United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy

United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy
AbbreviationUKCP
Formation1993
TypeProfessional body
HeadquartersAmerica Square,
London, EC3
United Kingdom
Key people
Jon Levett (CEO)
Websitewww.psychotherapy.org.uk

The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a professional association of psychotherapy organisations and practitioners in the United Kingdom.

History

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The UKCP exists to "promote and maintain the profession of psychotherapy and the highest standards in the practice of psychotherapy throughout the United Kingdom, for the benefit of the public."[1][2][3] Only psychotherapists or psycho-therapeutic counselors who meet UKCP's training requirements and abide by its ethical guidelines are included in its online "Register of Psychotherapists".

The UKCP was initially founded in the 1980s as the United Kingdom Standing Conference for Psychotherapy following the Foster Report (1971) and the Sieghart Report (1978), which recommended regulation of the psychotherapy field.[4] It was formally inaugurated as a council in 1993.

UKCP also represents the United Kingdom in the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) – a Vienna-based umbrella organisation which sets standards for equivalence of training and practice throughout Europe.[citation needed]

Chair

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UKCP elects its chair among its members.

Term of office Office holder
2024–present Pippa Donovan (interim chair)
2023–2024 Christian Buckland
2022–2023 Jo Lucas (acting chair)
2022–2022 Syed Azmatullah
2016–2022 Martin Pollecoff
2012–2016 Janet Weisz
2009–2012 Andrew Samuels
2007–2009 James Gray Antrican
2005–2007 Lisa Wake (now de Rijk)
2002–2004 James Pollard
2001–2002 Alan Thomson
1998–2001 Ann Casement
1995–1998 Digby Tantam
1993–1995 Emmy van Deurzen
1989–1993 Michael R. Pokorny (Chair of the UK Standing Conference for Psychotherapy)

Controversy

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In October 2024 reports in the UK press alleged that self-regulation of therapists was ineffective. There were references to practitioners, including a GP, who were still able to set up in practice after having been struck off for misconduct by their member organisations, such as the BACP and UKCP. Misconduct was reported to include drug and sexual abuse. Campaigners and MPs have called for stronger measures to protect the public.[5] [6] However Professor Andrew Samuels, a long time psychotherapist and academic put forward the case that statutory regulation would not help the public nor the profession in the current ferment over abusive practitioners.[7]

See also

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General:

References

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  1. ^ UKCP (15 March 2009), Press release: "UK Council for Psychotherapy appoints new Chief Executive". Retrieved 7 July 2012
  2. ^ "United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapy".
  3. ^ UK Council for Psychotherapy (2012). "UKCP's charitable objectives". UK Council for Psychotherapy. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  4. ^ UK Council for Psychotherapy (2012). "The regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counselors". UK Council for Psychotherapy. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  5. ^ Hall, Rachel (19 October 2024). "Psychotherapists in England must be regulated experts say after abuse claims rise". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  6. ^ Strudwick, Patrick (23 October 2024). "Sex, drugs, drunk: unregulated therapy". inews. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  7. ^ Samuels, Andrew (30 October 2024). "Why I would counsel against statutory regulation of psychotherapists". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
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