Registered psychologist & work with HSE

kitkat.3b4t

Hi Folks

I wonder if anyone could tell me if someone with PSI registration who has a counselling MSc which isnt directly accredited by PSI is eligble to work for the HSE. For example someone who has an MSc in counselling from DCU plus 4 years appropriate supervision. I have looked on the HSE website but their exact eligibility criteria isnt clear. I would really appreciate it if someone could clarify this for me.

hotspur

There are lots of counsellors who work in the HSE who are not psychologists. What is it in the HSE that you are looking at specifically?

kitkat.3b4t

Hi Hotspur

Thanks for your reply. A friend of mine has an MSc in CBT from a university in Wales and is also a registered psychologist with the PSI. However she is not a full member of the counselling division. She recons that she is a counselling psychologist, but when she recently applied to the HSE for a job as an addiction counsellor she was told that she was not eligible to apply because she was neither a counselling psychologist or a clinical psychologist. She was told that since she is not a full member of the division of counselling psychology she cannot call herself a counselling psychologist. She pointed out to HR that her qualifications were much higher than some others who were eligible to apply, namely those with a diploma in addiction studies. She was told that she could appeal but in the end she didnt bother. I dont know if you or anyone has come across a situation like this.

Kooli

kitkat.3b4t wrote: »

Hi Hotspur

Thanks for your reply. A friend of mine has an MSc in CBT from a university in Wales and is also a registered psychologist with the PSI. However she is not a full member of the counselling division. She recons that she is a counselling psychologist, but when she recently applied to the HSE for a job as an addiction counsellor she was told that she was not eligible to apply because she was neither a counselling psychologist or a clinical psychologist. She was told that since she is not a full member of the division of counselling psychology she cannot call herself a counselling psychologist. She pointed out to HR that her qualifications were much higher than some others who were eligible to apply, namely those with a diploma in addiction studies. She was told that she could appeal but in the end she didnt bother. I dont know if you or anyone has come across a situation like this.

If your qualification isn't in counselling psychology, then you are not a counselling psychologist. I would have thought that would be obvious...?

hotspur

kitkat.3b4t wrote: »

Hi Hotspur

Thanks for your reply. A friend of mine has an MSc in CBT from a university in Wales and is also a registered psychologist with the PSI. However she is not a full member of the counselling division. She recons that she is a counselling psychologist, but when she recently applied to the HSE for a job as an addiction counsellor she was told that she was not eligible to apply because she was neither a counselling psychologist or a clinical psychologist. She was told that since she is not a full member of the division of counselling psychology she cannot call herself a counselling psychologist. She pointed out to HR that her qualifications were much higher than some others who were eligible to apply, namely those with a diploma in addiction studies. She was told that she could appeal but in the end she didnt bother. I dont know if you or anyone has come across a situation like this.

I'm a little confused on some points.

Firstly on the registered psychologist with the PSI - if she is not recognised as a counselling psychologist by the PSI in what way is she a registered psychologist? Does she have more than graduate membership of the PSI? Does she have a research PhD in psychology? Or is she still working towards conditional registration through experience that they had in place up to 3 years ago?

It used to be that one could become a registered as a counselling psychologist with the PSI with an undergrad, qualification in counselling (not counselling psychology), and then experience. But that has stopped and it requires a counselling psychology qualification.

Why would she need to be a clinical or counselling psychologist to work as a counsellor in the addiction services in the HSE? If others are applying with diplomas in addiction counselling then that seems to be a discrepancy in the story.

Is the real problem that she called herself a counselling psychologist when she isn't one according to the PSI? She is "only" a counsellor? Is she accredited by a non-PSI counselling body?

kitkat.3b4t

Thanks for your reply. I suppose Im a little confused also. I know that her MSc is accredited by the BABCP so maybe she would be wise to register with this body also. The PSI seems to have 3 levels ofregistration, one through the accredited doctorate courses, another through PhD and the third through supervision and MSc. Maybe there isn’t a title for registered psychologists who have a qualificationin counselling/psychotherapy, but which isn’t accredited by the PSI.

However I don’t think her title is the issue here. I think the issue is that PSI registrationseems not to confer validity of one’s qualifications. That surprises me.

JuliusCaesar

kitkat.3b4t wrote: »

Maybe there isn’t a title for registered psychologists who have a qualificationin counselling/psychotherapy, but which isn’t accredited by the PSI.

There is - it's Registered Psychologist.

A Counselling Psychologist has undertaken a course in Counselling Psychology, which is a practitioner doctorate.

A Registered Psychologist who has undertaken a course in counselling or psychotherapy needs to register with the relevant counselling/psychotherapy body. In your friends case, having a CBT qualification, that body would be the BABCP/IABCP.

kitkat.3b4t

Thanks for your reply Julius. It looks like registration with PSI isn’t enough.