Culturally Informed Counselling in Queen’s Park, Westminster
Trainee Placement Programme
SHIFAÁ HEALING HEARTS COUNSELLING CIC (SHHC) welcomes applications from trainee counsellors and psychotherapists seeking a meaningful placement within a culturally informed and community-based therapeutic service.
We recognise that training as a therapist involves both personal and professional growth. Our placement programme aims to support trainees in developing confidence, reflexivity, and clinical experience within a supportive and relational environment.
Who Can Apply
We welcome applications from trainees who are:
- In at least their second year of counselling or psychotherapy training
- Studying on recognised counselling, psychotherapy, or CBT training programmes
- Open to intercultural, relational, and trauma-informed ways of working
- Committed to ethical and reflective practice
We particularly welcome applications from trainees from Global Majority backgrounds and underrepresented communities. A strong understanding of cultural, community, and identity-related experiences is essential to the work we do.
Our Therapeutic Approach
SHHC is rooted in an intercultural and belonging-centred approach to therapy. We recognise the importance of identity, culture, race, migration, faith, trauma, family, and community within emotional wellbeing and therapeutic work.
We welcome trainees from different therapeutic modalities, including:
- Integrative counselling and psychotherapy
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy
- Person-centred therapy
- CBT approaches
- Relational and attachment-based approaches
Our work is informed by:
- Trauma-informed practice
- Community and intercultural psychotherapy
- Reflexivity and intersectionality
- Relational and culturally responsive approaches to mental health
Languages and Cultural Understanding:
We are particularly interested in hearing from trainees who have cultural understanding, lived experience, or community connection with the diverse populations we serve.
While the ability to work in community languages is welcomed, trainees do not need to be professionally proficient in another language to apply.
Community languages within our service may include:
Arabic
Bengali / Sylheti
Farsi
Somali
Urdu
Hindi
Pashto
French
Swahili
Amharic
What We Offer:
Trainees at SHHC may have access to:
- Clinical experience with diverse communities
- Short-term and community-based therapeutic work
- Supportive reflective spaces and case discussions
- Experience working within community hubs and outreach settings
- Exposure to intercultural and trauma-informed therapeutic approaches
- Experience using clinical systems and outcome monitoring tools
Placements are designed to support both professional development and confidence in working relationally and ethically with clients from varied backgrounds.
Expectations of Trainees:
We ask trainees to:
- Hold appropriate student membership with a professional body
- Attend regular clinical supervision
- Maintain professional boundaries and accurate clinical notes
- Commit to reflective and ethical practice
- Work in line with SHHC policies and values
How to Apply:
To apply for a trainee placement with SHHC, please email: shhc.qp@gmail.com
Please include:
- Your CV
- A short statement of interest
- Information about your training or qualifications
- Your placement or clinical hour requirements
- Languages spoken (if applicable)
Honorary Clinicians
SHHC also welcomes applications from qualified counsellors, psychotherapists, and CBT practitioners who are interested in deepening their clinical experience within an intercultural and community-based therapeutic setting.
Honorary Clinicians may include:
- Newly qualified therapists working towards accreditation
- Therapists seeking to gain further clinical hours
- Practitioners interested in intercultural and community psychotherapy
- Clinicians wanting to contribute to accessible community mental health support
Honorary clinicians do not need to have completed their placement training with SHHC.
Depending on service capacity and funding, honorary clinicians may have opportunities to:
- Work with a small caseload of clients
- Develop experience working with diverse communities
- Participate in reflective spaces and CPD opportunities
- Deepen their understanding of trauma-informed and intercultural practice
- Contribute to grassroots community wellbeing initiatives
How to Apply:
To apply for a honorary clinician role with SHHC, please email: shhc.qp@gmail.com
Please include:
- Your CV
- A short statement of interest
- Information about your training or qualifications
- Your placement or clinical hour requirements
- Languages spoken (if applicable)