Your Protection

Terminology: ‘Practitioner’ means a BetterTalk associate who practises psychotherapy/psychotherapeutic counselling. ‘Client’ means individuals who engage in psychotherapy/psychotherapeutic counselling.  

The BetterTalk Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, which follows, is aligned with the ethics, practice and conduct code of the UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy).  Should a concern arise about a practitioner’s practice, it should be expressed within this Code, and submitted to BetterTalk Contact page, where it will be dealt with independently of the therapist concerned. 

BetterTalk practitioners commit to striving for ethical practice and conduct, even should doing so involve making difficult decisions. Practitioners must: 

Best interests of clients: 1. Act in client’s best interests. 2. Treat clients with respect. 3. Respect client’s autonomy. 4. Not have sexual contact/sexual relationship with clients. 5. Not exploit or abuse the relationship with clients (current or past) for any purpose including practitioner’s emotional, sexual or financial gain. 6. Not harm or collude in the harming of client or the clients of others. Professionalism 7. Decline any gifts, favours, money or hospitality that might be interpreted as exploitative. 8. Be aware of the power imbalance between practitioner and client, and avoid dual or multiple relationships which risk confusing an existing relationship and may impact adversely on a client. (If a dual or multiple relationship is unavoidable, for example in a small community, practitioner will take responsibility for clarifying and managing boundaries and protecting confidentiality.) 9. Exercise all reasonable care before entering into a personal or business relationship with former clients, taking into account the time that has elapsed since therapy ended. Should such a relationship prove to be detrimental to the former client, practitioner may be called to answer an allegation of misusing their former position. 10. Recognise that behaviour outside of professional life may have an effect on relationship with clients; and take responsibility for critically examining such potential negative/positive effects to the benefit of the client. Communication and consent: 11. Provide in any advertising, or on request, a clear and honest statement of qualifications relevant to field of practice, and advertise services accurately and in a responsible and professional manner, without exaggeration. 12. Ensure that uses of titles and post nominal initials after a name in communications are accurate and that their relevance to the practice of psychotherapy is plain. 13. Not make any claims not demonstrably true, or include false testimonials from clients in any advertising. 14. Plainly explain terms, fees and conditions and make readily available matters such as likely length of therapy, methods of practice to be used, complaints processes and how to make a complaint, as well as arrangements for referral and termination of therapy. 15. Confirm each client’s consent to the specifics of the service you will offer, through a clear contract at the outset of therapy. Help clients to understand the nature of any proposed therapy and its implications, what to expect, any risks involved, what is and is not being offered, and relevant alternative options. 16. Not intentionally mislead a client about the type or nature of psychotherapy practised. 17. Only participate in research about clients with clients’ verifiable & informed consent before the commencement of therapy and research, clarifying nature, purpose and conditions of any 1Such relationships could be social or commercial relationships between practitioner and client, or a supervisory or training relationship running alongside the therapeutic one. 2 research in which clients are involved and in accordance with relevant codes and guidance. Pay particular attention to any additional guidance or special considerations which may apply to specific groups, such as children and young people. Records and confidentiality 18. Respect, protect and preserve clients’ confidentiality, with consideration to situations where there may be a risk of harm to client's self or others, risk to a vulnerable adult or child, or of illegality. Protect sensitive and personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional work. 19. Safeguard the welfare & anonymity of clients when any form of publication of clinical material is being considered; always obtains client’s verifiable consent in any case where welfare or anonymity of client may be compromised. This includes situations where a client or former client might recognise themselves in case material despite the changing of names or actual circumstances.  20. Make notes appropriate to the modality of therapy being practised, and keep records which are accurate, legible and timely. Keep clients’ information confidential, subject to legal and ethical requirements, and discuss it only within appropriate professional settings. 21. Notify clients, when appropriate or on request, that there are legal and ethical limits to confidentiality, and circumstances under which confidential information might be disclosed to a third party. 22. Consider obtaining legal and ethical advice in relation to providing information for judicial or administrative proceedings, and as to the potential impact that this could have on the commitment of confidentiality to the client, even when client consent is given. Professional knowledge, skills and experience  23. Offer only the forms of therapy in which you have had adequate training or experience. 24. Understand the limits of your competence and stay within them in all your professional activity, referring clients to another professional when appropriate. This includes recognising that particular client groups (e.g. children and families) have needs which not all practitioners are equipped to address. 25. Ensure continuing ability to practise by securing supervision and ongoing professional education and development. 26. Do not work with clients if unable to do so for physical or mental health reasons, or when impaired by drugs, alcohol or medication. 27. Make considered & timely arrangements for termination of a therapeutic relationship, or if unable to continue to practise, ensure clients are informed and alternative practitioners identified where possible. 28. Have arrangements in place for informing clients and, where appropriate, providing them with support, in the event of your illness or death. 29. Actively consider issues of diversity and equalities as these affect all aspects of therapeutic work; acknowledge the need for a continuing process of self-enquiry and professional development. 30. Not allow prejudice about a client’s sex, age, colour, race, disability, communication skills, sexuality, lifestyle, religious, cultural or political beliefs, social economic or immigration status etc. to adversely affect how therapist relates to them. 31. Avoid behaviour that can be perceived as abusive or detrimental to any client or colleague based on the above factors. Trust and confidence 32. Act in a way which upholds the profession’s reputation and promotes public confidence in the profession and its members, including outside of one’s professional life as a practitioner. 33. Maintain an awareness of, and comply with, all legal and professional obligations and polices which apply to one’s practice. 34. Ensure that any communication, in particular any participation in social media, is consistent with this Code. 35. Safeguard children and vulnerable adults, recognising therapist’s legal responsibilities concerning their rights, and taking appropriate action should any such person appear at risk of harm. 36. Ensure familiarity with BetterTalk’s policies and guidances, not least those on Safeguarding and on Conversion Therapy. 37. Challenge questionable practice in yourself or others, reporting potential breaches of this Code, and activating formal complaints procedures especially where there may be ongoing harm to clients or you have significant grounds for believing clients to be at risk of harm. 38. Ensure that professional work is adequately covered by appropriate indemnity insurance. 39. Co-operate with any lawful investigation or inquiry relating to one’s psychotherapeutic practice. Inform BetterTalk if: a. Charged with a criminal offence; b. convicted of a criminal offence, receive a conditional discharge for an offence, or accept a police caution; disciplined by any professional body or membership organisation responsible for regulating or licensing a health or social care profession; suspended or placed under a practice restriction by an employer or similar organisation because of concerns relating to competence, health or practice of psychotherapy.