Time-limited Adolescent Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

What is Time-limited Adolescent Psychodynamic Psychotherapy?

TAPP is a manualised time-limited (20 sessions), dynamic psychotherapy for adolescents and young adults in the age range (approximately) of 14-25. TAPP is a distinctive, adolescent-centred brief therapy, formulating problem behaviours, states of mind, feelings and symptoms as disturbances to the adolescent developmental process. Therapeutic work with a developmental focus aims to enable young people to recover the capacity to meet developmental challenges, and reduce mental health difficulties. The approach is relevant to and works with the experiences of young people in contemporary social and cultural contexts, including:

• Complex presentations of mental health diagnoses with psychosocial vulnerabilities
• Difficulties in relationships (including e.g. (self)destructive relationships and self-harm/suicidality)
• Anxieties and difficulties around separation
• Depression
• A need for second treatments
• An external time-limit
• Post-traumatic presentations
• Transitions from children’s to adult services

BPC-accredited TAPP practitioners meet the following criteria:

• They have undertaken a course of study that includes knowledge about psychoanalytic developmental theory, with emphasis on adolescence and young adulthood, and the theory underpinning the rationale for psychodynamic interventions
• They will have undertaken intensive supervised practice with at least two completed TAPP cases.
• They will have a psychotherapy qualification and be registered by HCPC, BACP, BPC, UKCP or the ACP (other registrations may be valid)

Non-BPC registrants are not covered by our Ethical Code or Complaints Procedure but, those listed as HCPC, BACP, UKCP or ACP members will be subject to the codes and procedures of their own organisation.

What is the training?

• The TAPP practitioner training involves completing three modules; TAPP 1 (16 hours) introduces the approach which is embedded in psychoanalytic developmental theory and adolescent psychotherapy.
• TAPP 2 is supervised practice: therapy with a minimum of two cases supervised weekly; TAPP 3 consists of Clinical Reflective workshops (24 hours) concurrent with supervised practice, providing links between theory, practice and the participant’s experience of TAPP.
• Each module is rigorously assessed through written clinical and theory tasks and supervised practice. Further experience and training leads to qualification as trainers and supervisors.

Information about the training can be found on the TAPP international website.