Division of Counselling Psychology
The Division of Counselling Psychology (DCoP) promotes the interests of Counselling Psychologists across the UK.
About
Our mission is to advance the profession of Counselling Psychology in promoting the well-being of our diverse society, and we support our members by providing training, advice, events and news designed to keep them informed and involved.
Our values
- Be reflective scientist-practitioners
- Work creatively, compassionately and collaboratively
- Work ethically and effectively
The Division of Counselling Psychology is committed to:
- Equality of access to resources, research, education and training
- Fairness, equality and social justice
- Leading and influencing the design and delivery of innovative policies and services
- Meeting the psychological needs of people
Strategic Objectives 2024-2025
Division of Counselling Psychology Strategic Objectives and Goals: 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2025
- Support, promote and advocate for equality of opportunity for our community of members
- Review the structure of the Division and grades of membership to ensure effective governance and accountability
- Challenge misunderstanding and misrepresentation of counselling psychology competences
- Actively engage with employers to promote best recruitment by competence
- Lobby for equitable funding for the training of counselling psychologists
- Produce best practice guidelines relating to paid placements for trainees
- Financially support the BPS Black and Asian Psychologists Fund
- Encourage, support and champion the generation and use of scientific knowledge and practice-based evidence to shape public policy and professional practice
- Develop an effective system to enable informed, timely contributions to consultations, briefings and requests for information
- Develop research support for independent practitioners – to include exploration of an effective, accessible ethical review process
- Foster creative, accessible, co-produced dissemination of members' research
- Lead on the development of best practice guidelines for working with domestic violence and abuse
- Cultivate and foster an innovative, creative and agile counselling psychology workforce to effectively meet the dynamic psychological needs of a diverse population
- Launch our sponsorship programme for Clinical Neuropsychology Training
- Publish guidance to support and empower practitioners in working therapeutically with neurodivergent populations
- Showcase best practice and excellence in counselling psychology leadership
- Launch a mentoring scheme to support professional development and leadership
- Promote, and develop opportunities to share, good practice in the area of Physical Health
- Build confidence through improved engagement, collaboration and co-production with our membership, stakeholders, allied organisations and the public
- Conduct a member survey to better understand our membership and their needs and wishes
- Develop an effective communications strategy to improve engagement with our members, stakeholders and the public
- Implement a review schedule for current Division publications
- Ensure the Division of Counselling Psychology web-site is an effective first port of call - up-to-date, relevant and accurate
- Maintain current relationships and foster new opportunities and alliances across member networks, organisations, public bodies and with stakeholders
DCoP Northern Ireland
DCoP Scotland
DCoP Wales
How to get your research advertised
DCoP often promotes trainee research for participants to get involved in. If you would like your research to be advertised in the e-letter, please contact the e-letter editor by email on [email protected].
We ask that you email the e-letter editor with a short blurb which should state a title, what this research is about, why it is important, who can participate, an explicit statement of what you are asking participants to do (interview/ survey etc), your contact info, a statement about ethical approval from your institution and your research supervisor's name.
This blurb should be accompanied by a formal ethical approval letter from your institution - you can either forward on the official email that confirms your ethical approval from the ethics board directly, or the letter-headed document that confirms this.
Please note: we will not be able to accept any other form of confirmation. Please include your research supervisor in the email so that they are fully aware of your research being disseminated in this manner.
Counselling Psychology NetworksThe DCoP plays host to several networks and special groups dedicated to specific interests and areas of counselling psychology.
Sign up to the DCoP online communityBecoming a member of the community gives you the chance to ask questions, share research and network with other members.
Recreating ResearchEncouraging psychologists to pursue and share their research through different creative languages, with a focus on diversity, adaptability and accessibility.
Careers in Counselling PsychologyFind out all you need to know about becoming a counselling psychologist and what career options are available.
Sign up to the newsletter
The Division of Counselling Psychology e-letter is released monthly and aims to update our members on our activities. You can find the e-letter by going to the News tab.
If you are not receiving the e-letter and Society emails, or are not sure if you are receiving it, please follow the instructions below to check or change your settings. You can also follow us on twitter at: @dcopuk
Instructions to check your email settings
There are three checks you can do:
- Check if the emails have gone into your spam folder and adjust your email settings.
- Check the email preference settings on your Society account and opt into receiving society emails.
- Ensure that you are using the email that is on your membership record to communicate with your Committee.
News
Events
Guidelines
Resources
Climate change resources
This includes:
- Reports about Climate Change
- Systematic reviews
- Climate Change and (Mental) Health
- Climate Change and Young People
- Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
- Climate Change and Pro-Environmental Behaviour
- Climate Change Perception
- Popular Books
- Websites
- Podcasts
Access climate change resources
Counselling Psychology Position Paper
This position paper aims to provide a global perspective on Counselling Psychology for the purpose of education and creating a unifying voice.
Why Counselling Psychology?
Tasim Martin-Berg
An interview with Tasim Martin-Berg, Deputy Programme Leader at Glasgow Caledonian University and Independent Practitioner.
Professor Mick Cooper
An interview with Professor Mick Cooper, Counselling Psychologist at the University of Roehampton.
Dr Hamilton Fairfax
An interview with Dr Hamilton Fairfax, a Counselling Psychologist and Research Lead for the Division of Counselling Psychology.
Nicola Massie
An interview with Nicola Massie, a Counselling Psychologist and Chair of the Division of Counselling Psychology in Wales.
Dr Mark Bradley
An interview with Dr Mark Bradley, a Consultant Counselling Psychologist and Independent Practitioner.
2021 DCoP Conference
Christine Parrott - Keynote
Parrott is focused on supporting parents and teens, both through workshops and private coaching, so that they can more confidently navigate these challenging times.
Prof Simon du Plock - Keynote
‘Rediscovering Wonderment in the Age of Anxiety’
The Professional Identity of Counselling Psychologists: Towards Global Consensus
"The Professional Identity of Counselling Psychologists: Towards Global Consensus" webinar and round table discussion was hosted by the Global Counselling Psychology Forum (GCPF) on 14 July 2023
Guidelines and publications
Working Relationally Series
Useful links
DCoP Annual Conference 2022
Conference slides
Following the 2022 DCoP annual conference, we’ve worked with our presenters to make the presentations and slides from this fantastic event available for our members to view and access.
Awards and funding
Annual prizes
DCoP Divisional Prize
Deadline: midday on Friday 20 June 2025
Do you know or work with a Counselling Psychologist who deserves recognition? If so, please nominate them for one of the awards below.
These awards are aimed at all levels of experience and practice and submissions are welcome from applicants at all stages of their career including trainees, early and later stages.
Single one-off projects as well as broader initiatives are likely to make for a good quality submission.
Self-nominations are also invited.
The prize categories are:
- Annual award for carer and service user involvement - recognises genuine commitment to putting the needs of the service user or carer at the heart of the work.
- Annual award for diversity - shining examples of individuals who have been creative in recognising and valuing diversity which has benefited all.
- Annual award for innovation - outstanding contribution to innovative practice or research, this could include the full range of practice from individual practice or one off projects to service development or theoretical model development.
- Annual supervisor/mentor/ trainer award - outstanding contribution to supervision and development of others.
Prizes:
- A summary of the winners work and all of the nominations will be placed on the website and will be disseminated more widely, including to training courses and independent route candidates to increase visibility and to inspire others.
- Free one day registration to DCoP Annual Conference for the winners in the four categories.
- Award presentation ceremony at DCoP Annual Conference
If you are successful in winning a prize and have already purchased a ticket for the DCoP Annual Conference, depending on the ticket purchased, a refund can be issued.
Submissions
The nominated psychologists must be members of the Division of Counselling Psychology.
Judging will be completed by a panel of judges.
Deadline: midday on Friday 20 June 2025.
DCoP Trainee Prize
Deadline: midday on Friday 20 June 2025
The Trainee prize aims to promote and encourage excellence in the training and practice of counselling psychology in all its professional arenas.
The purpose is to stimulate Trainee Counselling Psychologists to attain excellence in their written work during the course of their training.
The winner will be awarded a prize of £100, while the two runners-up will receive £50 each.
In addition the winner and runners up will receive a one day registration at the DCoP Annual Conference, where the award ceremony will take place.
If you are successful in winning a prize and have already purchased a ticket for the DCoP Annual Conference, depending on the ticket purchased, a refund can be issued.
If any of the winners cannot attend, their prizes will be sent in the post.
Submissions
Submissions must:
- Be a piece of course work which has been assessed as part of the trainee's counselling psychology training. Trainees are allowed to edit work for submission to the Prize; this can include editing work to the required word length including for example client studies, theoretical essays, and literature reviews.
- Demonstrate excellence and originality in an area relevant to Counselling Psychology and other applied psychologies.
- Have a word limit of 5,000 words (not including quotes, references and bibliography).
- Includes critical evaluation and is written according to APA style at an academic standard equivalent to Level 7.
Only one submission is allowed per student.
Deadline: midday on Friday 20 June 2025.
Previous award winners
We are proud to celebrate the outstanding work of Counselling psychologists and with your help we hope to continue to develop and recognise the high quality and innovative work of our members in more categories for many years to come.
In 2018 we relaunched the DCoP Practice prize awards. The prizes were aimed at celebrating and disseminating the outstanding work of Counselling Psychologists in practice.
- 2019 Annual award for Carer and service user involvement: Heena Chudasama
- 2019 Annual supervisor award: Dr Miltos Hadjiosif
- 2019 Annual award for Innovation: Mabel Martinelli
- 2019 Annual award for Diversity: Professor Rachel Tribe and Dr Farah Farsimsdan
- 2018 Annual Award for Carer and Service User Involvement: Dr Robin Dundas
Robin has won the award for his tireless commitment to service user care and involvement. A group of his colleagues nominated him and all described his outstanding and inspiring work. I think their words capture his work and passion. So here in his colleagues words is a summary of Robins outstanding contribution.
Dr Robin Dundas has undoubtedly a genuine a commitment to service user care and involvement which he has tirelessly exercised within a busy NHS gender service, through often challenging and difficult times. His role has spanned individual and group psychotherapy, complex assessments and endorsements for medical interventions, delivering training and supervision, developing new projects and leading on parts of the psychology service, as well as covering service lead responsibilities. He has always not just represented his patients above and beyond what is required, but sought out where inequities may exist in the service and service users' needs not best being met. As his Line Manager and Head of Department for near a decade of his career, I have no hesitation in nominating him for this award and as can be seen from the testimonials below, neither do his other colleagues. Dr Penny Lenihan, Consultant Psychologist.
Robin is a passionate Counselling Psychologist who holds the values of social justice and person centred care at the heart of all he does. He frequently goes above and beyond for patients, and tirelessly fights for patients' best interests both within our service, and with other agencies our patients are involved with. Dr Jess Gran, Highly Specialist Psychologist.
It seems that this reward is such a small symbol of gratitude when compared to the tremendous contribution you have made not only to the patients you've served, but to those other professionals such as myself. Thank you Robin for this gift to us all!! Dr Craig B Rypma, Ph.D., M.B.A. Highly Specialist Psychologist.
- 2018 Annual Award for Innovation: Simon Proudlock
Simon was nominated for his work with EMDR Therapy for treatment of individuals who are on an acute psychiatric ward or who are under the care of the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHTT). Using EMDR Therapy in this setting, and taking a trauma focused approach to those presenting in acute services, had not been previously tried anywhere else within the UK or internationally.
Patients were offered immediate access to specialised treatment in a safe and supportive environment with the aim of alleviating their trauma symptoms and facilitating early discharge from services. The project ensured continuity of care, from the ward to the community, which has shown to be a time where patients are at higher risk of suicide.
Overall the initial aims of the project were met and in some cases exceeded. The project successfully treated 70 patients, demonstrating a strong case for the use of EMDR therapy with clients in an acute mental health crisis. The project revealed that therapy with this client group does not increase clinical risk but in fact reduces the desire for suicide, anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms to a clinically significantly level. In addition, the project demonstrated an increase in clients' confidence in managing their mental health, resulting in a reduction in reliance on services, with the majority of patients treated being discharged from Mental Health services.
The project provided a considerable cost saving to the NHS by reducing the need for inpatient beds, CRHTT support and further psychological therapy. Of those treated in the project, there was on average a 70% reduction in their use of acute mental health services compared to the 12 months prior to treatment.
This unique approach has been an very important service development. Taking a trauma focused approach seems to be an important intervention to help individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. EMDR Therapy used in this environment has provided a new care pathway for acute mental health services and has helped prevent a revolving door service for some patients. Simon was able to show significant savings for the NHS as well as the huge savings in emotional costs to the client once successfully treated. The project showed that treating individuals who have a trauma picture and high levels of suicidal ideation with EMDR Therapy reduces the desire for suicide and clinical risk.
Counselling Psychology Review
The Counselling Psychology Review is the Division of Counselling Psychology's peer-reviewed research publication, bringing together high quality research pertinent to the work of counselling psychologists.
It primarily focuses upon work being undertaken in the UK, but it is also likely to be of interest to international colleagues and those in related therapeutic disciplines.
The content is pluralist in nature, with its focus being on excellent work rather than methodological or paradigmatic preference.
Counselling Psychology Review
Counselling Psychology Review is published twice a year.
Latest articles - Counselling Psychology Review
- Periodicals
Counselling Psychology training: Implications for ‘Self’ - Counselling Psychology Review
Volume: 39 Issue: 1
Date of Publication: 01-07-2024
Author(s): Yvette Lewis
- Periodicals
Being with uncertainty: A reflective account of a personal relationship with an asylum seeker/refugee - Counselling Psychology Review
Volume: 39 Issue: 1
Date of Publication: 01-07-2024
Author(s): David T. Morrison
- Periodicals
Phenomenological research: The case of Empirical Phenomenological Analysis and the possibility of reverie - Counselling Psychology Review
Volume: 39 Issue: 1
Date of Publication: 01-07-2024
Author(s): Joanna Gee, Del Loewenthal, Julia Cayne
- Periodicals
Interrogating the concept of the ‘wounded healer’: A deconstruction - Counselling Psychology Review
Volume: 39 Issue: 1
Date of Publication: 01-07-2024
Author(s): Robin Johnstone
- Periodicals
Philosophical Underpinnings of Counselling Psychology - Counselling Psychology Review
Volume: 39 Issue: 1
Date of Publication: 01-07-2024
Author(s): Emmy van Deurzen-Smith
Committee
Committee members
Executive Committee
Chair: Brian Murray
Chair Elect: Vacant
Past Chair: Susan Whitcombe
Vice/Deputy Chair: Julie Raworth
Committee members:
- Anna Maciak
- Betul Tatar - trainee
- Charlotte O'Brien
- Khushbu Haria
- Lynne Jones
- Tanya Carpenter
- Helena Fitzpatrick
- Vasili Magnis
National Divisional Branch Chairs
DCoP NI Chair: Sean Harmon
DCoP Scotland Chair: Philip Quinn
DCoP Wales Chair: Annie Beyer
Additional representatives
E-letter Editor: DCoP Communications Team ([email protected])
Website Editor: DCoP Communications Team ([email protected])
DCoP networks
The DCoP also plays host to several networks and special groups dedicated to specific interests and areas of counselling psychology.
Join
Apply to join the DCoP (students, affiliates, e-subscribers)
Apply to join the DCoP (graduate, chartered, and in-training members)
Membership of the Division of Counselling Psychology is only open to members of the British Psychological Society.
If you are not already a member you can join the Division of Counselling Psychology at the same time as applying for membership of the Society.
There are three grades of divisional membership:
Full Divisional membership
For fully qualified psychologists who are eligible for Chartered Status.
In-training Divisional membership
For psychologists in-training who hold Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership and are working towards Chartered status and Full Divisional membership.
General Divisional membership
For members of the Society who are not currently eligible for the above grades, to join as a General Member.
Fees
- Full Member: £45
- Full Member reduced rate for the first two years after successfully completing a Society approved three year postgraduate training in counselling psychology: £35
- In Training: £12
- General Member (without GBC): £12
- General Member (with GBC) £35
Benefits of belonging
Benefits of DCoP Membership
Whether you're a trainee, recently qualified or an experienced Counselling Psychologist, there are many benefits to joining the Division of Counselling Psychology.
Member Announcement List
The Division of Counselling Psychology (DCoP) uses its membership announcement email list to inform its members of activities and initiatives that are relevant to their interests and to make requests for engagement on topical issues.
By becoming a member of the DCoP you are automatically added to the announcement list.
To receive these emails you will need to:
- become a member of the Division of Counselling Psychology
- opt into receiving email communications and provide a working email address
These preferences can be updated by logging into your member portal.
If you have any queries, please contact Member Network Services.
To assist us in responding to your query please make sure to include your membership number and quote 'DCoP announcement email' in the subject line.
Getting Involved With the DCoP Committee
The Division of Counselling Psychology relies on a wide range of people getting involved, and the work of the Division is largely achieved through the dedication of unpaid volunteers.
Our volunteers come from a wide range of different backgrounds, whether they be practitioners or academics, or full members or in-training members, and together form an open and inclusive community.
Keep an eye on our "News" tab for announcements about how to apply for a committee role.