To not see a Therapist as they're under-qualified

[PigeonFingers]

I work in an environment where lots of our clients have had therapy for a variety of things. The volume of awful stories about the therapists has left me with no confidence in seeing one.

We also receive reports from the therapists and their spelling and grammar is often truly awful.

Why would I feel able to share my deepest feelings and thoughts with someone who has, at times, just completed an online course at most and now calls themself a therapist? Even if they've studied for it not online, it's often just a very simple college course with little in the way of entry requirements.

We're talking about mental health issues here and I really don't think it's acceptable that people are allowed to call themselves therapists and have such an influence on vulnerable people when they have no medical training.

I hear ya!

When choosing a therapist I personally feel that it's always best to choose someone who studied their subject at uni straight from school and has stayed in that field for the whole of the career.

Avoid like the plague ladies who have had their divorce settlement and retrained to earn a little income "counselling"

Well of course you're not being unreasonable. I wouldn't hire a lawyer that purchased their Legal Practice Course from an e-commerce store.

But you know this. Do you know how to go about checking if they're reputable and a member of an accredited society? That'd be my first port of call regardless.

I think if you wanted to see a counsellor then you are best looking for one registered with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists. At least you can then be certain the counsellor has received adequate training.
Unfortunately anyone can set themselves up as a counsellor with minimal qualifications and legally there is nothing to stop them doing so.
I am about to embark on counsellor training and am looking at six years of study before I can call myself a counsellor. ..that's one registered officially with the organisation above.

Look for somebody who is registered with UKCP (who require almost double the amount of client hours during training than BACP).

There are some great therapists out there, but also some awful ones. Contrary to PP I would not advise seeing somebody who has never had another career first. You want somebody with life experience, and in fact UKCP usually stipulate that therapists should not begin training before the age of 25.

I received a report from one today that gave a frighteningly inaccurate medical diagnosis of one of our clients, and I mean a life changing 'diagnosis'. The report was also so badly written I could barely make out what some words were supposed to be.

I googled the counsellor and in his qualification section he had that he 'experienced a difficult childhood' then completed an online course.

Our client had an enormous breakdown trying to come to terms with this diagnosis and it left me so furious thinking people are allowed to get away with this. Luckily he later saw his GP and was put straight when asking for medication to treat his diagnosis but this might not be the case for everyone. Some might get that incorrect 'diagnosis' and not be able to cope with it and simply give up.

Can GPS recommend a therapist?

GPs*

I've never had a career, and believe it or not quite a lot of life experience (I'm 23).
I'm going to be doing a counselling course and I hope people don't see me as rubbish as it will be a few years in a college.