Counselling

[alp]

DH and I need counselling. We are hardly speaking and I have a huge pile of resentment towards him and I think that counselling will help get us back on track. Hopefully!

How do you go about finding and choosing a counsellor?

Relate or Marriage Care specialise in couples counselling. Google it for your local area. I think it is important to feel comfortable with them, and have faith. If not, they're not for you, IMO.

You can start on the Relate website, they should have a list of services available in your area. There are also a bunch of directory type websites (www.counselling-directory.org.uk/ for instance) where you can search by location. Its a bit hit and miss, when I was looking for one, I called 3 or 4 and then went with the one who's voice I liked best.... worked out well for me! Make sure you look at their expertise areas, you need someone with experience of couples counselling which is why I'd probably start with Relate.

If you need something cheaper, you might have a local WellCare or SureStart Centre, they can ususally help with relationship counselling as well.

Stupid link failed www.counselling-directory.org.uk/

www.bacp.co.uk

You shouldn't go to anyone who is not a member- it's the register of qualified counsellors.

missbopeep,

bacp is a register of counsellors, the majority of whom will have basic counselling qualifications and experience only.. Other registers of relational and systemic counsellors and therapists include those United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. www.psychotherapy.org.uk. Also
British Psychological Society and British Psychoanalytic Council for members with more specialist trainings.

Look for appropriate qualifications - and someone you can get on with!

best wishes

youcancallme

the BPS is a register of qualified psychologists- but do you mean they are also qualified counsellors?

BCAP does not register only/ majority of counsellors with basic qualifications- I have 3 close friends who are BACP registered- one is a snr accredited counsellor with 20+ years' experience, another has a Masters in Psychotherapy and is a lecturer on the counselling Diploma course at uni, , and the 3rd has lots of additional training and is a supervisor for counsellors.

Thanks for all the suggestions! Really appreciate the quick response. Thanks

missbo,

There's a whole profession of Counselling Psychologists, see BPS website.

re BACP, your friends sound well qualified, but they are the minority of BACP members. Just 10 thousand have accredited status, the other thirty thousand are a somewhat strange mix of students (5 thousand), a small number of very well trained people from other therapy backgrounds, but the majority of the remaining 25 thousand will have had quite minimal trainings.

There are, in addition, a number of other bodies which register counsellors, UKCP being probably the largest of these.

All this does make it a bit complicated for anyone looking, unfortunately.

Ok sorry OP if this has confused you.

I thought ( and maybe I am wrong here) that the BACP had very high minimum standards for its members and their website implies that on the home page.

I also thought that there had been a lot of tightening up around counselling qualifications which is the the BACP only registered those with recognised training and experience.

I know that my friends insist on having 'Accredited' on their websites and publicity material, so maybe that is the thing to look for?