Counselling Matters Workshop Report

November 2025
Facilitated by Sharon Ramsden, Chair

Explanation of purpose of workshop – PCBP & Psychological service, Prof Rooney review of counselling & psychological services respectively.

Sharon handed over to Dr Jane Simms to reflect on paper launched 10 years ago ref Counselling in NI (2016 paper written by Dr Jane Simms and Michael McGibbon ‘Examination of Service Providers Experiences with CVS Counselling’ University of Ulster endeavor) stipulated importance of;

• Counselling in the core community where client complexities can be greater than the statutory services
• Counsellors are in the role due to dedication to help suffering
• Good quality Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and supervision

All the issues back then in the report still hasn’t been addressed today

Identification of new emerging challenges such as; 

• refugees with war trauma, language barriers, social needs, FND, training needs – ethical and legal training including reporting and changes around confidentiality
• The Trust works off a 20-session model, counselling often 6-12 sessions 

Sharon introduced the new PCBP partnership of counselling and psychotherapy bodies led by Phil Hope.  Board made up of each main psychotherapy and counselling bodies.  There are appointed commissioners for each of the 4 nations, NI will be represented by Dr Carol Sibbet.  They intend to come to NI to do a forum some time in early 2026.  

PCBP report – UK wide and to scoping exercise to look at 4 nations – what issues are emerging and recommendations to overcome these. DR Caryl Sibbett is on the commission from NI. N. Irish & Irish context needs to be understood by the commission. NICF can represent the experience of counselling & psychotherapy professions

NI Psychological Professions Forum – Prof Nichola Rooney, Dept Health & Stormont – CVS invited to attend in the New Year. NICF to be represented – Brenda has been invited

Encourage more participation from students/trainees

What are our short- and long-term goals?

Positive counsellors offer – unique training – personal therapy, practice hours, grass root experience

Sharon reiterated to the members your voice matters and will make a difference to NICF.

Discussion around suicidal client and private practice and security of working in an agency and importance of supervision. Brenda mentioned that she will raise points when she meets with Professor Rooney on behalf of NICF.  Point raised about why counselling should be regulated and issues connected with this.  Now the platform is available, issues of auditing accredited organisations and therapists can be raised.  Further discussion around accreditation and need for more regulation in counselling area.  Discussion on someone setting up private practice without proper qualifications or experience. 

Workforce training needs ought to be considered and money invested into placements and universities to stop treating counselling training as business.  Need to be placement opportunities for people to train as counselling psychologists.  Reduce the financial burden of people training

What we want to see;

• Organisational accreditation to protect and support staff, trainees and clients
• Clarity around standardisation
• Further sessions to collaborate Dr Jane Simms – report on service providers experience with NI CVS commissioned by UU 2016
• Still relevant today in planning supports in statutory & CVS & private practice
• Additions since then – private practice rapid growth online business
• Training needs – clinical issues & GDPR – compliancy and changes 
• More regulation for counselling profession – important not to get caught in semantics of professional titles (Counsellor, psychotherapist, Counselling psychologist – this has happened in past and ground regulation process to a halt)

Role of supervisors in counselling – how well is this valued by statutory providers/funders

Concerns raised around steps to becoming a qualified supervisor, especially those engaged too soon after qualifying as a counsellor – where is the experience?

To dos:

Put up a copy of DR Jane Simms & Michael McGibbon’s report to NICF website/Facebook

Mick cooper research into harm caused by malpractice counselling

Training needs – ethics, GDPR, war trauma, refugees/immigration

 and codesign NICF response and set direction and goals

Group Feedback 

Question 1. Opportunities 

• Ensure a place for counselling representation at the PCPB forum – we must lead our own profession 

• NICF to communicate information regarding the new forum to members and request engagement in a survey 

• Draft a survey

• Engage with Accrediting bodies to also be present  

• Build on Jane’s report to include current climate e.g. increased online work, AI, clients from other countries 

Question 2.  Play a Bigger Role

• Leadership roles at strategic level 

• Use BACP, NCPS etc personnel, research, knowledge

• Focus on positives of profession while acknowledging improvement e.g. training routes 

• Counsellor Activism – voice for clients to have accessibility and choice as well as ensuring the broad spectrum of counsellors and their work is represented

Question 3.  What is needed to make this happen?

• Sound Leadership Representation and Communication 

• maintaining a can-do attitude – we are already providing services and can do so much more
• positive, solution focused
• Counselling USP
• Engage our membership to include students and newly qualified 

• It is vital that we do not air the negatives within the profession – this will only serve to demean and undermine what we can offer.  Of course, areas of concern need to be addressed within the profession  

Breakout group discussion came up with following points:

Opportunities:

• Knowing person centred approach and practice is successful
• Relational professional connections with Prof Nicola Rooney, Steve Mulligan and new PCPB forum
• Grass roots expertise leading to clients feeling less intimidated and trusting more eg, refugees, gatekeepers, community-based services who fully understand challenges faced by clients
• Building relationships – experts in listening
• Diversity of members with lived experience, common humanity, have completed own personal therapy and have self-awareness and openness
• Give client choice – adoptive and creative
• Recognise the need for a pathway – transitional stage
• Transdiagnostic – understand the whole person and lifespan, hang diagnosis at the door
• Level of training in sector MSc and research informed and evidence based. A lot of practice hours and experience

Needs:

• Put more emphasis on quality supervision to support counsellor and protect client
• More collaboration and learning from peers, early doors education and student participation in NICF