Correspondence re possible All-Party Parliamentary Group on Counselling and Psychotherapy

Published: 17 Jul 2019

Authored by: PCSR, CTUK, PCU and others

To be read from the bottom to the top

Dear Gary, 24th July 2019

Thank you for responding. We think it would be a constructive move if your attempts to find an MP or MPs to chair or spearhead the APPG were put on hold until all the organisations interested in this matter have had a chance to meet. Would your three organisations be agreeable to this request for a pause in activity?

In this way, we will stand a better chance of preserving the unity of the professions of psychotherapy and counselling.

Please let us know the thoughts of your member organisations.

Best wishes,

Richard Bagnall-Oakeley (Chair, Psychotherapy and Counselling Union) [Use this e-mail address for correspondence[

Maria Albertsen (for Counsellors Together)

Bea Millar (Chair, Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility)

Dr David Murphy (United Kingdom Person-Centred Experiential)

Professor Ian Parker (President, College of Psychoanalysts)

Professor Andrew Samuels (Alliance for Counselling and Psychotherapy)

Janet Tolan (Chair, The Person Centred Association)

Dear Richard, 22nd July 2019

I’m writing on behalf of the three organisations (BACP, BPC and UKCP) about your request, from a range of organisations and individuals, to meet to discuss the idea of an APPG for counselling and psychotherapy.

Given the current unprecedented political climate and the impending summer break it seems highly unlikely there will be any developments for some months. As such there is very little we can say about the issue at the moment and suggest we see where we are in the autumn when there may be something to discuss.

APPGs are, of course, created by Parliamentarians and its membership is only Parliamentarians. There seems to have been some misunderstanding about this by some in the psychotherapy and counselling profession. If such a group were to be created it would then be for the Parliamentarians to engage with whoever they chose.

I hope this helps and suggest we pick the thread up in the autumn.

Yours sincerely,

Gary

Gary Fereday | Chief Executive | British Psychoanalytic Council

Dear Chairs and Chief Executives of BACP, UKCP and BPC, 17th July 2019

Following correspondence, including with yourselves, the seven organisations listed below request that you meet with us. Together, we are, at present, the main stakeholders from within the fields of psychotherapy and counselling.

Our own organisations represent approximately 6,000 psychotherapists and counsellors and we feel that it is important to discuss the proposed All Party Parliamentary Group on psychotherapy and counselling before further approaches to MPs are made by yourselves.

It is clear that there are significant concerns about recent developments in the field of therapy, and a risk of conflicts and hostility between organisations and an erosion of trust in the professional bodies.

Hence, we are seeking dialogue between our organisations to avoid further damaging conflicts about the future of psychotherapy and counselling in the UK.

We look forward to hearing from you – with, we hope, a proposal for the kind of meeting we describe in this letter.