To be amazed anybody can call themselves a pyscologist?

[ComposHatComesBack]

I was half-watching a trashy Channel 5 programme called 'Bent Coppers' (yes it was every bit as well made, researched and rigorous as the title makes it sound)

Anyway throughout the programme 'Emma Kenny: psychologist' popped up offering analysis of the motives in these cases in which she she had no involvement and commenting on the motivation behind the crimes committed by corrupt Police Officers.

Now I am a complete layperson, but it struck me as odd that a medical professional was prepared to make such authoritative comment on people or cases she's had no direct involvement with and her analysis seemed a bit cod, even to my uneducated ears.

So I googled her: she has been described as an 'expert child psychologist' on a netmums webchat and was advising on potty training and speaking on children's safety on the internet conference arranged by the Safe Network.

I was beginning either she was some sort of renaissance woman, ranging across specialisms or something was amiss. Turns out that she only has an undergrad degree in psychology and a masters in counselling. A BBC website even goes to describe her as a a 'qualified physiologist' on a BBC website.

What really shocked me is that anyone can call themselves a psychologist! That only the profession of Practitioner psychologist is protected by law.

www.hcpc-uk.org/aboutregistration/professions/index.asp?id=14#profDetails

So she's even perfectly legally able to use the description 'qualified psychologist' as she has some qualifications (as does anyone who's paseed a GCSE) and anyone can use the title psychologist.

AIBU to think more legal protection ought to be given to the title 'psychologist' to stop the misrepresentation/misinterpretation of people's qualifications and experiences and that organisations should be rather more careful about vetting people's qualifications before setting them up as 'experts' on sensitive topics?

I would say she's a psychologist. Anyone who is studying psychology at a vocational/higher level or has studied psychology and works in that area I think can describe themselves as a psychologist. I think the problem here are the claims of her expertise/specialist knowledge.

Yanbu. The title should be reserved for chartered psychologists. It's not that hard to get a psychology degree, becoming a chartered psychologist is a whole different ball game.

But judging by this thread, not many people understand that.

The equivalent would be calling yourself a doctor after four years of a medical degree. Which obviously isn't allowed.

The difference is in the word "chartered", surely? Someone who has a university degree in psychology and works in the field can reasonably call themselves psychologist.

I can call myself doctor and I have nothing to do with medicine (but a PhD in another field). Obviously not medical doctor.

I know itmust, I did mention further up thread that one woukd need to do a PhD with chartership registration to call themselves a psychologist. I am part the way through my training so am not! To gain chartership is another 4 years, so I would have studied for 8 years in total to get to that point.

No, a degree in a subject doesn't mean you can call yourself that. Otherwise I'd be a politician. :)

But she is working in the field? What else is she supposed to call herself??

She's a talking head on a trashy channel 5 show.

I think she could call herself a talking head on a trashy channel 5 show.

I don't know. A shameless self publicist maybe?

Or like calling yourself a solicitor after doing an undergrad law degree.

Also illegal.

But if you wanted to see a psychologist, you'd check that they were a member of a recognised professional organisation (which would mean a minimum level of training and qualifications, on-going training requirements and insurance).

You can shorten that to "talking head on a channel 5 show" Otherwise it implies there may be non trashy shows on channel 5.

I think people are confusing protected titles with qualifications. Other than a handful of specific roles, people can generally call themselves whatever they like.

did mention further up thread that one woukd need to do a PhD with chartership registration to call themselves a psychologist.

No, that would be in order to call yourself a Chartered Psychologist. Anyone can call themselves a psychologist.

But the point is it's not illegal to call yourself a Psychologist. You don't even need a degree to call yourself a Psychologist - which is bizarre really. It is illegal to market yourself as a Psychologist with a protected title.

x-posted with madreloco. ..

But she is working in the field? What else is she supposed to call herself??

Would you be equally happy to see someone working without dental qualifications offering their services as a dentist, yanking out teeth with pliers as they're 'working in the field' ?

I don't know, but not a psychologist, legally she's CAN call herself a psychologist, anyone can, we could all describe ourselves thus and start offering our views on a range of topics on that basis.

To my mind 'psychologist' it implies a level of training, professional accreditation and training she doesn't have and should be reserved for those with a professional doctorate in psychology not anyone who fancies getting their face on the Telly.

There are many of these experts on TV. She has knowledge and experience and is good at getting herself a TV career

I watched a programme a few weeks ago about criminals who had lied on camera cue psychology and body language experts pointing out the giveaways of their guilt looking down to the left blah blah

One of the perpetrators had fooled the police for some time with an officer staring that in nearly thirty years of work he had never come across someone who was do beleivable cue expert psychologist who could tell after studying interviews with him she also smugly declared that since becoming a psychologist no one was ever able to lie to her again as she could now always tell

Compos so that would be covered by chartered psychologist. Or even psychiatrist, which would involve clinical training.

Btw a PhD in psychology would normally be very research driven and not necessarily include additional training in the way that you might imagine.

vegsplotter obviously, she lacked such sensible guidance, and has established a career as all purpose telly show psychologist.

She may well feel she reviews plenty of appropriate material before pronouncing on cases or giving child safety advice. But, on the other hand, like anyone who makes a career out of telly appearances, she has fully developed the ability to phrase her findings to push whatever audience reaction button the producers want. No matter her degrees, at this point, she is more telly presenter than scientist. IMO I am sure if she ended up speaking at a professional conference, many attendees would decide that was the night to skip out to a nice dinner instead.

The term 'clinical psychologist' is a protected title which can only be used after an undergraduate degree and an intensive 3yr doctorate and registration with the hcpc. Pamela Stephenson's guardian column used to state she was a clinical psychologist Until I told them the above. It's now changed :) Just because someone calls themselves something doesn't make it right eg Gillian McKeith calling herself 'doctor'

Calling herself a psychologist is incredibly misleading. One undergrad degree doesn't make you an expert in anything and calling yourself a "psychologist" implies that you're a practising professional, not just someone who did an undergrad.

Clinical Psychologist: 3 year psychology degree, followed by 3 year doctorate. Fiercely competitive to get in to. Trained in research and clinical practice. Training funded by the NHS.

Counselling Psychologist: Same length of training as clinical but with a different focus and not trained in certain clinical psychological assessment methods, etc. Not nearly so competitve, partly as it's self-funded, so IME counselling psychs are 1) less academically trained/achieving and 2) rich.

Health Psychologist: I think this means 3 year undergrad degree followed by masters (1 year) in health psychology plus experience in the NHS.

Anyone want to add any more?

Anyone can also call themselves a nutritionist too- it's not a protected title.

It's ironic that the OP's talking head has far more qualifications than sh neds to call herself a psychologist......

awake but the distinction between a psychologist (anyone) and a charted psychologist is often not clearly understood, in the way that say that a layperson understands what being a Solicitor or a Dentist involves before consulting them or taking their views on board. I think most people would be surprised to find out that anyone can offer themselves up as a psychologist.

In such an important area, the capacity for a charlatan to do untold damage to a person's life is immense.

Would it not be better to restrict the use of the term to those who hold the charter as some sort of benchmark of quality and training or some form of restriction on who can or who can't describe themselves as a psychologist?