Assistant Psychologist

Assistant Psychologists always work under the supervision of a qualified Clinical Psychologist and will usually do assessments, using observation, interviews, testing, and by gathering data from medical records. This helps the Assistant Psychologist to build a picture of a person’s difficulties and create a plan to support their recovery.

Assistant Psychologists often have some knowledge of low-level Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and can offer therapeutic intervention. Interventions would always be carried-out with the service user and with support from a Clinical Supervisor.

Assistant Psychologists work reflectively; meaning that they will spend time thinking about the impact they have on the care they offer to service users, during clinical supervision sessions.

Assistant Psychologists will monitor their service users’ progress and may also conduct research alongside their supervisor.

Where we work

Assistant Psychologists can work with people of all ages in a range of clinical settings such as hospitals, clinics, in the community, and in prisons.

In our Trust, Assistant Psychologists work with adults and children with a wide range of mental health needs such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, and with neurodivergent needs, such as Autism or ADHD.

What we earn

Assistant Psychologists usually earn from £28,392 (band 4) to £39,043 (band 5).

Assistant Psychologists are great at:

Observing
Reflecting
Collaborating
Showing empathy and compassion
Listening and communicating
Building a 'picture' of people's problems using psychological theory

How to get started

You will need an undergraduate degree in psychology which is accredited by the British Psychological Society. You can do this as a full-time or part-time undergraduate degree course at many universities.

Entry requirements for undergraduate degree courses vary between institutions, but typical requirements include:

GCSE English and Mathematics at grade C or 4.
Level 3 qualification including: A Levels, BTEC Diploma, Access to HE Diploma. Course entry requirements can be found on your chosen university’s website.

Where the role can lead: Working as an Assistant Psychologist can build skills in preparation for further training, for roles such as: Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, Clinical, Counselling, Educational or Forensic Psychologist, Clinical Associate in Psychology