Hundreds of thousands of people each year in the UK seek help from counsellors and psychotherapists. But the case earlier this year of Ella Janneh, who was awarded £217,000 in damages after suing a sex therapist for personal injury and negligence, has reignited calls for statutory regulation.
This was considered by the last Labour government, is backed by a number of MPs, and is certain to be on the agenda of the all-party parliamentary group on mental health. What campaigners want is for “psychotherapist” and “counsellor” to become legally protected titles. Among other things, this would enable people found guilty of professional misconduct to be struck off. Ms Janneh is rightly appalled by the prospect that the man who abused her, Michael Lousada, could do the same thing to someone else. Currently, there is no law to stop anyone from setting themselves up in business as a therapist or counsellor without qualifications – even if they have faced sanctions before.
