Short courses

Human Development Scotland (HDS) deliver tailor-made short courses to organisations in the health, social care and voluntary sector on aspects including infant mental health, early intervention with under 5s and the impact of parenting capacity on children's wellbeing.

Courses range from one-day seminars, to 10 week short courses which comprise of around 3 hours per week.

Find out more about our short courses by clicking on the links below or download our leaflet: Leaflet - A Brief Guide to our 10 week Short Courses

Understanding and working with adolescents: turbulence, trauma, change and challenge

This course is designed to provide ways of thinking about the adolescent phase of the life cycle in order to facilitate direct work with young people. Psychoanalytic theory is used to throw light on the complex adjustments to physical and social changes which constitute the major tasks of adolescence. It focuses on gaining understanding of the dilemmas which confront all young people. Read more

Understanding and working with children and young people who are fostered or adopted

This course is designed to provide ways of understanding children and young people who are fostered or adopted. Psychoanalytic theory is used to throw light on the complex issues involved in working with children and young people who have experienced trauma and loss and who may be struggling to establish new relationships. Read more

Infant mental health: early intervention with under 5s and their parents

This course is a practical and theoretical introduction to some essential themes influencing emotional, cognitive and personality development in babies and young children in the context of their primary relationships and experiences. It aims to introduce a psychoanalytic way of thinking about parent – infant relationships, looking at why infant mental health matters, what promotes and what gets in the way of good infant mental health and cognitive development. Read more

Latest

New studies highlight the need for more mental health treatment

In recent weeks, new studies have highlighted the need for more mental health treatment in Scotland. One in four people say the COVID-19 pandemic will have a negative effect on their mental health in the future. One third of those who had experienced a mental health problem before the pandemic said their condition had worsened since March 2020. It underlines the importance of HDS’s role to provide training and counselling services to improve mental health and emotional wellbeing in Scotland.

Thinking about Children, Young People and Adults with Learning Disabilities: A Work Discussion Seminar

People with learning difficulties have often experienced separation and loss, trauma and some have experienced deprivation or abuse. This series of 10 online seminars are designed to provide an opportunity for a range of professionals working with children and adults to think about the challenges that the children and adults face and the challenges that they pose for those working and caring for them.

HDS receives grant funding from the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund

Human Development Scotland (HDS) is delighted to have received grant funding from the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund set up by the Scottish Government and allocated through Inspiring Scotland.

Thinking about Adolescents: A Work Discussion Seminar

Because of COVID-19 those of us working with adolescents are challenged as never before. How do we support them with the additional fears and anxieties they may feel caused by the pandemic? How do we manage with the adjustments we have to make due to COVID-19 in working with this age group? This series of 10 online seminars are designed to provide an opportunity for a range of professionals working with adolescents to think about these and other concerns.

Masters in Human Relations and Counselling

Masters in Human Relations and Counselling. This three-year part-time training will lead to the award of MSc and is an advanced professional training for Psychodynamic Counsellors. The MSc has been designed to provide students with excellent clinical training, fully integrated with the knowledge, research and experience of the skills that will be necessary for those working in the modern NHS, the third sector and in private practice.

Award winners

HDS received the Volunteer Friendly Award in recognition of the volunteering opportunities we provide.

Accessibility

Looking after our mental health in uncertain times

Infectious disease outbreaks, like the current Coronavirus (COVID-19), can be scary and can affect our mental health. While it is important to stay informed, there are also many things we can do to support and manage our wellbeing during uncertain times. Here are some tips from members of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) which we hope will help you, your friends and your family to look after your mental health.

Donate

Your donation will help relieve mental and emotional distress by increasing the availability of, and access to, high quality psychodynamic and psychoanalytic counselling and psychotherapy for all who need them.

Enrol for our postgraduate training

We offer postgraduate training courses for professionals working particularly in the NHS, social services, education, private practice and voluntary sector.

Privacy Policy

We respect the privacy rights of individuals and are committed to handling personal information responsibly and in accordance with applicable law. This notice sets out the personal data that we collect and process about you, the purposes of the processing and the rights that you have in connection with it.

Why choose HDS?

There are many considerations when choosing to invest your time and resources to develop your further education. Here are reasons why HDS can help you in your professional development.

ISE - Endings and loss: In my beginning is my end

*EVENT SOLD OUT* With T.S. Eliot’s lines from East Coker in mind, Katie Lewis will be exploring the circularity of endings and beginnings, our defences against the painfulness of loss and the possible resolution of mourning. However, there is no development without loss and not all endings are negative. Katie will give three clinical vignettes which will be a basis for discussion during the ISE.

What is the psychodynamic approach

At the heart of our work at HDS is psychodynamic theory. At HDS, we believe that psychodynamic approaches, in contrast to many other types of help, support individuals to go beyond self knowledge which is consciously available to them, and supports these individuals to address difficult and painful issues which they have been (unconsciously) hiding from themselves.