Band 7 Counselling / Clinical Psychologist

Band 7 Counselling / Clinical Psychologist

Reports to: Clinical Lead, Dose of Nature

Job Overview:

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and innovative psychologist to join our warm and friendly team at our Dose of Nature hub in Surrey. Dose of Nature is in an exciting phase as we continue to receive funding to expand our reach, particularly increasing accessibility to our service for clients living in the Waverley area.

We are seeking a psychologist with passion for the natural world and there is great potential for the psychologist to lead on areas in which we seek to develop and expand. The post-holder would be closely supported by the psychology team, as well as the wider team, to do so.

Dose of Nature is a mental health charity whose objective is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals through increased engagement with the natural world. Our work is rooted in a wealth of scientific evidence that demonstrates the physiological and psychological benefits of spending time in nature. We deliver Nature Prescriptions to adults (aged 18+) referred by their GP with a wide range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and addiction.

Our Dose of Nature Prescription is overseen by psychologists and is a genuine alternative to both medication and more traditional psychological interventions. Through a combination of education, first-hand experience, and practical and motivational support, we aim to encourage a greater connection with nature and inspire lifestyle changes that will have a significant and lasting impact on mental wellbeing. Dose of Nature is a fun, supportive and lively organisation that encourages creativity and independence, as well as a strong sense of working together as a team.

The nature of the role requires occasional evenings and weekends to cover monthly volunteer training evenings and social events as necessitated by the needs of the charity.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical

• To carry out psychological assessments of clients referred to the service, to reach a psychological formulation of the client s difficulties and understand their wider contextual needs, and to support those clients throughout their journey with Dose of Nature, offering ad-hoc support where needed.
• To subsequently pair clients with an appropriate volunteer Nature Guide who then delivers the Dose of Nature Prescription.
• To review clients at the end of their Dose of Nature Prescription and ensure that those clients who would like to and / or need to, maintain connection with Dose of Nature by attending groups, social events, and through ad-hoc support.
• To maintain relationships with GP practices and other referrers, and to inform them of client progress.
• To support the Clinical Lead to offer workshops and presentations to other agencies, professional colleagues and in the wider community.
• To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals, staff members and volunteers contributing to a client s recovery.
• To undertake risk assessment, formulation, and management of clients and to provide advice to the Dose of Nature team on psychological aspects of risk assessment, formulation, and management.
• To actively promote client involvement in their recovery and service development.

Teaching, Training, and Supervision

• To receive and provide regular clinical supervision.
• To gain additional experience and skills relevant to the Dose of Nature model.
• To provide clinical placements for trainee counsellors and / or trainee psychologists where needed and if appropriate, ensuring that trainees acquire the necessary skills and experience to contribute effectively to client recovery, utilising the Dose of Nature model.
• To provide advice, consultation and training to staff and volunteers.

Management, Leadership, Recruitment, Policy and Service Development

• To participate in identifying and implementing the development of a high quality, responsible and accessible service.
• To contribute to the development, evaluation and monitoring of the team s operational policies and services, through the deployment of professional skills in research, service evaluation and audit
• To participate in the management of psychological resources available to the team.
• To manage the workloads of assistant and trainee applied psychologists.
• To be involved, as appropriate, in the short listing and interviewing of assistant psychologists
  and other staff.
• To provide effective leadership and management to staff which promotes high performance
  standards both individually and as a team.

Research and Service Evaluation

• To utilise theory, evidence-based literature, and research to support practice.
• To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking research
• To undertake project management, including service evaluation, with colleagues within the service to help develop service provision.

This job description sets out the main responsibilities and duties of the post, but is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and the postholder may be required to undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected of an employee of this grade.