About the Register

Register of Psychologists Specialising in Psychotherapy

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In October 2001 after many years of thought and work, the Council of the British Psychological Society approved the establishment of a Register of Psychologists Specialising in Psychotherapy, which has now been established. The structure of this Register represents a radical departure from the traditional systems based on adherence to a theoretical position. The new Register is competence led with an emphasis on an evidence and enquiry-based tradition within psychology. To gain entry to the Register an individual must be a Chartered Psychologist. The official launch of the Register took place at the Annual Conference of the Society at Imperial College, London on Friday 16 April 2004.

We believe that the establishment of the Register of Psychologists Specialising in Psychotherapy is a major achievement and significant venture for the Society in the following ways:

To help and protect the public by taking explicit steps to improve the effectiveness of psychological help by facilitating more interaction between psychology and psychotherapy; by positively identifying those psychologists who have specialised in psychotherapy; by requiring high standards of ongoing training and professional development; and by insisting on the importance of continuing research inquiry at the interface between psychology and psychotherapy.

It will encourage increased cross fertilisation between psychology and psychotherapy in ways which may refresh both professional practice and research inquiry. Rather than psychology and psychotherapy being separated or antagonistic disciplines, we aim to encourage the development of a new identity of 'psychologists specialising in psychotherapy', so that the strengths of both areas can be combined.

In relation to psychotherapy, the Register will encourage a move away from a century of 'tribal' disputes between different 'schools' and 'models' and go towards a more inclusive and discriminating approach which will encourage the sharing of strengths and the questioning of limitations across diverse theories and practices.

The establishment of a creative and reliable template for other specialist registers which may follow. As the Society moves towards legal Registration of Psychologists, the visibility and accountability of psychologists will be heightened, and publicly articulated, imaginative and trustworthy approaches to specialist areas of inquiry and practice may well be needed in other contexts.