Membership Policy
The International Society of Psychotherapy and Counselling (ISPC) Membership Policy sets out the standards, responsibilities and requirements applicable to ISPC members.
Purpose and Scope
The International Society of Psychotherapy and Counselling (ISPC) is a therapist-led professional membership body supporting counsellors, psychotherapists, trainees and other eligible practitioners.
The purpose of ISPC membership is to promote high standards of ethical and professional practice, encourage continuing professional development, support professional connection and provide appropriate recognition for practitioners who meet the Society's membership requirements.
ISPC is not a statutory regulator. Membership of the Society does not constitute statutory registration, government approval, a licence to practise, or a guarantee of an individual member's competence or fitness to practise.
Members remain individually responsible for ensuring that they comply with all legislation, professional obligations, insurance requirements and other requirements applicable to their work and jurisdiction.
Membership is conditional upon continued compliance with this Membership Policy, the ISPC Ethical Framework and any other applicable ISPC professional standards, policies or procedures.
Membership Categories
ISPC currently provides the following membership categories.
Student Member
Student Membership is available to individuals undertaking an eligible counselling or psychotherapy training programme, normally at Level 2 or above, or an international equivalent recognised by ISPC.
Student Members are expected to practise only within the limits of their training, competence, supervision arrangements and placement requirements.
Associate Member
Associate Membership is intended for practitioners who have completed an eligible Level 4 qualification or equivalent and satisfy ISPC requirements relating to training, supervised practice, ethical conduct and professional practice.
Applicants progressing to Associate Membership will normally be required to demonstrate completion of at least 100 hours of supervised client practice undertaken as part of an appropriate professional counselling or psychotherapy training or placement arrangement.
Where an applicant is practising independently or providing services to members of the public, appropriate professional indemnity insurance must be maintained.
Accredited Member
Accredited Membership recognises qualified and practising counsellors and psychotherapists who meet the Society's enhanced requirements relating to professional training, supervised practice, experience, continuing professional development and ethical practice.
Applicants may be required to provide evidence of qualifications, practice hours, supervision, professional indemnity insurance, continuing professional development and other information reasonably required by ISPC as part of the accreditation process.
Accredited status must be maintained in accordance with the Society's continuing membership and professional standards.
Fellow Member
Fellowship is a recognition awarded through nomination and assessment rather than an automatic membership progression.
Fellowship may be awarded to experienced practitioners who have made a significant and sustained contribution to counselling, psychotherapy, the ISPC community, professional education, research, leadership or public understanding of mental health and therapeutic practice.
Applicants or nominees will normally be expected to demonstrate a minimum of six years' post-qualification professional experience, together with sustained ethical practice and evidence of contribution to the profession or wider community.
Professional and Ethical Responsibilities
All ISPC Members are required to uphold the ISPC Ethical Framework and any professional standards applicable to their category of membership.
Members are expected to:
- Practise within the boundaries of their competence, qualifications, training and experience.
- Maintain appropriate professional supervision.
- Undertake appropriate continuing professional development.
- Maintain professional boundaries and protect client confidentiality.
- Maintain appropriate records in accordance with legal and professional requirements.
- Maintain appropriate professional indemnity insurance where required for their practice.
- Comply with applicable safeguarding, data protection and other legal obligations.
- Provide accurate and truthful information regarding qualifications, experience, membership status and professional services.
- Inform ISPC of material changes that may affect eligibility for membership.
- Cooperate with reasonable requests from ISPC concerning verification of continued membership requirements.
Membership of ISPC must never be represented in a way that implies statutory regulation, government approval or professional qualifications that the member does not hold.
Membership Benefits
Depending upon membership category and availability, ISPC membership may include access to:
- The ISPC Therapist Directory for eligible professional members.
- ISPC continuing professional development opportunities.
- The ISPC Private Practice Hub, including professional resources, templates and guidance.
- Professional networking and peer-support opportunities.
- Educational resources and professional guidance.
- Updates concerning relevant developments in counselling and psychotherapy.
- Opportunities to contribute to the ISPC professional community.
- Use of relevant ISPC membership designations or membership marks in accordance with ISPC guidance.
Specific benefits may vary between membership categories and may be amended or developed as the Society's services evolve.
Insurance and Regulatory Notice
ISPC membership does not include professional indemnity insurance, public liability insurance or any other insurance cover.
Members are responsible for obtaining and maintaining insurance appropriate to their professional activities.
Membership also does not replace any statutory registration, licence, authorisation or other legal requirement that may apply within the jurisdiction in which a member practises.
Eligibility and Progression
Membership applications and requests to progress between membership categories are assessed against the criteria applicable at the time of application.
To progress from Student Membership to an appropriate professional membership category, applicants will normally be required to provide evidence of:
- Successful completion of an eligible counselling or psychotherapy qualification.
- Required supervised client-practice hours.
- Appropriate professional supervision.
- Professional indemnity insurance where applicable.
- Commitment to continuing professional development.
- Adherence to the ISPC Ethical Framework and professional standards.
ISPC recognises that counselling and psychotherapy training structures vary internationally. Applications involving qualifications obtained outside the United Kingdom may therefore be assessed by reference to their content, level, supervised practice requirements and comparability with ISPC membership standards.
Recognition of a qualification by ISPC for membership purposes does not constitute formal academic equivalence, statutory recognition or regulatory approval.
Ongoing Membership Requirements
Membership is an ongoing professional commitment rather than a one-time assessment.
To maintain membership, members must continue to satisfy the standards applicable to their membership category.
Annual Professional Confirmation
Where required by their membership category, members must provide an annual supervisor reference or other appropriate professional confirmation demonstrating ongoing engagement with supervision and adherence to relevant ethical and professional standards.
ISPC reserves the right to request reasonable evidence relating to continued eligibility for membership. This may include evidence of:
- Professional supervision.
- Continuing professional development.
- Professional indemnity insurance.
- Qualifications or training.
- Professional practice.
- Supervised practice hours.
- Compliance with ISPC ethical and professional requirements.
Requests for evidence may form part of routine membership checks, renewal procedures, accreditation reviews or circumstances in which the Society reasonably considers verification necessary.
International Membership
ISPC welcomes eligible applications from counselling and psychotherapy practitioners and students internationally, including those based in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.
ISPC recognises that professional titles, qualification structures, regulatory arrangements and legal requirements vary significantly between jurisdictions.
International applicants may therefore be asked to provide additional evidence enabling ISPC to assess the nature and level of their training and professional practice.
Acceptance into ISPC membership does not confirm that a member satisfies the legal, licensing or regulatory requirements of any particular country, state, territory or jurisdiction.
International Members are individually responsible for ensuring that they are legally entitled to provide the services they offer within the jurisdictions in which they practise.
Continuing Professional Development and Supervision
ISPC considers continuing professional development and appropriate professional supervision fundamental to safe, ethical and effective therapeutic practice.
Members must undertake supervision and continuing professional development appropriate to their level of practice, professional responsibilities and membership category.
Members should maintain suitable records of supervision and CPD and retain supporting evidence where appropriate.
ISPC may establish minimum CPD or supervision requirements for particular membership categories and may periodically review those requirements to reflect developments within professional practice.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Members providing counselling, psychotherapy or related professional services must maintain insurance appropriate to the nature and scope of their practice where such insurance is required by ISPC or applicable professional or legal standards.
Members are responsible for ensuring that their insurance provides appropriate cover for the services they provide, including online, telephone, international or specialist work where relevant.
ISPC does not provide insurance as part of membership unless expressly stated otherwise.
The Society may request evidence of valid insurance at application, renewal or at any other reasonable point during membership.
Membership Fees and Renewal
Current membership fees are published by ISPC and may be reviewed periodically.
Members will normally receive advance notification of their forthcoming renewal.
Membership is dependent upon payment of the applicable membership fee and continued satisfaction of the relevant membership requirements.
Where membership expires or remains unpaid, access to membership benefits and any applicable directory listing may be suspended or removed.
A former member seeking to return to ISPC may be required to submit a new application or provide updated evidence of eligibility.
Fees already paid are subject to the Society's applicable cancellation and refund terms.
Therapist Directory
Eligible professional members may be permitted to maintain a profile within the ISPC Therapist Directory.
Members are responsible for ensuring that information contained within their directory profile is accurate, lawful, professional and not misleading.
A directory listing does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation or guarantee by ISPC of a particular therapist or therapeutic service.
ISPC reserves the right to remove or suspend directory listings that:
- Contain inaccurate or misleading information.
- Breach ISPC policies or ethical standards.
- Relate to an expired or suspended membership.
- Misuse professional titles or membership designations.
- Otherwise fail to meet published directory requirements.
Use of ISPC Membership and Branding
Members may describe themselves using the membership designation applicable to their current membership status.
Any ISPC logo, membership badge, designation or other intellectual property must be used in accordance with ISPC guidance.
Members must not:
- Imply that ISPC has endorsed a particular therapeutic service or treatment unless expressly authorised.
- Describe themselves as regulated by ISPC.
- Use a membership designation to which they are not entitled.
- Continue displaying membership credentials following suspension or termination of membership.
- Use ISPC branding in a misleading, deceptive or inappropriate manner.
Permission to use membership branding ends when the relevant membership status ends.
Ethical Conduct, Concerns and Accountability
All Members are expected to conduct themselves consistently with the ISPC Ethical Framework and applicable professional standards.
Where concerns arise regarding a member's conduct, eligibility, professional representation or compliance with membership requirements, ISPC may review the matter under its applicable policies and procedures.
Depending upon the circumstances and outcome of any review, action may include:
- Requesting further information or evidence.
- Requiring corrective action.
- Placing conditions upon membership or directory participation.
- Temporary suspension of directory access.
- Suspension of membership.
- Termination of membership.
Any action should be proportionate to the circumstances and undertaken in accordance with applicable ISPC procedures.
Where appropriate, members should be informed of the concern and provided with a reasonable opportunity to respond.
Nothing within ISPC's membership or conduct procedures replaces the role of statutory authorities, law enforcement agencies, safeguarding bodies, courts, insurers, employers or other organisations with legal or regulatory responsibilities.
Suspension or Termination of Membership
Membership may be suspended or terminated where a member:
- Materially breaches the ISPC Ethical Framework.
- No longer meets the requirements of their membership category.
- Provides materially false or misleading information to ISPC.
- Misrepresents their professional qualifications or membership status.
- Fails to maintain required insurance, supervision or other professional requirements.
- Fails to cooperate with a reasonable membership or conduct review.
- Fails to pay applicable membership fees.
- Otherwise materially breaches the conditions of ISPC membership.
Decisions concerning suspension or termination should be made in accordance with the Society's applicable procedures and principles of fairness and proportionality.
Termination of membership will normally result in the withdrawal of membership benefits, removal from the ISPC Therapist Directory and cessation of permission to use ISPC membership designations or branding.
Member Responsibility
Membership of a professional body does not remove the individual practitioner's responsibility for their professional decisions.
Each member remains responsible for:
- Determining whether they are competent to undertake particular work.
- Obtaining appropriate supervision.
- Maintaining appropriate insurance.
- Complying with applicable legislation.
- Obtaining any registration, licence or authorisation required within their jurisdiction.
- Maintaining appropriate professional records.
- Safeguarding clients and others.
- Protecting confidential and personal information.
- Seeking appropriate professional, legal or specialist advice where necessary.
ISPC guidance and resources are intended to support professional practice but do not replace independent legal, clinical, financial or regulatory advice where such advice is required.
Changes to Membership Status
Members must inform ISPC within a reasonable period where there is a material change affecting their membership eligibility or professional status.
This may include significant changes to qualification status, professional practice, insurance, supervision or other matters directly relevant to the requirements of their membership category.
Where appropriate, ISPC may amend a member's membership category to reflect their current professional status.
Changes to This Policy
ISPC may amend this Membership Policy periodically to reflect changes in legislation, professional standards, organisational requirements, membership services or developments within counselling and psychotherapy.
Material changes will normally be communicated to members through appropriate channels, which may include email, the ISPC website or the member area.
The version published on the ISPC website will constitute the current Membership Policy.
Continued membership following the effective date of an updated policy will be subject to the revised requirements, subject to any transitional arrangements communicated by ISPC.
Contact
Questions concerning membership eligibility, progression, renewal or professional membership requirements should be directed to the International Society of Psychotherapy and Counselling through the contact details published on the ISPC website.
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