What regulatory bodies are counsellors and psychotherapist bound by?
As a psychodynamic Psychotherapist, I am a member of both the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). These bodies monitor the standards of training, and knowledge of ethical practice for all their members. There is the requirement for their members to be in regular supervision, to maintain Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and for the UKCP, be assessed every five years to maintain accredited status. (I can confirm a successful reaccrediting as of December 2020)
In addition, all counsellors and psychotherapist must work to the code of ethics provided. Working so closely with the sense of vulnerability and intimacy can feel as if lines of communication can become blurred. As long as the therapist is working within the confines of their psychotherapeutic modality and the code of ethics, the lines of the boundaries they provide, should be able to assess if any have been crossed.
Please see attached a PDF of the UKCP code of ethics.
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