Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
Also advertised as: alternative medicine practitioner, alternative medicine therapist, alternative therapist, complementary medicine practitioner, complementary practitioner, complementary therapy practitioner
Delivers guided low-intensity therapy for common mental health conditions within the NHS.
What the job involves
Psychological wellbeing practitioners work within NHS Talking Therapies services, delivering CBT-based interventions for anxiety and depression, usually over the phone or video call. Training is fully funded and paid, making it a popular route into mental health work without a psychology degree. Caseloads are high volume, with sessions tightly structured around evidence-based protocols.
Typical responsibilities
- Assess clients referred to talking therapies
- Deliver guided self-help interventions
- Track outcomes using standard measures
- Signpost to other services when appropriate
- Maintain a high-volume caseload
Common employers
- NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT) services
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£26,000 – £29,000 a year
With experience
£31,000 – £36,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 hours, mostly daytime with some evening clinics
Working environment
Office-based or remote consultations
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Active listening
- CBT-based techniques
- Case management
- IT literacy
- Resilience
Transferable skills you may already have
- Supporting others through difficulty
- Structured, protocol-driven work
- Telephone-based communication
Requirements employers ask for
- Active listening
- CBT-based techniques
- Case management
- IT literacy
- Resilience
- PWP training course (Postgraduate Certificate, NHS funded)
- Enhanced DBS check
- develop therapeutic relationships
- ensure safety of healthcare users
- follow-up on healthcare users' treatment
- maintain work area cleanliness
- human anatomy
- human physiology
Useful but not essential
- Supporting others through difficulty
- Structured, protocol-driven work
- Telephone-based communication
- Experience in a helpline, support or care role
- Psychology degree (helpful but not essential)
- counsel healthcare users on medicines
- empathise with the healthcare user
- pathologies treated by acupuncture
- record healthcare users' progress related to treatment
- use communication techniques
- phytotherapy
- inform clients of healthy lifestyle benefits
- balneotherapy
Helpful qualifications
- Experience in a helpline, support or care role
- Psychology degree (helpful but not essential)
Licences and checks
- Enhanced DBS check
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (Level 5 Apprenticeship in some regions)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Psychology
- Related subject: Health and social care
Where this career can lead
next
Senior PWP
next
High Intensity CBT Therapist (via further training)
next
Team Lead
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Fully funded, salaried training route
- No psychology degree required
- Strong demand nationally
What people find hard
- High caseloads with tight session targets
- Repeated exposure to distressing content
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a psychological wellbeing practitioner?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a psychological wellbeing practitioner earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £26,000 to £29,000 a year, rising towards £36,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Supporting others through difficulty, Structured, protocol-driven work, Telephone-based communication.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 15 September 2026.
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