To think my racist SIL should consider another profession?

[Adventcalendargobbler]

I’ve known my SIL (35) for just over 10 years. She’s currently at the tail end of her psychology degree, and is aiming for a career as a psychologist.

She’s a very self absorbed, braggy person anyway, and constantly use unnecessary vocabulary when talking - e.g. using really obscure scientific/medical names for things in a casual conversation.

She’s adamant that she’s going to go on to earn 80k+ as a psychologist, however she is extremely racist, homophobic, and slut shames other women.

I don’t understand how it’s possible or ethical for someone to work in that field while having such awful views of people? It’s a common occurrence for her to make awful racist slurs about people!

Do people in this field have to be assessed before being let out into the wild to do their job? I’d be devastated if I knew my therapist (or whatever it is that she’ll end up doing) was not only judging me for my race/sexual orientation, but didn’t like me because of it.

I’ve told her before that her views and comments are bang out of line, but she just calls me a bore who can’t take a joke, and “obviously” she wouldn’t say this in front of people.

AIBU to think this, or am I being a bore who should keep her nose out?

Well, depends what you mean by “fully fledged”. There’s no regulations about who can call themselves a psychologist, so, yeah, someone with just an undergraduate degree can do so.

No. But they need to be challenged, because fuckers like this can potentially do so much harm.

Would you think it's OK for a Muslim extremist who lives in your street, who thinks the Manchester bombing was justified? You're happy to for them to hold these views unchallenged?

You can't arrest people for having sickening views, but they need to be challenged for fucks sake.

If racists stop hating then the threads will stop.

And your condoning the racist language is disgusting but par for the course for you.

Guess we can’t all be racists, thankfully

What's an example of a petty comment @unsureatthispoint

I would strongly disagree with that hypothetical Hate preacher’s views and tell him so, but no, I don’t agree that it should be a police matter

Why do you even associate with this person?

I would not be in a room with someone spouting hateful views like this. I'd absent myself immediately, telling her why, and would not be returning.

You've challenged her and all she did was laugh at you. So what else is left, other than sticking around to listen to her shit and ruminating on a profession she might never enter? She hasn't even yet achieved her degree. If she's this ignorant and lacking in criticality, I suspect she might struggle.

so long as she doesn't air her views in a public setting then she is not doing anything wrong
The problem is if she is racist and homophobic and as generally unpleasant as the OP says whether she voices those views or not they will affect how she behaves and how she treats her parents. So it does matter and she is in the wrong profession.

As many other posters have said only certain psychology professions are regulated (Clinical Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist, Educational Psychologist, Forensic Psychologist, Sports Psychologist and one or two others) and all of those require far further training than an undergrad psychology degree. All of these professions have regulatory bodies that would want to know if a registered professional was expressing homophobic and racist views.

Unfortunately we have totally inadequate legal protections on the job titles: counselling, therapist, psychotherapist, psychologist, life coach etc (and many other terms) that mean there is nowhere to go with complaints. They aren't regulated by anyone, so no one can strike them off a registration list. It's massively vulnerable to people being manipulated and harmed under the banner of "therapy".

Bloody hell, that is awful. The laughing “it’s a joke” attitude I take as passive aggressive.
In the workplace her “jokes” would certainly not be taken as such.
I can only hope that if she gets a job someone will notice her attitudes and she’ll be questioned on them.
She sounds awful and the psychologist role, especially with the medical term she uses, makes it look as if she views herself as a para-medical person. Very worrying.

Who is she doing the degree with?

Being racist and homophobic is wrong. As is slut shaming women so yes she's doing something wrong and if she aires these views publically it might affect her career. I could have no trust in a therapist who showed so little empathy and was so judgemental to other people. Whether or not she aires these views in front of patients her personality will come across to people, some of whom might be vulnerable.

I think you need to cut her off OP. Shame on you and your husband for even breathing the same air as this oxygen thief.

Plus if/when she qualifies you should report her to whatever the ethics/governing board is with evidence of her evil mind.

@Feelallright no, anyone can call themselves a therapist after therapy training, even without an undergrad. A clinical psychologist needs a phD and further training.

Just because someone calls themselves a psychologist doesn’t mean they actually are fully qualified to that level after a 3 year undergrad, which was what was implied.

If your SIL is planning to be part of one of the professional bodies, maybe make them aware, with evidence of course.

If racist comments are being said in a public place, there may be a case for the police to be involved. Though I expect they are only said in private.

For what?
Shes vile but it doesn’t sound as if she’s doing anything illegal or unethical with regards to her (mythical) job.

All those annoying school prefects not thinking that black men deserve to die.

Incidentally, why do you have any conversations with her at all? Going NC would be one option?

Maybe not illegal. But unethical? You think someone with those views can provide psychological help to someone whose female or black or gay?

If she were to become a Clinical Psychologist, Educational Psychologist or other regulated profession, then discriminatory statements and behaviour (especially regarding protected characteristics such as sex, race, and sexuality) typically breaches conduct standards for a member of the profession @Hoppinggreen

That would only be the case if your SIL was in a regulated position though @Adventcalendargobbler .

'University of Life' would be my guess

Where did you get this from?

If she actually becomes a proper psychologist as I. Does her doctorate (which is VERY competitive and takes many years) she will have to go through a lot to prove she is the right kind of person.

Someone who lacks empathy will probably fail early on.

Most of the crappy therapists are ones who trained many years ago when it was less regulated.

Yes, I agree with you. It’s completely more or less unregulated - unless you are a clinical psychologist or some such, or a psychiatrist. Nothing is needed for “psychologist”, “counsellor”, “therapist” etc.

Racism, homophobia, and slut shaming are all disgusting and not a trait you'd want in any qualified psychologist. Consider your relationship with your partner though as she's an SIL, any action you take is likely to have some consequence because she might be a vile piece of work but I highly doubt your partner/their family will take kindly to you putting the brakes on her career (as they will see it). Also, it is a long old process for getting into a PhD programme - she will need a master's to make a competitive application for an HCPC approved PhD - these processes are quite robust and there will be ethics training etc if she is ever to make it onto one. I would rest easy unless and until she makes it that far.