By the end of the fifth and final year of training, students are required to complete a final dissertation paper of at least 20,000 words (excluding bibliography and appendices), containing both a theoretical and a practical/clinical component.
The final dissertation represents the culmination of the student’s academic, clinical, relational, and professional development throughout the psychotherapy training programme. It is intended to demonstrate the student’s capacity to integrate psychotherapeutic theory, clinical reasoning, reflective practice, ethical understanding, and supervised therapeutic experience within a coherent integrative psychotherapeutic framework.
The practical section of the dissertation should include one or more clinical case studies drawn from the student’s supervised psychotherapeutic practice. Clinical material must be presented in accordance with ethical and confidentiality standards, ensuring the complete anonymisation of all identifying information.
The dissertation should demonstrate: advanced theoretical understanding; integration of multiple psychotherapeutic perspectives; clinical reasoning and formulation abilities; reflective and critical thinking; ethical awareness; professional academic writing skills; the capacity to connect theory, relational understanding, psychopathology, and clinical intervention.
General Structure of the Dissertation
1. Title Page
Including: dissertation title; student name; year of training; department/institute; date of submission.
2. Table of Contents
3. Introduction
The introduction should: present the chosen topic and its relevance; explain the rationale for selecting the subject; outline the structure of the paper.
PART I – THEORETICAL COMPONENT
The theoretical section should demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the chosen topic through critical analysis and integration of relevant literature.
Students are expected to: review and synthesise scientific and psychotherapeutic literature; compare theoretical perspectives where appropriate; integrate developmental, relational, cognitive, emotional, psychodynamic, systemic, neuroscientific, existential or trauma-informed perspectives; formulate coherent and integrative clinical understandings.
This section should not merely summarise information, but should demonstrate analytical thinking, conceptual integration, and professional maturity.
PART II – PRACTICAL / CLINICAL COMPONENT
The clinical section should include one or more supervised psychotherapy case studies and should demonstrate the student’s ability to apply integrative psychotherapeutic principles in clinical practice.
The clinical component should generally include:
1. Case Presentation
Including: presenting problems; relevant history; developmental and relational background; psychosocial context; symptomatology; strengths and resources.
2. Integrative Case Formulation
Students are expected to formulate the case through the lens of integrative psychotherapy, considering: biological aspects; cognitive processes; emotional dynamics; psychodynamic processes; attachment and relational patterns; developmental factors; systemic and contextual influences; levels and axes of intervention within the integrative strategic model.
3. Therapeutic Process
The dissertation should describe: therapeutic goals; treatment planning; interventions used; relational dynamics; alliance development; ruptures and repairs where applicable; challenges encountered during therapy; evolution of the therapeutic process.
4. Reflective Clinical Analysis
Students should demonstrate: reflective capacity; awareness of countertransference and psychotherapist reactions; ethical considerations; professional self-reflection; understanding of the psychotherapist variable in treatment.
5. Outcome and Conclusions
The case study should conclude with: evaluation of therapeutic progress; limitations and difficulties; reflections on the effectiveness of interventions; implications for future clinical practice.
Academic Writing and Referencing Requirements
The dissertation must be written in a coherent, academically rigorous and professionally appropriate style.
All sources must be cited according to APA style guidelines, including: in-text citations; quotations; paraphrasing; complete reference list.
Students are expected to use: peer-reviewed scientific literature; academic books; contemporary psychotherapy research; recognised theoretical and clinical sources.
Failure to appropriately reference sources may constitute plagiarism and may result in rejection of the dissertation.
Ethical and Confidentiality Requirements
All clinical material included in the dissertation must fully respect: confidentiality; professional ethics; GDPR and data protection principles; the dignity and privacy of clients.
Students must anonymise all identifying information, including: names; locations; workplaces; family details; any potentially identifiable data.
Where required, informed consent procedures should be respected according to institutional and professional ethical standards.
Evaluation Criteria
The dissertation will be evaluated according to: relevance and clarity of the topic; depth of theoretical understanding; quality of literature integration; clinical reasoning and case formulation; integration between theory and practice; reflective and ethical awareness; originality and analytical depth; organisation and coherence; quality of academic writing; correct APA referencing.
The final dissertation is regarded as an important milestone in the formation of the psychotherapist, reflecting the student’s transition from trainee to independent professional practitioner capable of integrative, reflective, ethical and clinically informed psychotherapeutic work.