Becoming a Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy supervisor

Experienced Dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) practitioners have a unique opportunity with Anna Freud to enhance their professional development by becoming a qualified DIT supervisor.

Candidates receive specialist teaching and supervision in both individual and group DIT supervision, providing the requisite knowledge and skills needed to facilitate supervision of DIT trainees and qualified DIT practitioners.

Successful DIT supervisors will be awarded a qualification from Anna Freud and will become a recognised DIT supervisor. Furthermore, qualified DIT supervisors will have access to ongoing CPD events and will join a network of DIT supervisors in providing a high standard of supervisory practice to a growing global community of DIT clinicians.

Becoming a supervisor requires a good working knowledge of the DIT approach. We recommend that you allow at least a year after qualifying as a DIT practitioner to consolidate your knowledge of the DIT model.

Applicants must have at least one year’s experience providing general supervision in high intensity NHS Talking Therapies work (or equivalent for those not working in an NHS primary care setting) that demonstrates their ability to apply generic and specific supervision competencies. Please refer to the UCL website.

To apply, please submit the following to us via email:

a letter of support from an accredited DIT supervisor who has experience of your clinical work towards qualifying as a DIT therapist; and
a letter of support from your line manager who is familiar with your supervision experience.

Supervisor training can start once funding has been approved and you have an allocated supervisor for the additional two clinical cases.

View more information here.

Once you are given the go-ahead, you may be able to secure NHS funding for supervisor training, or you can privately fund your accreditation. You will then need to secure a supervisor to oversee training requirements. We recommend where possible that supervisors-in-training work with a new supervisor for this stage.
There is a list of accredited DIT supervisors on our website. Where there has been a change in supervisor, we recommend that supervisors make contact by way of handover to obtain some feedback and identify focal areas for further training. If disagreements occur with decisions made in supervision regarding a supervisor-in-training’s progress, a consultation procedure is accessible at any stage of the accreditation process.
Successful completion of the training will include:
- Completion of two further supervised cases, including two tapes rated from each case to demonstrate a secure working knowledge of the model
- At least six months of working as a DIT supervisor-in-training, including:
  - at least three DIT cases
  - supervising two trainees, one of whom must be training to be a DIT practitioner through either the 20-Day or 5-Day routes
  - consultations on this supervision from an approved DIT supervisor (six one-hour consultations).
- Attendance at the required DIT supervisor workshops. These teach particular aspects of DIT supervision including using the competence framework, refining aspects of the DIT model in supervision, offering group supervision and contracting for supervision. Newly qualifying DIT supervisors must attend all three days unless they have demonstrable psychodynamic supervision experience. Existing DIT supervisors must attend at least one day a year.
Please note that IAPT trainees must attend all three workshops.
Download 'Becoming a dynamic interpersonal therapy supervisor' for more information.
Supervisors-in-training are required to record and complete two DIT cases under supervision to demonstrate a secure working knowledge of the model. You will need to record these cases and two recordings from each case will be submitted to an accredited supervisor to rate. We recommend that at least one of these recordings is an IPAF session. Both clinical cases need to pass, not just in terms of familiarity with the model but also in terms of demonstrating ability to work independently as a DIT practitioner. Any major difficulties in working with the model at this stage would usually suggest that more input is required before completing the supervisor stage of training. This could be a further period of supervised practice, additional reading, more training and so on.
After passing two cases, supervisors-in-training will receive six one-hour sessions focused on their supervision of trainee DIT practitioners. By this stage, supervisors-in-training are expected to have secured at least two supervisees of their own. Preferably, one of the supervisions is of a small group and the other an individual. At the end of this process, the supervisor who oversaw the supervisor-in-training’s work is required to write to Anna Freud (DIT@annafreud.org) to advise that all supervisory requirements are complete.
Those who wish to go on to becoming a DIT trainer should discuss this with their supervisor to get their recommendation. Qualified supervisors then register their interest with Anna Freud. There are limited places for shadowing DIT trainings and supervisors are expected to make themselves available to shadow four teaching days from the 5-Day DIT Training course.
Supervisor training deadlines:
- Starting clinical work (the two further cases) - within six months of your application being approved/funding confirmed.
- Completing clinical work (two further cases) - within two years of starting the 1st case. If there are extenuating circumstances, you can apply for one 1-year extension (maximum of three years if extension is granted).
- Completing the necessary supervision of trainees with consultation - within two years of completing the clinical work.
Not adhering to these deadlines means that your training funds will be lost and you will need to fund your training again if you would like to complete it.
You are required to maintain your DIT Practitioner status by seeing at least one patient a year. This should include one hour of DIT supervision for every 12 hours of DIT therapy work for the first year of work as a DIT Practitioner and using peer supervision beyond the first year.
You are also required to attend a minimum of one CPD day a year during the Supervisor training and beyond.

Becoming a Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy supervisor

Next steps

Supervisor training comprises

Supervisor-in-training requirements

Training Deadlines

Fees