One-year course in Transference-Focused Psychotherapy
October 2024 – July 2025
Co-hosted by TFP-UK and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Meets the requirements of the International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy for didactic training element of TFP therapist accreditation.
Course Description: The course covers the TFP object relations model of personality pathology, and an inital comprehensive description of the TFP approach, its principles and techniques. Case examples will be used throughout including videos of sessions that illustrate management of common clinical situations. In the third term, the course shifts to focus on discussion and supervision of participants’ cases.
Participants will be encouraged and helped to find supervisors in the first term and to start assessing a patient for TFP. Supervision will need to be arranged by each attendee. Participants will need to fund their supervision if it is not provided by their organisation.
TFP supervision is typically weekly or fortnightly in groups of three to four for 60 minutes, with a TFP teacher supervisor providing supervision. Each person needs to present at least monthly to their supervisor for accreditation purposes. One-to-one supervision is another common model.
After completing the one-year course, participants will have a good understanding of TFP knowledge and techniques. The course will be of benefit those who have previously attended TFP training courses but want to consolidate their learning and gain a more thorough understanding. Participants will have the option of a second year follow-on seminar.
Participants who attend 80% will receive a certificate from the TFP-UK group and be able to join the ISTFP.
In order to achieve certification as an accredited TFP therapist, the ISTFP requires attendance at 63 hours of training from an accredited teacher – supervisor. Sixty-five hours will be covered by this course including the addition of seminars on two Friday afternoons in November 2023 and March 2024 taught by Professor Frank Yeomans. Accreditation requires two years of supervised practice with a TFP teacher and supervisor and to pass the exam for this level.
British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) TFP kite-mark scheme
Those who achieve ISTFP accreditation as a TFP therapist upon completing the three required elements, will be eligible to apply to the BPC kite-mark scheme after paying an annual fee. This would not confer registration with the BPC, for which a professional training is required with one of the BPC member training organisations. It will, however, enable those with a kite-mark to be listed on the BPC kitemark section of the BPC website.
32 sessions per year, October 15th, 2024 – July 2025
- Teachers: Jonathan Radcliffe and Laura Liard
- Format: online Zoom seminar
- Optional: 2nd year follow-on seminar extending course to two-years. This will be a reading and case supervision seminar.
- Frequency: weekly, for 1 hr 45 min for 32-sessions per year.
- Time of meeting: Tuesday mornings, 9.15-11
- Attendees: the training is open to mental health professionals with experience of conducting psychotherapy and in a position to see patients. Prior knowledge of psychoanalytic approaches is not required.
- Relevant professions:
- Qualified Clinical and Counselling Psychologists with HCPC registration.
- Registered Psychotherapists (BPC, UKCP, BACP or equivalent)
- Psychiatrists (member of Royal College of Psychiatry) seeing patients for psychotherapy
- Other mental health professionals who are experienced at working psychotherapeutically psychodynamically or with other orientations.
- Country of residence: those living in a country with an established TFP training are encouraged to seek training locally.
Course fee: £1200 payable in advance. There are a limited number of places for those who are currently trainees and not in full employment at a reduced rate of £600.
To apply complete the online application form. Applications are now open. Apply now or by 31st August 2024.
Further information e-mail Jonathan Radcliffe. There will also be a taster webinar with the British Psychological Society, 16th May, 2-4pm. Contact cpd@bps.org.uk if you are interested in this seminar.
Jonathan Radcliffe
Jonathan Radcliffe is a consultant clinical psychologist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist. He is head of Lewisham Personality Disorder Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. He is a TFP therapist and an ISTFP accredited teacher supervisor.
Laura Liard
Laura Liard is a clinical psychologist, works in Brussels in private practice and is a TFP therapist and an ISTFP accredited teacher supervisor.
More information about TFP
Accreditation levels and requirements
UK Transference-Focused Psychotherapy introductory course 