Caveat emptor’ – or `buyer beware’ – is still, unfortunately, a motto to bear in mind when seeking therapy as, despite efforts to regulate the profession, it’s still possible for `rogue’ operators to set up a practice without suitable training or qualifications – and do a great deal of harm to vulnerable clients in the process.
So if you’re seeking a therapist, it’s important to do some research, to ensure you choose a properly-qualified, trustworthy professional who will work with you effectively, and to high ethical standards.
The easiest way to do this is to work only with practitioners accredited by a reputable professional body which has strict criteria for membership, a code of ethical conduct and a complaints procedure.
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (www.BACP.co.uk ) is Britain’s largest professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists.
BACP members (who can put MBACP after their name) vary widely both in modality (ie, the type of therapy they offer) and in levels of qualification and experience. So the `gold standard’ to look for is BACP accreditation.
To gain this, practitioners must not only be suitably qualified by a reputable, BACP-assessed training organisation, but must also have gained extensive clinical experience, and passed a stringent assessment process to ensure they are competent to work independently with clients.
So to feel really confident that you’ve found a well-qualified counsellor, check that your therapist has not just MBACP after their name, but MBACP Accred. (If you want to check me out, click on BACP register on the BACP website, and enter Maria Harding Peisley 725048 in the search window.)
A final thought: check also that your chosen therapist has had therapy themselves, as this ensures they have developed sufficient self-awareness to keep their own `issues’ separate from those of their clients.
While qualified counsellors needn’t be in therapy continuously, it should be an intrinsic and substantial aspect of their training, and part of their ongoing self-care.
After all, if your counsellor doesn’t regard personal therapy as vital to their personal growth and well-being, why should you?
Carewell Counselling 