Counselling,Mental Health,Psychotherapy,Therapy And Counselling,Wellbeing

“I do what you do.”

“I do what you do, so similar.”

This is something I have heard a lot lately and it worries me.

It worries me because this is coming from people who are NOT qualified counselling therapists and it worries me because of the potential to unwittingly, do more harm than good.

Becoming a counselling therapist.

Becoming a counselling therapist is a long process. My training overall took 4 years and as part of that I had to be assessed as “fit to practice” before I could work with clients on a one-to-one basis.

Along with copious amounts of theory work, course work and final exam, I entered a placement in an organisation as a trainee counsellor to gain the experience of working with clients one to one. This process was monitored and a minimum of 100 hours with clients had to be attained, BEFORE I could qualify.

Working as an ethical and effective practitioner requires ongoing supervision. This is where I meet once a month as a minimum, with another qualified therapist who has taken additional training in supervision to make sure you are getting the service you deserve and to keep you, and me safe. This means I am able to carry your concerns, our work together safely whilst not absorbing it deeply into myself.

And there’s more

I choose to be a member of the BACP, British association for Counselling and Psychotherapy to highlight that I meet and exceed the standards for being a safe, ethical and effective practitioner.

I commit to regular and ongoing continuing professional development such as the additional training I undertook to be become an outdoor therapist and a natural mindfulness guide.

My current CPD is around working with trauma to become trauma informed. CPD is not just about gaining new skills, it is about expanding current skills and also refreshing skills such as yearly safeguarding training.

This is something I am very passionate about because so often as individuals we are not listened to, not understood or told what is best for us. You matter, yes you really do, and part of that is transparency about qualifications, skill sets and how that therapist can work with you, as you deserve to find the right, ethical support for you.

 

Some tips to check out

  1. Don’t be afraid to check their credentials, what training have they undertaken and did that include a placement with a minimum of 100 client hours?
  2. Clarify with them what they offer, are they a coach or a counselling therapist?
  3. How do they keep your information safe? E.g., your identifiable information, name address etc.
  4. Do your research, check out their social media pages, website, professional accreditations, pricing. Is the information they provide clear and transparent?