Low Intensity CBT Practitioners, such as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) working within the IAPT programme, continue to make a significant contribution to the mental health landscape. It’s great to see such contributions now being recognised. Not least following approval by NHS England, the BABCP and BPS have recently released individual Low Intensity Practitioner registration schemes with the Psychological Practitioner workforce recognised as one of the 12 Psychological Professions. At national level, involvement of Low Intensity Practitioners in Professional Body activity is increasingly being sought. On a personal level, I’m currently involved in developments at an international scale, for example at the University and State of Washington and Uppsala University in Sweden leading initiatives across Europe. All this points to the true impact Low Intensity Practitioners are having to change the face of mental health by slashing waiting times, supporting the delivery of evidence-based low intensity CBT interventions and providing choice.

Given recognition, now’s the time for all Low Intensity CBT Practitioners to share their knowledge and expertise with each other and let the other Psychological Professions learn from them. I’m personally aware of excellent practice, developments, projects and service initiatives being undertaken by many Low-Intensity Practitioners both in adult and children and young person’s settings. I therefore encourage you to share your work with others and contribute to continued improvements in mental health care. Through the BABCP and BPS registration processes recognising Low Intensity Practitioners as fully signed up members of the Psychological Professions in their own right, there will also be an increased expectation to contribute to service developments and continue to enhance the practice of evidence-based Low Intensity CBT. Engagement in areas such as these and publishing outcomes is now being recognised with Low Intensity Practitioners progressing to very senior positions within services with several PWP’s in IAPT services now holding Agenda for Change Band 8 roles.   

With a focus on practice-based articles, including case and research reports and practice relevant audit, the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist is an ideal journal for all Low Intensity CBT Practitioners to disseminate the excellent work they are doing to enhance services. So, if you are engaged in work with potential to contribute to the theory and practice of Low Intensity CBT then please consider publishing in the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist. Where necessary, feedback to help improve all submissions is provided by the Editorial team to ensure all accepted articles have maximum impact.

About the Author:

Professor Paul Farrand is Director of the Low-Intensity CBT portfolio within CEDAR; Psychology, University of Exeter. Paul is a member of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Programme and Psychological Practice in Physical Health Expert Advisory Groups and the National Psychological Professions Leadership Group, with a special interest in the Practitioner Psychologist profession. Paul undertakes research in Low-Intensity CBT and is currently leading two funded projects aiming to improve diversity in the PWP workforce to support retention. Associated with Low-Intensity CBT and the Practitioner workforce, Paul is currently engaged in projects looking to develop and implement Low-Intensity CBT into the USA and Sweden.