Medical psychotherapy 

Membership is open to consultants, associate specialists, staff grades and higher trainees in Psychotherapy throughout Scotland.

Colleagues from other specialties are also welcome to join. In addition, we encourage core trainees and foundation doctors to attend our academic meetings.

Our executive meets three or four times a year to discuss matters of training and education, implications of government policy, developments in the provision of psychotherapy in Scotland and other relevant issues.

Close links are maintained with and the Devolved Council of Scotland and the UK Psychotherapy Faculty of RCPsych.

Current issues under discussion include:

• Resourcing and manpower (including succession planning)
• Management of the HEAT target for access to psychological therapies
• Developments in external trainings – Human Development Scotland and the Institute of Group Analysis.

We hold an academic meeting on an annual basis and this provides a forum for education and debate, but also a place to connect with like minded colleagues.

Chair: Dr Alasdair Forrest

Co-Vice Chairs: Emma Lewington and Andrea Williams

Secretary: Andrew Lawton

Office Contact: Susan Richardson

Psychotherapy Faculty Conference and AGM 2022

This event took place on Friday 18 November 2022. Contact Susan Richardson for more information on the programme and speakers for this event.

Psychotherapy Faculty Conference and AGM 2020

Due to 2020 circumstances, this year's event will be held virtually. There will be a full-day series of webinars taking place on Thursday 26 November. Please check back for further details in due course.

Psychotherapy and Perinatal Joint Faculty Conference 2019

• Transforming perinatal mental health services: what this means for good infant mental health - Dr Roch Cantwell, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist, Leverndale Hospital; Lead Clinician, Perinatal Mental Health Network Scotland
• Working with Maternal Ambivalence in a Perinatal Mother and Baby Group - Sheila Ritchie, Consultant Group Analyst for Camden & Islington FT; Clinical Lead for Parent-Infant Group Therapy, NELFT Perinatal Parent Infant Mental Health Service
• Taking Parent Infant Psychotherapy to Ordinary Settings: Using Groups to Strengthen Relationships, Now, Not Later - Jessica James, Consultant Parent Infant Psychotherapist & Group Analyst, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

Other organisations

• The Institute of Group Analysis – at present, only the introductory level of training is available in Scotland.
• The Balint Society – Promotes the Balint group format in health service. Also holds an annual conference (with subsidised places for medical students)
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies – Promotes the development of the theory and practice of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.
• Scottish Personality Disorder Network – Commissioned and established by the Mental Health Division of the Scottish Executive, the network aims to foster interest in the treatment of personality disorder in Scotland.