t: 0116 241 8331 e: office@apt.ac
About APT
The Association for Psychological Therapies (APT)
APT is an independent professional association and training organisation dedicated to improving mental health care through high-quality post-qualification training.
Founded in 1981 by psychologists William Davies and Derek Perkins, APT was established with a simple aim: to help mental health and related professionals develop practical knowledge and skills that make a genuine difference to the people they support.
More than four decades later, that aim remains unchanged.
Today, more than 150,000 professionals have attended APT training. Our courses are used by over 120 NHS Trusts, by leading independent healthcare providers, and by professionals working in a wide range of services both within the UK and internationally.
While APT began in the United Kingdom, it has increasingly become an international organisation. Professionals from Canada, Australia, the United States and many other countries now participate in APT training, particularly through our online programmes, which make our courses accessible wherever people live and work.
The Association for Psychological Therapies HQ, The Dower House, Thurnby, Leicestershire.
Why are we called an Association?
People occasionally ask why we are called the Association for Psychological Therapies rather than simply a training company.
The answer is that APT has always been more than a commercial training provider.
Although founded by two psychologists, it quickly grew into a community of professionals working together towards a shared goal: improving mental health care through better training.
Today, APT includes a core group of experienced psychologists and other professionals who develop, deliver and support training, together with a wider network of tutors, contributors, delegates and members who share an interest in improving practice and outcomes.
In that sense, APT truly is an association: a group of professionals connected by a common purpose and a commitment to good practice.
Independent and Purpose-Led
APT is an independent organisation.
We are not a charity, regulator or statutory professional body, and we do not claim to be.
However, we have always tried to place quality, usefulness and long-term value ahead of short-term commercial considerations.
Our focus is not simply on delivering courses, but on helping professionals develop knowledge, skills and confidence that improve the lives of the people they support.
That philosophy influences everything we do, from course development and tutor selection to the extensive resources and support we provide after training.
How We Work
APT courses are developed and refined through a continuous process of feedback from both the professionals who attend them and the experienced practitioners who deliver them.
Many of our tutors are senior psychologists and clinicians with extensive experience in NHS, independent, educational, forensic and community settings. Their observations, suggestions and practical insights help shape the continuing development of APT training.
Equally important is the feedback we receive from delegates. Every course is continually reviewed and improved in response to what practising professionals tell us is most useful in their day-to-day work.
A Growing International Community
APT's roots are firmly in the UK, but our community increasingly extends far beyond it.
Advances in online learning have enabled professionals from many countries to access the same training, resources and support. Canada and Australia have become particularly strong parts of the APT community, with professionals there increasingly accessing the same training and resources as their colleagues in the UK. Similarly. professionals from the United States and elsewhere increasingly form an important and growing part of the APT community.
Despite this growth, our approach remains unchanged: practical, evidence-informed training developed by experienced professionals for experienced professionals.
Our Aim
Our aim is straightforward:
To help mental health and related professionals develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to make a positive difference in people's lives.
Everything else follows from that.
The Association for Psychological Therapies HQ, The Dower House, Thurnby, Leicestershire.
Mental Health at Work: Our Pledge.
APT’s own pledge to support mental health and wellbeing in the workplace; this is what we aspire to and believe we achieve. We hope that you too may wish to aspire to it.
Exclusive Courses.
The majority of our courses are provided this way - we deliver the training exclusively for your team (live online or face-to-face) or an all-inclusive fee.
Open Courses.
The majority of our training is provided 'exclusively' for whole teams but for a lot of our courses, you can also attend 'online live' (via Zoom) as an individual or small group.
Online Anytime Courses.
Obtain APT-quality input at a time that is convenient to you and minimises the need for 'cover' normally associated with training.
