Jobs

Psychology Graduate Internship Programme – Private Therapy Clinic UAE

Launch Your Psychology Career from the UAE to the UK

Are you a psychology graduate based in the UAE with ambitions to pursue a Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology in the UK?

Our Psychology Graduate Internship Programme at Private Therapy Clinic UAE is designed specifically to support you on this path. With a proven track record of success, this structured internship offers real clinical exposure, group supervision, and the chance to build a strong portfolio for UK postgraduate applications.

Programme Overview

• Start Date: October each year
• Duration: 12 months
• Availability: 1–3 places per year
• Time Commitment: Approx. 4 hours per week
• Location: Remote (from UAE) or optional travel to our Ireland-based clinic

What Makes This Internship Unique?

Our internship is highly competitive, attracting psychology graduates from across the UAE and internationally who are serious about pursuing UK-accredited training programmes.

We offer:

• Clinical shadowing and face-to-face client experience
• Practical exposure to CBT and Psychodynamic Therapy
• Support from a multidisciplinary team including HCPC and BABCP-accredited clinicians
• A structured pathway toward doctoral or postgraduate CBT study in the UK

✅ 100% Success Rate: Every intern who has completed the programme has successfully gained entry to either a UK Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology or a BABCP-accredited CBT course.

Your Role as a Psychology Intern

This is an honorary internship designed to help you gain the practical experience UK postgraduate programmes value. You’ll be involved in a mix of clinical and administrative tasks that support both the clinic and your own development as a future psychologist.

Key Responsibilities

• Handling phone and email enquiries from new clients
• Conducting 15-minute screening assessments (with supervision)
• Seeing 1–3 therapy clients per week after sufficient training (optional, unpaid)
• Participating in fortnightly CBT and Psychodynamic supervision sessions
• Learning core skills such as case formulation, assessment, and treatment planning

Please note: Clinical work with clients begins only after adequate training and supervision, and is not guaranteed for all interns.

Learning & Supervision

As an intern, you’ll benefit from regular group teaching and supervision sessions led by BABCP and HCPC accredited practitioners.

Sample Teaching Topics

• CBT for depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, panic disorder, GAD, low self-esteem
• Core beliefs and schema work
• EMDR and DBT techniques
• Psychological assessment and formulation
• Introduction to psychodynamic therapy
• Therapeutic relationship and endings
• Working with anger, addictions, jealousy, mild ASD, and ADHD
• Socratic questioning and guided discovery
• Couples therapy, motivational interviewing, and more

You’ll also be encouraged to contribute your own learning with opportunities to present topics of interest and participate in client roleplays and skills workshops.

How We Support Your Success

To help you gain face-to-face clinical experience and stand out in your UK applications, we provide:

• A Junior Therapist profile on our website
• A professional intro video filmed and published (optional)
• Ongoing career guidance and postgraduate application support
• Affordable access to one-to-one clinical supervision
• Flexible scheduling, including time off and coordination with other roles or studies

Admin & Client Communication Training

You’ll receive in-depth training on:

• Managing client enquiries with warmth and professionalism
• Explaining therapy options and booking assessments
• Assisting existing clients with scheduling and general support
• Becoming the first point of contact for those reaching out in distress

These tasks are designed to build your confidence in real-world clinical settings and develop the kind of interpersonal skills required for psychology training interviews.

Clinical Experience Pathway

We actively help interns progress toward direct clinical work by:

• Featuring you on our website as a Junior Therapist
• Offering real client referrals through our Low-Cost Therapy Service
• Providing tailored training in therapy delivery
• Supporting you with structured supervision for every client you see

How to Apply

To apply for the programme:

1. Send your CV
2. Record a short 2–5 minute video introducing yourself

In your video, please include:

• Your background and relevant experience
• Your strengths, hobbies, and interests
• Your career goals, including aspirations for doctoral training in the UK

The video does not need to be professional quality and is used for internal review only. It will not be shared and will be securely deleted post-recruitment.

Please note: Interview slots are limited, so there may be a waiting period after your application.

Further Preparation

We recommend listening to interviews on our Podcast/YouTube Channel where experienced clinicians model active listening and therapeutic interviewing techniques. This can offer great insight into how psychologists engage with clients and develop therapeutic rapport — essential skills for both the internship and UK doctorate interviews.

Apply Now

If you’re a psychology graduate in the UAE looking to build your clinical experience and strengthen your application for a UK Doctorate in Psychology, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Submit your application here: management@privatetherapyclinic.com