To be annoyed at former friend

[Hibernatingtilspring]

... And remind people to check qualifications before paying for therapy or similar services?

I know I'm being a bit unreasonable as this doesn't affect me directly, but this has wound me up and I need to vent!

Good friend years ago, we were in our twenties, worked together (but became genuine friends, went out a lot and holidayed together, it was a marketing job, very fun) I moved away and we stayed in touch over social media.

I followed her career and supported as you do, she did PR, then life coaching, then courses for people wanting to be life coaches, it was a bit MLM /influencer looking back, but this was early social media days. I let the friendship drift a bit as she moved into 'twin flames' teaching/coaching, spiritual journeys etc. Then decided to let go completely when she set herself up as a dating expert as felt uncomfortable that she was posting a lot about supporting with trauma, ACEs, attachment styles etc, given that she didn't have any training in that area.

I've just happened to watch a documentary on twin flames and it's a full on cult that encourages people to pursue relationships even if it's stalking or abusive. Its 100% what she was doing, I recognise all the language, I just had no idea of it at the time. I just looked her up and though she's moved on from that, she's now got a therapy business. She has a very convincing website including references to various psychological models and lists her qualifications - though none of them are even close to being anything that would qualify someone to be a counsellor or therapist.

It angers me that someone could take advantage of vulnerable people like this, though I doubt she would see it that way.

Please remember to check the qualifications of people if you are looking for counsellors, or anyone who sets themselves up as an 'expert', to avoid shysters like this!

(NC to post this by the way)

I knew somebody like this. She has an undergrad in psychology but effectively presents herself as a clinical psychologist, ‘specialising’ in a serious mental disorder. Her ‘qualifications’ are £10 certificates from the centre of excellence, but she leaves the CoE part out when listing them. Like your former friend she references lots of therapeutic models which to the uninformed make her appear credible. She has a large SM following and apparently has a waiting list for therapy

What I find most alarming in her case is that having done a psychology undergrad she will be acutely aware that what she is doing is wrong and unethical.

I have a friend who occasionally sends links to YouTube videos from a ‘doctor’. I watched one of them where he talked about the dangers of antacids. He was citing papers and using lots of scientific word salad, appearing quite credible, but I noticed that some of the science was wrong so looked into his qualifications. Turns out he’s a chiropractic ‘doctor’ but presents himself as a medical doctor.

Another thing I see a lot of is people citing papers to back up their health and wellness claims or anti conventional medicine arguments, but if you actually click through and read them they more often than not don’t say anything like what the person is claiming they say.

It’s very annoying but I don’t think there’s much that can be done, the genie is out of the bottle and people will believe what they want to believe.

@Jaehee yes they seem very similar! This person claims to be training to be a clinical psych - but the level of their qualifications is akin to the entry level courses that the job centre would put you on if you wanted to go into social care, so its quite a stretch to suggest that she's 'in training'. A bit like me going jogging and telling people I'm training for the Olympics.

I understand we can't police beliefs, but I do think counsellor or therapist should be a protected title, and that registration (eg with bacp) should be a requirement instead of voluntary.

The twin flames programme was so sad, there was a vulnerable 19yr old who was instructed that some random, much older, creep from the internet who messaged her was her twin flame and she was pressured into immediately moving in with him and forcing a relationship to work. It was extremely dangerous to the people who were taken in by it. I can't believe she was promoting that to other people, and making substantial sums of money from doing so.

@Hibernatingtilspring i know people have been campaigning for protected titles and regulation but I’m not sure if there’s any plans to make it happen yet. Do you think it would be enforceable though? There’s so many of them all over Instagram and elsewhere. I’m going to look up the Twin Flame documentary.

Another one I’ve just thought of is the people who set themselves up as nutrition experts. I have a friend whose diet has become extremely restricted because she’s convinced a large proportion of vegetables and grains cause health problems, and as a vegan that doesn’t leave a lot for her to eat.

@Jaehee I don't see why it couldn't be enforced, as it seems to work well enough with other professions - I think at least it would make it harder for people to set themselves up as non qualified workers because then it would be a simple thing for a prospective client to have one register that they could check, and know the person was suitably qualified, had insurance, their own supervision in place etc.

I agree nutrition is another worrying one, as are chiropractors - I know someone who has permanent nerve damage from a chiropractor manipulating their neck, apparently it's really dangerous and should never be done!