Medical psychotherapy
The Medical Psychotherapy faculty aims to be the voice of Psychotherapy in Psychiatry and Medicine, but also the voice of Psychiatry and Medicine in Psychotherapy. The faculty's main objective is to promote cooperation among medical psychotherapists and interested colleagues across Scotland, to provide a forum for exchange of ideas, and to encourage the development of training.
Members of the faculty have links
with the Scottish training in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, with trainings in
Group Analysis, and with trainings in Cognitive-Behavioural Psychotherapy.
Members tend to have interests in individual or group psychodynamic
psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy and developments from it,
reflective practice, and psychoanalytic writing and research. The faculty is
also a place where psychotherapy tutors can share experience to ensure that
doctors training in Psychiatry have a good experience of reflective practice
and individual cases.
Membership is open to Consultants, SAS doctors, and higher
trainees in Psychotherapy throughout Scotland.
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. The faculty is currently working on
standards for psychotherapy in Scotland and improving psychotherapy training in
Scotland.
Close links are maintained with the Devolved Council of Scotland and the UK RCPsych Psychotherapy Faculty.
We hold an academic faculty meeting on an annual basis and this provides a forum for education and debate, but also a place to connect with like-minded colleagues.
Colleagues from other specialties are also welcome to join. In addition, we encourage core trainees and foundation doctors to attend our annual faculty conferences.
Contact the Faculty
Chair: Dr Alasdair Forrest
Co-Vice Chairs: Emma Lewington and Andrea Williams
Secretary: Amit Agarwal
Office Contact: Susan Richardson
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.
- Scottish Association of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists
- British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy
- Institute of Group Analysis
- Group Analysis North
- Training in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy – University of Exeter