Sessional Counsellor

**About the role**

**Job title**: Sessional Counsellor

**Responsible to**:Counselling Service Clinical Manager

**Hours**:Sessional (depending on waiting lists and service requirements)

**Based at**:Gateshead / Newcastle

**Salary**:Sessional rate to be discussed

**Purpose of job**

You will provide individual counselling (Tyneside and Northumberland Mind Counselling Services) aimed at adults experiencing transient emotional and mental health problems.

Working on our counselling services in Gateshead and/or Newcastle, on a sessional basis, you will provide brief therapy counselling of up to 6 sessions. You will carry out face to face counselling sessions, telephone counselling and telephone assessments.

You will contribute to the support and development of the Counselling team and be responsible for your own continuous personal development. You will need to have regular monthly supervision with an external supervisor.

You will contribute to data collection and outcome measures for the service by completing tracking on our CRM system. You will be an ambassador for Tyneside and Northumberland Mind and the Counselling Service.

**Key Responsibilities**

1. Working with clients who have been referred by GP’s, our corporate clients, or self-referrals, on a sessional basis.

2. Carry out client telephone assessments.

3. To be proficient at using IT, especially Microsoft Office

4. Refer / signpost clients onto other services at the end of their sessions if necessary.

5. Assist in the evaluation of the service by contributing to data collection and analysis and to participate in research as required.

6. To be aware of and comply with the policies, procedures and service standards of the Counselling Service and Tyneside and Northumberland Mind.

7. Maintain training and continue professional development.

8. Fulfil professional clinical supervision requirements.

**Job Specification**

**Essential Criteria**

1. A recognised professional qualification to at least a Diploma/Foundation level 5 or equivalent for example, BACP recognised course or equivalent.

2. Qualified in Person-Centred Experiential Counselling (CFD) or willing to work towards.

3. Post-qualification supervised clinical practice experience of a minimum of 1 year.

4. Primary Care counselling experience.

5. Registered with a professional body (e.g. BACP/UKCP)

6. Ability to make use of clinical supervision (evidenced by a counselling supervisor’s statement).

7. Ability to participate in peer and individual supervision groups.

8. Record of appropriate continual professional development.

9. Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate boundaries.

10. Competency in working within a recognised theoretical framework and knowledge of other ways of working.

11. Understand the need for risk assessment and safeguarding procedures.

12. Ability to work within a time limit.

13. Ability to work effectively with colleagues from other disciplines.

14. Ability to work autonomously and as a team member.

15. Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing and the ability to work with people at all levels.

16. Competent in the use of Microsoft Office.

17. Good organisational skills.

18. Understanding/overview of current professional issues.

19. An understanding of and commitment to equality and diversity.

20. Commitment to Tyneside and Northumberland Mind's aims and objectives.

Desirable criteria

1. Qualified in Person-Centred Experiential Counselling (CFD)

2. Experience of contributing to service evaluation.

3. Holding BACP/UKCP accreditation

4. Ability to offer specific professional expertise dependent on experience.

5. Knowledge of primary care health services.

6. Experience of working with or within the voluntary sector (particularly mental health).

7. Experience of working within mental health service.

**Conditions of employment**
- National Insurance number.
- Birth certificate or British passport.
- Certificate of registration, or naturalisation as a British citizen.
- Passport or documentation evidencing citizenship of an EEA country.

**Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS check)**

**Insurance**

**Interested in joining us?**

**Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement**

Tyneside & Northumberland Mind recognises that there are systemic and individual barriers which people face in maintaining good mental health, accessing support and treatment when they need it, and being accepted for who they are in terms of their mental health. We pledge to do all we can to recognise and tackle these barriers, and to monitor our progress.

We strive to be diverse and inclusive in our workforce, our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion runs through our employee experience. We promote an inclusive workplace where our staff can bring their full selves to work and strive to ensure that everyone is offered equality of opportunity to achieve their full potential. In recruiting our team, we welcome the unique contributi