IACP clarification on client practice supervision for client practice for counselling/psychotherapy students

The IACP has issued the following clarification or students regarding supervision of client practice hours. It appears in its newsletter of 3rd May 2017:

"In answer to a number of queries from students and potential students about supervision of client practice hours while completing an IACP Accredited Training Course, please note the following:

Information is available on the IACP website under Education /Training Course Information/Course Accreditation Criteria

See Downloads Course Accreditation Criteria 2015

Supervision is covered in Section 7

7.5 A mix of group and individual supervision is required.

7.6 In-house group supervision is required. This must take place at least monthly with an accredited supervisor. Groups should consist of not more than 4 students and must adhere to current IACP Group Supervision criteria.

7.7 For counsellors /psychotherapists in training, External one-to-one supervision must not be less than 1 hour’s presenting time to 5 hours client work, subject to an overall minimum of 1.5 hours of presenting time per month per student

7.8 The student’s external supervisor must not be a member of the course staff.

It is important to note that the in-house (i.e. part of the course) group supervision may be supervised by a member of the course staff. Timetabling and choice of group supervisor is at the discretion of the course.

The student’s external supervisor must be approved by the course BUT MUST NOT be a member of the Course staff or associated with the running of the course.

The EXTERNAL supervisor is answerable to the Course and will furnish at least 2 supervision reports at intervals during the course.

The Accreditation officers hope this helps with the questions being raised and are available to answer any further questions you may have."

IAHIP and BACP supervisors can verify the identity of IACP members

As part of Garda vetting procedures which are being phased in for IACP members, each member must have his or her identify verified. This can now be done not only by IACP supervisors but also by supervisors accredited by the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Here is the IACP announcement on this:

"To support members in verifying identity and to reduce potential cost and inconvenience, the IACP has designated BACP Supervisors and IAHIP Accredited Supervisors with the authority to provide this service should they wish to do so.   We would like to advise you that as of 29 April 2016, The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 is in force and the Garda Central Vetting Unit is now known as the National Vetting Bureau. The Act provides a legislative basis for the mandatory vetting of persons who wish to undertake certain work or activities relating to children or vulnerable persons or to provide certain services to children or vulnerable persons. Legal advice has been sought by IACP and it is considered that our organisation comes under the Act. New Garda Requirements The GardaÍ require, as of 26th April 2016, that all applicants must have their identity verified using a 100 Point Check system. Applicants must present identification totalling a minimum of 100 points. At least one must be photographic ID, and one must display an address. The 100-point check is a Personal Identification System and has been developed to support organisations in verifying identities, the date of birth and the current address of applicants. At present, the following Persons may verify an applicant’s identification: IACP Accredited Supervisor IACP Head Office Solicitor Commissioner of Oaths Notary or Peace Commissioner   This provides for BACP Supervisors and IAHIP Accredited Supervisors to sign off on the 100 Point Check Form if they so wish. This is optional and a decision for the individual supervisor and not a requirement from the IACP.   Please Note: No action is required by IACP members at this time. Vetting in the IACP is being phased out over a 16 month period.   IACP will contact members over the coming months with the necessary details to apply."

IACP invites members to submit suggestions on regulation of profession

Following the announcement by the Minister for Health and Children, Simon Harris TD, commencing a process of regulation for counsellors and psychotherapists, the IACP is preparing a submission which must be made by 30th November.

IACP wishing to suggest points for the submission must do so by 30th September. Of course they will have an individual right to make submissions by 30th November if they miss the IACP deadline. Comments can be sent to Liz Gannon at liz@iacp.ie

Separate registers for counsellors and psychotherapists favoured by Minister for Health

In documentation on today's (1st September 2016) by the Minister for Health Simon Harris that he is starting a process to lead eventually to statutory regulation of the profession, the Minister is stated to favour separate registers for counsellors and psychotherapists, maintained by a single registration board.

The registration board would almost certainly be part of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council (Coru) which has been regulating professions for a decade.

Coru is in the process of registering 13 professions which do not include counsellors or psychotherapists. Over the decade to date it has completed the registration of seven of these professions - so the registration of counsellors and psychotherapists is unlikely to be completed anytime soon.

Still, the process has been started by the Minister's announcement so it's on on the way - we just don't know when.

The Department of Health has published its background document at this link.

Coru is at this link.

IACP seeks new CEO: Must be a "Servant-Leader"

Below is IACP's advertisement for a Head of National & Member Services, essentially a CEO. The list of requirements is lengthy including, intriguingly, that the successful candidate should have "A Servant-Leader approach and mindset." 

[Update: Apparently a "servant-leader" is a respectable concept in corporate-speak and I displayed my ignorance above in describing the requirement as intriguing. IACP is not looking for a butler.]

Head of National & Member Services

“Members working together to achieve excellence of practice, career development and wider awareness of the value of Professional Counselling and Psychotherapy”

The IACP, founded in 1981, is the largest accrediting body for Counselling and Psychotherapy in Ireland, serving over 3500 members based both in the north and south of the island.

As the organisation and the wider profession head into a new era of change, regulation and increased significance in the support of emotional and mental health of the population, we wish to appoint a professional, experienced and empathic leader to the position of Head of National & Member Services.

The individual will work with the Board of Directors, the Head Office staff and the extensive infrastructure of Members in creating a ‘best in class’ organisation which is focused exclusively on serving and supporting our membership, maintaining the highest professional standards of practice and, in conjunction with sister organisations in Ireland and internationally, raise the awareness of the effectiveness of counselling and psychotherapy in our society.

Role Purpose

The Head of National & Member Services will work with the voluntary Board of Directors to devise and develop the strategic priorities in order to achieve the IACP’s stated purpose. He/She will be responsible for coordinating the combined resources of the Directors, the Head Office Staff and the Members in the delivery of the strategy.

Scope

• Reporting to the Board of Directors, create a member centric organisation that is aligned with the purpose of the IACP.
• Establish an ethos of service to members in order to support them professionally as well as in their careers and businesses.
• Deliver on the strategic plan as devised in conjunction with the Board of Directors.
• From time to time be the public face/voice of and spokesperson for IACP and it’s members.
• Build on the existing relationships with national and international counselling and psychotherapy organisations as well as develop new relationships with allied and complimentary organisations in order to advance the awareness, understanding and impact of the profession in society.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the organisation in conjunction with the Directors and Staff.
• Enhance the functioning of the IACP Head Office through its people, processes and systems in order to achieve the organisational purpose and values.
• Create a staff development programme to promote learning and growth for each person individually and for the collective team. 
• Establish the Head Office of the IACP as a support centre and resource for all members.

Person Specification

• Previous experience at leadership level of a member-centric organisation.
• Track record in leading an organisation through change.
• A Servant-Leader approach and mindset.
• Excellent communications, listening and influencing skills with both internal (staff, directors, members) and external stakeholders (media, sister organisations and professions, government, the public).
• Strong people development and management skills and experience.
• High degree of self-awareness and interest in personal development.
• Good project management skills and experience.
• Background in operations, project management or finance.

A competitive salary and benefits package is on offer including a commitment to matching your personal and professional development needs.

For further information, please contact Shane Twomey, Organisation Dynamics. Applicants for this position should submit their CV, with a covering letter, by Friday 29^th July 2016.  Click here to apply and follow the application instructions provided.

For more information about IACP see www.iacp.ie

IACP is an equal opportunities employer.

IACP: 30 hours' CPD must include 10 hours of supervision CPD

lACP has clarified that the 10 hours of annual CPD required of supervisors is included in the 30 hours' required of accredited members. Here's the announcement in a newsletter sent of 8th July 2016:

"The annual CPD log (consisting of 30 hours of CPD and where the applicant is a supervisor a minimum of 10 hours of the 30 hours must be related to supervision) should be completed with the reflection piece and signed off by the supervisor at the time of application for renewal of accreditation.

"Please do not send the Log with your Annual Re-Accreditation form and only provide the details of CPD activities on page 2 of the application form. The CPD Log should be kept by the supervisee in case of an annual audit.

"The full CPD log is available as a download on the IACP website."

IACP members seeking re-accreditation no longer need to be with same supervisor for 12 months

The IACP has changed the requirement that members be with the same supervisor for at least 12 months prior to the application. In a newsletter issued on 22nd July 2016, the IACP says:

"Due to introduction of Annual Re-Accreditation, the 12 month requirement to be with the same supervisor before applying for re-accreditation no longer applies. Please note that if you change your supervisor during the course of the annual accreditation year, there is a special Change of Supervisor Report Form for Accredited Members & Supervisors to be completed.

"The Supervisor Report form is available as a download under the supervision menu titled ‘supervisor report forms’ on the IACP website under the following location:
www.iacp.ie/Supervisor-Report-Form

Please send this Supervisor’s Report Form to IACP Office with your Annual Re-accreditation application form."

Do goals get in the way of supervisees' client work or of supervision?

Back in 2009, a paper published by Harvard Business School  created a stir in the area of business psychology, achievement and so on.

The paper, Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Over-Prescribing Goal Setting,  questioned the idea that having goals and working towards them assiduously is always a good thing. On the contrary, they suggested that too-intense focus on goals takes away from an awareness of the bigger picture, can lead to dishonest behaviour and reduces motivation in those who feel they have not achieved the goals set for them.

 When I read this recently I began to wonder if this might be an area for exploration by supervisors with their supervisees.  Some questions that occurred to me were:

• Could a solution focused therapist discount relationship-building or listening because of an intense focus of goals?
• Could a person centred therapist paid too little attention to helping people set useful, attainable goals?
• Could a therapist who has had a client achieve success in one area actually discount this because he or she is focused on a goal in another area? For instance if the goal is to move the client from pessimism to optimism,  could the therapist discount the still pessimistic client's success in improving relationships at home and at work?
• Could' the therapist see himself or herself as "not a good therapist" because the client has failed to "achieve" certain goals, even though many other things have improved?
• Could a supervisor have goals that he or she thinks ought to be achieved in the therapy and could he or she judge the supervisee according to whether these goals are reached? 

I think most of us would hope to avoid those traps most of the time but the thing about traps is that you can fall into them first without realising it. Although the paper referred to above is a business paper it's worth a read.

IACP to commence annual re-accreditation from 2016

The IACP will move from 5-yearly to annual re-accreditation from 1st January 2016. Here are extracts from the announcement in its latest newsletter to members:

"At some point in over the course of 2016, you will be contacted via email by a member of the IACP Accreditation Department with detailed instructions on how to renew your IACP accreditation for your therapeutic and supervision work.

"Members will be invited to renew their therapeutic accreditation (including Supervisor Accreditation at the same time, if applicable) in one simple application form.

"Your new accreditation date may be on, or after, the date of your current accreditation (according to the month).

"The new accreditation date will calculated by giving you a later date in the year, to ensure you benefit and not lose any months of accreditation.

"Please visit the IACP website for more details and to view a sample of the new re-accreditation application form.

www.iacp.ie/renewal-of-accreditation

"The processing fee for the renewal of IACP accreditation will be €20 per year.

"Any processing fee that has already been paid in recent years will be credited to future processing fees as appropriate.


"If you are an Accredited Supervisor:

"There is only one form to be completed for both categories of membership (Accredited Member and Accredited Supervisor).

"From 2016, your accreditation as an Accredited Member and an Accredited Supervisor will be renewed at the same time.

"The processing fee for the renewal of IACP Supervisor accreditation (including therapeutic accreditation) will be €30 per year in total.

"Any processing fee that has already been paid in recent years will be credited to future processing fees as appropriate."

Supervisors' Forum, Ennis, Co Clare, 26th September

A Supervisors' Forum will be held in the West County Hotel, Ennis, on 26th September from 10.30am to 3.30pm. 5 CPD hours. Facilitators: Christina Hogan & Tricia McGlacken Ryan

LINK

Supervisors' Forum Dublin, 19th September on emotional regulation

"Emotional regulation and its role in Supervision" is the subject of the next IACP Supervisors' Forum in Dubin on 19th September, 10.30am to 3.30pm. Presented by Peter Sherry. Facilitators: Trish Farrell & Ann McDonald.

Venue: All Hallows College, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.

5 CPD hours

LINK

Residence in Ireland no longer required by IACP for accreditation

In its latest newsletter, the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy says:

Please be advised that as of 31 March 2015, the requirement to be a resident and/or practising in the 32 counties of Ireland no longer applies.

 

For more information please contact the IACP Accreditation Department or visit our website: http://www.iacp.ie/first-time-accreditation

Counselling/Psychotherapy students can now combine courses for first-time accreditation, says IACP

As of June, 2015 courses done within a five-year period can be combined to make up a core course by students seeking first-time accreditation with the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Here's the announcement from the IACP newsletter:

Please be advised that amendments have been made to the IACP criteria for First Time Accreditation regarding Combining Courses and Personal Therapy In Parallel With The Core Course.

“As of 12 June 2015 courses may be combined to make up a core course. These two courses must be completed within 5 years of each other.

If the IACP believes that the ethos promoted by the course or the course providers or their employees or agents as part of the course or as part of the environment surrounding the course is / are not compatible with the ethos promoted by the IACP, the IACP has a right to refuse accreditation to the applicant who has completed such a course. This is a discretionary right of the IACP.”

“Where the applicant has completed a course or combination of two courses, which meet the IACP Core Course criteria in all respects except for the inclusion of 50 hours of personal therapy, then personal therapy taken in parallel with the course with an accredited IACP therapist (or therapist accredited by an organisation acceptable to IACP), will be accepted.”

For more information please contact the Accreditation Department or visit our website: http://www.iacp.ie/first-time-accreditation

IACP still does not accredit Irish College of Humanities and Applied Science counselling/psychotherapy degrees

I notice that the degrees in counselling and psychotherapy offered by the Irish College of Humanities and Applied Science (previously known as the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Institute of Ireland) in Limerick are still not accredited by the IACP. The list of accredited courses is at the following link:

LINK

No difference between counselling and psychotherapy, says IACP

In its latest position paper supporting statutory regulation of the profession, the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy asserts that no difference can be found between counselling and psychotherapy. An honours degree should be the minimum academic requirement for entry to counselling/psychotherapy it recommends.

The position paper can be found here:

LINK

Fitness to Practise regime does not include counsellors and psychotherapists

Despite some media reports, the new fitness to practise regime announced by the Minister for Primary and Social Care, Kathleen Lynch TD, on 21st of January 2015, does not apply to counsellors and psychotherapists.

It applies only to those professions that are being regulated by Coru. Counsellors and psychotherapists are not even on the list for future regulation. How long it will take to get on the list and be regulated is anybody's guess - five years minimum, in my opinion, if it happens at all.

Coru - another body, like Tusla, with a meaningless name - is the state agency for regulating health and social care professionals.

Link to Minister's announcement
Link to CORU

Online CPD courses from the American Psychological Association worth exploring

The American Psychological Association has put a wide range of CPD courses online at reasonable rates. They cover many aspects of psychology and psychotherapy, including supervision. Prices I saw ranged from $20 to $120. You can do online courses, buy recordings of workshops or do mini-courses based on tests in the APA Monitor on Psychology which is free online and well worth checking out.  They give credits rather than specifying a number of hours but I would imagine that a reasonable statement of hours would be accepted by accrediting bodies such as the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

I'm planning to try out a little course they have on complicated grief at $20 to see how their system works. But I have a book to finish writing by the end of November so must defer until then. I will write more about this when I've checked it out. Meanwhile, if you're up against a CPD deadline you could do a lot worse than explore what they have to offer.

Link to this resource

10 opening questions therapists ask

The always useful PsychCentral blog has an article by US-based therapists Dennis O'Grady listing 10 introductory questions therapists ask. Here are the short versions (for the longer versions use the link below):

1. What brings you here?
2. Have you ever seen a counsellor before?
3. What is the problem from your viewpoint?
4. How does this problem typically make you feel?
5. What makes the problem better?
6. If you could wave a magic wand, what changes would you make happen in your life?
7. Overall, how would you describe your mood?
9. What would it take to make you feel more content, happier and more satisfied?
10. Do you consider yourself to have a low, average or high interpersonal IQ?

Link to this resource

Strike when the iron is cold - Irvin Yalom's advice to counsellors

Strike when the iron is cold - give feedback to clients about a behaviour when they are behaving differently.

That's one of fifty pieces of advice for counsellors from Irvin Yalom, compiled by Renee Baker for her blog.

Another: Use your own feelings as precious and valuable information.  If a client bores you for example, then they may likely bore others as well.  Use that.  Say to the client, “I notice I have been feeling disconnected from you, somewhat distanced…is your feeling similar?…let’s try and understand what is happening.”

I think supervisors will find the list of great help in working with supervisees (especially students and beginners) and, indeed, in their own counselling work.

Link to this resource.

APA warns against untrained and unknowledgeable supervisors

Too many clinical supervisors in psychology are untrained and unknowledgeable, according to the American Psychological Association. Many supervisors believe no special training is required to enable them to do the job well and that they will pick up the necessary skills "by osmosis," according to an article in the APA's Monitor on Psychology. The APA has issued guidelines in an attempt to improve matters.

Although clinical supervision of psychologists may differ somewhat from the supervision of counsellors and psychotherapists, the APA view may ring a bell with those who feel supervision they received was less than good.

A link to the APA guidelines is at the end of the Monitor article.

Link to this resource