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http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/a uthoritative-and-compassionate-voice-in-psychotherapy-and-bereavement-counselling-1.3161523

Decision of Minister Simon Harris in relation to the regulation of Counsellors and Psychotherapists under the Health and Social Care professionals Act 2005

29.5.2017

Following consideration of Minister Harris’s consultation with the Health and Social Care Professionals Council (CORU) and the public consultation process the Minister now intends to proceed with the designation under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 of two distinct professions, counsellor and psychotherapist, each with its own register, under one registration board.

Department officials will commence work as soon as is practicable on the legislative and administrative arrangements required to designate the professions under the 2005 Act, establish the registration board and arrange for the appointment of its 13 board members (to be recruited through the Public Appointments Service) in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Once appointed, the registration board will give further consideration to a number of key issues pertaining to the regulation of the professions and will advise the Minister and the Council accordingly. Registration boards established under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 can appoint sub-committees (which can include non-board members) or seek expert advice to assist in its work.

Submissions

1. The Institute of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy
2. The Irish Association for Play Therapy and Psychotherapy
3. The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
4. Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists
5. The Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy
6. Irish Council for Psychotherapy
7. The Clinical Hypnotherapy & Psychotherapy Association
8. The Irish Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies
9. The Psychological Society of Ireland
10. Bodywhys
11. Play Therapy Ireland
12. Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland
13. Irish Association of Relationship Mentors
14. The Psychological Therapies Forum
15. The Irish Childhood Bereavement Network
16. The Irish Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy
17. Mental Health Ireland
18. The National Association for Pastoral Counselling & Psychotherapy
19. The Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists
20. The Institute of Guidance Counsellors
21. The British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
22. McIntosh Caroline
23. Roberts Nigel
24. Childrens Therapy Centre
25. The Institute of Education
26. The Human Givens Institute
27. The National Centre for Guidance in Education
28. The Department of Psychotherapy Dublin Business School
29. The Irish College of Humanities & Applied Science
30. PCI College
31. Quality & Qualifications Ireland
32. DCU School of Nursing and Human Sciences
33. Turning Point Institute
34. The Institute of Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy
35. The School Of Psychotherapy St Vincent’s University Hospital
36. School of Medicine in University College Dublin
37. The Counselling Centre Cork
38. Integrative Psychotherapy programmes School of Education, UL
39. O’Sullivan Martin
40. Heffernan Joe
41. Bowman Marcus
42. Corbett Theresa
43. Abate Counselling
44. O’Farrell Ursula
45. Clothier Fiona
46. The Novara Centre
47. Lets get Talking
48. The Oasis Centre
49. Lyons Stephen
50. Men’s Development Network Counselling Service
51. HSE CHO 9 Counselling Department Addiction Service
52. O’Shaughnessy Andrew
53. Alleviate Submission
54. Reddy Mark
55. Gill Attracta
56. Henson-Dowds-Hohmann
57. D’Souza Gillford
58. HSE Directors of Counselling group
59. Doyle Anne
60. ACCORD Catholic Marriage Care Service
61. O’Keeffe Sonya Adlerian Counsellors
62. ABC Counselling & Psychotherapy
63. Comerford Pat
64. Burgess Tracey
65. Finlay Catherine
66. Hamilton Wayne
67. O’Brien Colette
68. Stevenson Kevin
69. Balfe Declan
70. White Maurice
71. New Vistas Healthcare
72. IMPACT
73. Human Life International (Ireland)
74. Alliance for the Defence of the Family and Marriage
75. National Disability Authority
76. Professional Standards Authority (UK)
77. Irish Hospice Foundation
78. Institute of Homoeopathic Practitioners Ireland
79. Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland

What do you most value from your time at TPI on a personal/professional level?

I value the emphasis in TPI on the centrality of the relationship in psychotherapy. In my experience, this key learning has stood the test of time since graduating almost ten years ago. Of course it involves considerable commitment to develop our capacity to attune to ourselves, through personal therapy, reflection, peer work etc. However, at least there is a chance that we can attune to others in a meaningful way if we have engaged in an emotionally honest relationship with ourselves. This is at the heart of TPI training.

Are you still in touch with many of the other students from your class?

I am still in touch with others from my class. I made good friends during those years. Some of us meet up as a peer reading and discussion group a number of times during the academic year. This has been a great resource as we moved through the pre-accredited stage and into the various professional and personal paths we followed post-training. Again, it is testament to the emphasis on relationship in the training in TPI.

Why did you choose to train at TPI?

I chose to train at TPI because of the range of accreditation available: 3-year course, IACP; 4- year course, IAHIP (ICP). Also, I could continue training to Masters level, with university accreditation. Accreditation may not seem like a burning issue when you set out on initial training, but it becomes one if you want to use your skills and knowledge in a meaningful, professional and ethical way. Having the opportunity to research an area of interest during the MSc was fantastic. For me, it was a chance to explore the relationship between therapists’ meditation practice and their work. It was a deeply enriching experience.

How psychotherapy can benefit people of different core professions

My background was in second-level teaching. Completing the training opened up the possibility of taking on a counselling role in an education setting. But aside from this explicit use of my qualification, I recognised an implicit influence from the training in my work. Put simply, if we are attuned to our own experience, we have a greater capacity to attune to others. I believe this has a profound impact on our working relationships. It gives us a relational focus in the workplace which really can transform both our perspective on work and how we work!

What do you most value from your time at TPI on a personal/professional level?

For me it was the personal development and growth – how I have changed as a result and how I use my learnings every day from a personal and also a professional basis.

What was the most surprising thing about your training?

I didn’t realise the amount of personal processing I would go through as part of my psychotherapy training. There is a lot – in the big group and the small group! However, I learned throughout my training the importance of personal processing in becoming a very good psychotherapist.

Did you have a plan before you applied? If so, did you follow that plan?

I had half a plan. I thought perhaps after I finished my course, I could potentially go part time in my job so as to give myself the time to develop my psychotherapy practice. This has not gone to plan as I have decided to take a break from practicing psychotherapy. I realised trying to juggle a fulltime job and doing the MSc for the past four years had taken its toll on me and how I needed to take a break. I don’t regret my four years training in TPI at all as I am using my learnings every single day.

Why did you choose to train as a psychotherapist?

Mental health has always been part of my life as both my parents are psychiatric nurses. Positive mental health is something I am very passionate about and I felt psychotherapy was a way I could help others who were having difficulty.

What was your profession before training at TPI?

I have worked in the corporate world for the past 20 years in many different roles but for the past 10 years I have working as a Corporate Responsibility Manager in a mobile communications company and now a legal firm.

How did you enjoy the lectures during your training?

I really enjoyed them – very different to the lectures I experienced when I did my first degree in Limerick. Much more interactive and challenging. A lot of personal learning.

Are you still in touch with many of the other students from your class?

Yes I have made many friends from Turning Point and this is one of the things I value the most from my four years training. I have met some of the most amazing people and delighted that I can now call them my friends. I have learned so much from therm and they were a very important part of my personal growth.

What did you learn most about yourself at TPI?

There are two words that sum up my learnings from TPI – self awareness – leaning how to be aware of my feelings, thoughts, body, mind. Sounds very simple but so powerful. and – acceptance – accepting who I am and who I was

Why did you choose to train at TPI?

I was interested in doing psychotherapy but didn’t know where to start with the training. I saw an advertisement for the foundation course in TPI so I thought this would be a good starting point. opportunity to learn about psychotherapy. I loved the foundation course and decided to do the MSc. I did further research into the colleges but decided on Turning Point because of references, location and weekend lectures.

What do you most value from your time at Turning Point on a personal/professional level?

I Value The Secure And Nurturing Space Which Has Been Created By The Turning Point Institute. This Space Enables Self Exploration And Growth Which Is Vital To The Development And Training Of Psychotherapists.

What was the most difficult aspect of your training as a therapist?

The Most Challenging Part Of My Training Was Facing My Own Demons, Owning My Issues And Learning To Accept Myself, Warts And All!

What was the most surprising thing about your training?

The realisation that I have choices, I have autonomy over my own life and that it is ok to say no. I couldn’t believe how liberating this was.

Why did you choose to train as a psychotherapist?

I Have Always Been Very Interested In The Workings Of The Mind And Particularly The Psyche Of The Classical Musician In Performance. Being A Classical Singer Myself Made Me Very Aware Of Some Of The Challenges Musicians Face Both On And Off Stage.

What was your profession before training at Turning Point?

My Principal Profession Has Always Been, And Still Is, A Classical Singer. I Also Teach Singing, Lecture In Performance Psychology And Work With Cancer Patients In A Psychotherapeutic Setting.

What did you learn most about yourself at Turning Point?

That I Try To Do Too Much And Am Not Always Kind To Myself, That I Am Allowed To Make Choices And Say No. I Learned To Give Myself Permission To “stop” Now And Again.

Why did you choose to train at Turning Point?

I Chose The Turning Point Institute Because I Knew Kay Conroy And Mary Paula Walshe And Respected Them Highly. I Knew The Standards Of Excellence That They Sought To Provide In The Training And In The Therapists That They Send Out Into The World. I Wanted To Know More About People And The Psychological Make Up Of People. I Also Wanted To Do A Lot Of Intense Work On Myself And My Own Self Development. I Feel That The Training Was So Worthwhile Even If I Never Actually Worked As A Therapist. It Was Of Huge Benefit To Me As A Person.

Is it important to you the MSc is accredited by UCC?

Yes It Is. This Is An Excellent Course. It Takes A Huge Amount Of Work, Study, Self Sacrifice And Time. It Should Be Recognised And Valued And Should Take Its Rightful Place In The Academic World.

My favourite lecture to deliver is the first lecture in my research module. This introduction to research highlights the need to carry out research to expand our knowledge so we can develop high quality interventions and ultimately help people. Quite often students are scared of doing research because it involves collecting data and analyzing it. My aim is to dispel the fear! My lecture focuses on the skills needed such as searching for information, reading, and taking a critical approach. In other words being healthily skeptical! Being a good researcher is like being a good detective, always looking for evidence. Students learn about the need to conduct rigorous, systematic research using an analytical approach and support their views with evidence from previous studies that are reliable and valid. This is equally true whether they are interested in an individual case study or in finding out about a particular characteristic in a large group of people.

Dr. Mary Ivers, BA Psych (Hons); M.Litt., Reg.Health Psychol. Ps.S.I., C. Psychol.

My specialist area of interest is Health Psychology. Topics I have a special interest in are cancer survivorship and self-care in the caring professions. Cancer as an illness and cancer treatment both impact on physical health, but they also impact on emotional wellbeing. My doctoral work involved a number of studies investigating life after cancer treatment and found that while most people do really well there are some who need support to help improve their physical and mental quality of life and reduce further health risks. I found quite striking levels of anxiety in many cancer survivors, even several years after completing treatment. Many psychotherapists provide a wonderful service in many cancer support centers around the country for those experiencing anxiety. This brings me to the other area I am interested in which is self-care. Many caring professionals, including psychotherapists, are in danger of becoming emotionally exhausted from the type of work they do. The profession of psychotherapy is very cognizant of this and through training and support encourages psychotherapists to have high levels of self-awareness, engage in good self-care strategies and avail of supervision to support them in being the best they can be for their clients.

Dr. Mary Ivers, BA Psych (Hons); M.Litt., Reg.Health Psychol. Ps.S.I., C. Psychol.