So you’ve decided you want to start seeing a therapist - how do you know that the therapist you’ve chosen has had sufficient training and works in an ethical way?
Unlike other titles, the terms ‘therapist’ and ‘counsellor’ are not legally protected, meaning that theoretically anyone can call themselves a therapist or counsellor without any training. More specific types of therapy like arts therapy, occupational therapy, drama therapy and music therapy are protected titles, but therapy generally, and sex and relationship therapy specifically, aren’t.
Professional Associations are a very common way for therapists to show that they have had a specific amount of training and meet professional standards set our by the Association. There are many different professional associations that therapists can join - some of them are more generic like the BACP (British Association of Counselling Practitioners) and the NCS (National Counselling Society), whilst others are more specific like COSRT (College of Sex and Relationship Therapists - of which I am a student member) or BAAT (British Association of Arts Therapists).
In order to join a professional association, a therapist must meet the criteria laid out by that association. For example, to become a registered member of CORST, a therapist must show that they have:
Completed specialist training including at least 250 hours Guided Learning.
Carried out at least 150 hours supervised placement work within training.
Sufficient insurance and supervision in place.
By having requirements like this, professional associations are designed to help people seeking therapy ensure that they find a therapist who has taken the time to train themselves and gain experience before calling themselves a therapist. Of course, there are so many professional associations that it can sometimes be confusing to know which are relevant for the type of therapist you want to see, and what their requirements for membership are. However, most professional associations should list their requirements on their website, and most will also have a register you can search on to make sure that anyone who claims they are a member is telling the truth.
Whilst anyone can technically call themselves a therapist, there are systems in place that are designed to make it easier for people to tell if a therapist has had any training or has things like insurance and supervision (both of which are needed to ethically practice therapy).
Sources:
BBC - ‘Can anyone call themself a therapist or a counsellor?’
Gov.uk - ‘Guidance: Words and expressions protected under other legislation’
Counselling Directory - ‘Professional bodies’
Professional Standards Authority - ‘About us’
