Counsellor jobs in birmingham

THE CHARITY

Suicide is the leading cause of death of men under 35 and three quarters of those who die by suicide are men. James’ Place exists to save the lives of men in suicidal crisis through delivering clinical services. We are a charity currently offering free, life-saving therapy to suicidal men at our centres in Liverpool, London and Newcastle.

James’ Place was set up by Clare Milford Haven and Nick Wentworth-Stanley in 2008 after their twenty-one-year-old son, James, died by suicide ten days after a minor operation. James had no history of mental illness or depression and had sought urgent help for anxiety and suicidal thoughts but didn’t find it.   

James' Place was set up to make the experience of finding help as easy as possible. We offer men who are experiencing a suicidal crisis a brief, intensive, therapeutic intervention in a safe environment. Men who walk through the door at James’ Place will be in a space where they feel valued and respected.  We provide a calm and peaceful environment both inside the centres and in our outside spaces, accessible to men who visit us as well as their friends and families. We have so far treated over 4,300 men who might otherwise have been unable to access the support they desperately need.

In early 2026 we will be opening our fourth centre in Birmingham. Our new centre in Birmingham will be there to support suicidal men living in the West Midlands.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are recruiting for a team of clinicians to deliver our clinical proven intervention at our new James’ Place centre in Birmingham, due to open in early 2026. As a Senior Suicide Prevention Therapist, you will work alongside the Head of Centre to manage and support the clinical team in delivering our unique intervention and co-producing effective safety plans to maintain their safety. You will be an experienced mental health professional or therapist with demonstrable interest in suicide prevention and team management and leadership. You will support men who are experiencing a suicidal crisis and their supporter(s), delivering our unique intervention and co-producing effective safety plans to maintain their safety. Successful applicants will be joining a new team at a pivotal time and will have the opportunity to shape the local culture at James’ Place Birmingham. Training and support will be provided by the Head of Centre in Birmingham and the wider James’ Place team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Senior Clinical Duties

• Work as a duty therapist to triage and assess suitability of James’ Place referrals daily
• Take full clinical responsibility of the men under James’ Place care, as a co-leader of the clinical team and in consultation with Head of Centre
• Lead and support peer support sessions, caseload discussions and reflective practice with the team
• Create an environment in which confidentiality, privacy and dignity are respected and be clear with clients about limits of confidentiality
• Lead on the creation and facilitation of a Peer Support Group once James’ Place Birmingham is well-established
• Deputise for the Head of Centre when required

Clinical

• Conduct initial Welcome Assessments with men in a suicidal crisis, assessing risk and the suitability of the James’ Place intervention and co-producing effective safety plans
• Deliver our therapeutic intervention, building trust and exploring the reasons for crisis
• Use the Lay Your Cards on the Table intervention to encourage men to talk about and explore their feelings, attitudes and behaviours and develop positive coping strategies
• Escalate care to appropriate services when necessary, including emergency services and secondary mental health teams
• Deliver one-off guidance sessions to supporters of men under the James’ Place care
• Work collaboratively with other professionals to coordinate comprehensive care
• Undergo clinical supervision with a qualified supervisor to reflect on clinical work and raise any issues or concerns arising from work
• Remain up to date with developments in law, theories and research
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to ethical standards
• Complete session notes in a timely and effective manner
• Participate in continuous professional development and engage in training provided both internally and externally
• Support the Clinical Administration team as and when necessary

Leadership and Management

• Manage, support and lead Suicide Prevention Therapists, encouraging staff to develop and grow
• Conduct regular probation reviews, monthly 1:1s and annual appraisals with staff
• Conduct therapist case reviews to ensure work is completed safely, effectively and in accordance with James’ Place policies and procedures
• Confidently identify and sensitively communicate areas for development and conduct performance management reviews when necessary
• Demonstrate and promote self-awareness and regularly dedicate time and space, inside and outside of work, to keeping yourself and the team well
• Provide support to access training and other developmental activities
• Support staff wellbeing

Outreach and Engagement

• Work alongside the Head of Centre to actively increase contact with local community organisations able to refer to us or offer move on support for men completing our intervention
• Support the fundraising team to bring potential supporters into our building and showcase our work, including the facilitation of events

Values

• Demonstrate commitment to the James’ Place values of Focus, Bravery, Respect, Compassion, Professionalism, Collaboration and Hope through all aspects of work

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The role requires someone with a relevant qualification who can confidently lead a team and support men experiencing a suicidal crisis. You will need to be able to effectively conduct risk assessments and deliver our clinically proven therapeutic intervention to ensure client safety. Strong therapeutic communication, the ability to work autonomously and teamwork skills are also essential to this role, as well as the ability to build trust and hope.

Essential

Qualification(s)

•  A Core Profession such as Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker, counselling or practitioner psychologist registered with NMC, HCPC, or Social Work England

or

• Accreditation as a psychological therapist, psychotherapist, or counsellor registered with BACP, UKCP, BABCP or equivalent, or have completed training and awaiting accreditation

You must hold a relevant qualification to be considered for this role.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience of leading, supervising and developing a team or others
• Experience of holding supervision, reflective practice and/or case management with colleagues 
• Experience of decision making, when asked by colleagues for advice and support 
• Experience of triaging referrals and demonstrating accountability for decisions made
• Experience of modelling best practice to others and working to address issues of performance and competency when they arise
• Willingness to cover Head of Centre delegated duties when needed (e.g. leave and other absence)
• Commitment to continued professional development and can evidence additional learning since completion of core training
• Demonstrable experience working with adults experiencing acute psychological distress
• Demonstrable knowledge of social and other factors which could lead to suicidal thinking and actions
• Demonstrable knowledge of the factors contributing to male suicide
• Evidence of being able to deliver a therapeutic session and work in a therapeutic environment  
• Effective communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to manage difficult situations
• Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic interventions
• An ability to collaborate with clients in the development of a person centred, individual intervention plan
• An ability to engage clients in the intervention plan, overcoming barriers to communication
• Ability to conduct effective risk assessments and collaborative safety plans with men who are presenting with high risk of suicide, or be willing and able to learn how to do so
• Ability to identify if the James’ Place service is not adequate to maintain the person’s safety and facilitate rapid transfer to the most appropriate service
• Ability to maintain boundaries within a time-limited intervention
• Ability to work as an effective team member
• Ability to manage and prioritise own workload, using own initiative and confidence in decision making
• Strong time management
• Ability to maintain up to date client records in line with James’ Place standards
• Ability to maintain own personal safety and the safety of others within the centre
• Knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding Procedures

Values

• Commitment to clinical supervision
• Ability to engage with James’ Place values
• Ability to promote people’s equality, diversity and rights
• Ability to work collaboratively and demonstrate commitment to co-production
• Ability to be transparent, honest and show discretion when needed
• Commitment to suicide prevention and working with men in a suicidal crisis

WE OFFER

•  A 7% employer contributory pension scheme
• Family friendly policies
• Death in service insurance scheme
• 25 days plus bank holidays leave entitlement (FTE), including enhanced holiday allowance with incremental rises after qualifying period

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please follow the application instructions on the full job advert. 

This position is being recruited on a rolling basis, so we encourage applicants to submit their applications as early as possible.

Our aim is to recruit clinicians who are representative of the communities of men who will access treatment at James' Place Birmingham. We particularly encourage applications from underrepresented groups and those who have experience delivering therapy within culturally diverse communities, particularly in widely spoken languages within those communities.

James’ Place is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community. Our aim is that no job applicant, temporary worker or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender and transgender status, race and ethnicity, religion and belief (including no belief), marriage or civil partnership status or sexual orientation.

If you have a disability or health conditions which means you'd benefit from any adjustments to the interview process to help you perform at your best, please do let us know in advance.

Any job offers made are subject to the receipt of two relevant satisfactory employment references. We expect this to include one from your most recent or current employer. Any job offers made are also subject to a satisfactory DBS check and a Right to Work in the UK check.