Making the decision to start counselling can feel like a big step and, for some, can evoke feelings of anxiety, fear or apprehension. Considering where to start can feel difficult.
- Where do you look for a counsellor?
- How do you know they are ‘legit’?
- How do I know I will be safe?
- How do I know they are able to handle my ‘stuff’?
In the UK, counselling is not a regulated profession currently. This means that anybody can legally advertise themselves as a Counsellor or Therapist without having any experience or training.
So how can you figure out who are the professionals with counselling qualifications, experience and accountability for their practice?
Qualifications
The minimum professional qualification recognised by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is a Level 4 Counselling Diploma. This training can take approximately five years depending on how quickly they move through the levels (1-4).
The Level 4 Diploma alone takes two years and consists of a minimum of 420 tutor led learning hours, a minimum of 100 practical client hours, Monthly supervision with a qualified and experienced counselling supervisor and (often) 10-20 hours minimum of personal therapy.
Registered member of a professional body
To become a registered member of a professional body, the counsellor needs to evidence that they have completed and passed the above qualifications as a minimum. To become a registered member with the BACP, they also have to complete an additional exam to show professional and appropriate application of what they have learnt.
Examples of professional bodies are;
BACP – British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
NCPS – National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society
UKCP – UK Council for Psychotherapy
BABCP – British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists
ACC – Association of Christians in Counselling
Being a member of a professional body means that they have met the organisations criteria for joining and that they hold accountability for how they practice. Each professional body have their own code of ethics which members agree to follow and uphold. They also have their own complaints procedures which can give clients peace of mind.
There is no obligation for counsellors to join a professional body but by opting to join one (or more than one) as a registered or accredited member can evidence a certain level of training and experience.
Insurance
Public liability and professional indemnity insurance is often a prerequisite to joining membership bodies. Having appropriate insurance in place can provide a safe environment for clients and give some assurance of ethical practice.
Data Protection
Counsellors will generally handle data. From your phone numbers and email addresses to the depth of information shared in sessions and it is important that your data/information is looked after safely.
Under the Data Protection Act (2018), organisations (including sole traders) processing personal data need to register with the Information Commissioners Office (unless exempt). By being on the ICO register, shows an awareness of data protection obligations.
You can check if a Counsellor is registered with the ICO here; https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/search/
Supervision
As part of professional membership there is an expectation that Counsellors receive a minimum amount of supervision each month when seeing clients. Once qualified this is often a minimum of 1.5hrs a month but could increase depending on how many clients they see.
Continued Professional Development (CPD)
There is also an expectation that Counsellors continue learning throughout their careers even once qualified and professional bodies often request a minimum of 30 hours CPD per year. Many professional, registered Counsellors do a lot more CPD than this!
Where to look
In terms of looking for a Counsellor there are many places you could look. Some registers require evidence of qualifications before being advertised by them (which takes away some of the work from you!).
Some places to try might be;
- Counselling Directory - https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/
- BACP - https://www.bacp.co.uk/search/Therapists
- Sand Story Register - https://www.sandstory.org/register-sandstorytherapists
When choosing a Counsellor/Therapist, questions are welcome. If you want to know what CPD they have recently completed, see their insurance or qualification certificates or how they handle your data, feel free to ask. If they have everything mentioned above in place, there should be no issue with providing that information for your peace of mind.
Final thoughts
For me, therapy is relational and the relationship between Counsellor and Client is an important part of the work. Not all Counsellors are for everyone, and that is ok. Often initial phone calls are offered to be able to ask basic questions and get an initial feel for whether you’d like to book an assessment. Use these opportunities to find someone that feels right for you.
Looking into the different considerations above and choosing someone professional, ethical, experienced and accountable will allow you to make an informed decision on who to choose as your Counsellor.
If you would like to know more about how counselling might work, have a look at my FAQ section where there is more information on what I offer in my counselling practice.
If you would like to book an initial phone call to discuss whether I might be the right fit for you as a counsellor, complete the online contact form and I will get back to you to arrange a suitable date/time.