurred in the unlikely event of this course either being cancelled or postponed. See our cancellation and refund policies for more information.

Student membership

Whilst studying, Foundation Course students must hold a bpf student membership, which costs £101.65 per year (the course takes one year to complete). This will entitle you to access the bpf library and journals, member events and other networking opportunities.

This course is comprised of a theory module and a clinical module. The content will be delivered through seminars, discussion groups, and a clinical placement.

Theory module

The Theory module consists of seminars that take place on Saturday study days, once per month (choose online or in-person attendance).

On each Saturday study day, two seminars are delivered on a specific theme; one seminar offers a psychoanalytic perspective, the other a Jungian perspective. In the initial seminars, you will be introduced to a range of theories and models of mind, starting with Freud and Jung all the way through to the present day. The rest of the seminars will take a more applied approach, exploring how ‘Psychotherapy’ can be thought about and practiced ‘Today’.

Each Saturday study day is finished with an experiential group, which is an excellent way to learn about and experience unconscious processes and group dynamics.

Clinical Module

The clinical module will include a clinical placement, as well as taught clinical seminars and discussion groups. In the first half of taught seminars, students will learn about:

Setting up a therapeutic frame
The core components of the therapeutic relationship
Transference and counter-transference
Holding an analytic attitude

In the second half of these seminars, a work discussion group will take place where students will have the opportunity to reflect upon their experiences during placement in a supportive setting.

Foundation Course Dates 2024-2025

Theory Seminars:

19 October 2024

02 November 2024

14 December 2024

18 January 2025

08 February 2025

15 March 2025

26 April 2025

10 May 2025

28 June 2025

12 July 2025

Clinical Seminars:

Term 1:

Monday 14 October 2024

Monday 28 October 2024

Monday 11 November 2024

Monday 25 November 2024

Monday 09 December 2024

Tuesday 15 October 2024

Tuesday 29 October 2024

Tuesday 12 November 2024

Tuesday 26 November 2024

Tuesday 10 December 2024

Thursday 10 October 2024

Thursday 31 October 2024

Thursday 14 November 2024

Thursday 28 November 2024

Thursday 12 December 2024

Term 2:

Monday 13 January 2025

Monday 27 January 2025

Monday 10 February 2025

Monday 24 February 2025

Monday 10 March 2025

Tuesday 14 January 2025

Tuesday 28 January 2025

Tuesday 11 February 2025

Tuesday 25 February 2025

Tuesday 11 March 2025

Thursday 9 January 2025

Thursday 30 January 2025

Thursday 13 February 2025

Thursday 27 February 2025

Thursday 13 Match 2025

Term 3:

Monday 28 April 2025

Monday 12 May 2025

Monday 02 June 2025

Monday 16 June 2025

Monday 30 June 2025

Tuesday 29 April 2025

Tuesday 13 May 2025

Tuesday 3 June 2025

Tuesday 17 June 2025

Tuesday 1 July 2025

Thursday 01 May 2025

Thursday 22 May 2025

Thursday 05 June 2025

Thursday 26 June 2025

Thursday 03 July 2025

Please note: The clinical course can be taken on either a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday but only one of the days per fortnight.

Tutorials

Students will be allocated a tutor to support them during their studies. Tutors will also help to prepare students with their applications for further study.

Other course components

You will be provided with suggested reading and watching lists and can immerse yourself as deeply as you wish.

If this applies to you, please contact [email protected]

Although not a requirement we highly recommend that students are in therapy to help support you on the course. Learning of this nature can stir up unexpected feelings and it is really helpful to have a place to work these through. Being in therapy is a requirement for entry onto further qualifying training. If you have any questions about this, please email Urvashi Chand, Foundation Course Director, at: [email protected]

If you would like more information on accessing therapy with a bpf member please click here.

See our Psychotherapy Training Pathways diagram to view the potential pathways to qualification as a psychotherapist or analyst.

Attend our Virtual Open Day to watch a presentation about this course.

Attend Virtual Open Day

Blogs

Key Considerations When Choosing a Psychotherapy Training Course – The British Psychotherapy Foundation

How to become a psychotherapist in the UK – The British Psychotherapy Foundation

Should you study a Counselling or Psychotherapy Course? What’s the Difference? – The British Psychotherapy Foundation

My Journey as a Black Trainee in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy – The British Psychotherapy Foundation

How Couples Psychotherapy Can Transform Relationships – The British Psychotherapy Foundation

Why become a psychotherapist? (part I)

Why become a psychotherapist? (part II)

Videos

What’s it like to be a psychotherapist? Psychoanalytic psychotherapist (youtube.com)

What’s it like to be a psychotherapist? Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist (youtube.com)

What’s it like to be a psychotherapist? Jungian Analyst (youtube.com)

Applications for an October 2025 start date are now open.

To apply for this course, please download and complete the application form and email it to Urvashi Chand, Foundation Course Director, at: [email protected]. The application fee for this course is £25, and this will need to be paid before your application can be considered. You can pay the application fee here.

If this applies to you, please contact [email protected]

Places for this course are offered on a first come first served basis. We recommend applying early to avoid disappointment.

Download application form

It has been wonderful to have studied at the bpf, it has changed so many perspectives in my life and I truly cherish this rich experience.”
Catia, bpf Student

Simply, it exceeded all my expectations, and sufficiently impressed and enthused me to consider a future career in psychotherapy. On a personal level it has changed me; something that has been accelerated by beginning my own personal analysis. I find myself thinking about non-verbal communications much more as a consequence of having attended the course.”
bpf Student

The ‘course has allowed to dip my toe into the analytic world and provided a broad overview of the analytic landscape. It has enhanced my understanding of psychoanalytic ideas and I’ve particularly benefited from speaking to experienced clinicians. The discussion groups in particular have been useful to clarify my own ideas and get a different perspective from others. Overall, it has helped me to determine if I would like to pursue work in this field.”
bpf Student