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CYP News Virtual Reality

Our Voice is Our Future

Join Us for Our Special Event – Thursday 13 June, 7-9pm UK

As practitioners in counselling and therapy, we are all well aware of the challenges facing us:

● The difficulty in securing referrals for private practice
● Working below our financial means with platforms that do not align with our practice
● Incorporating new tools and technologies for online practice
● Feeling disempowered in a technological age with a broken business model

These are the hurdles we face, but how do we overcome them?

At ACTO, we believe that the key lies in empowering our members with knowledge, tools, connections, and confidence. We’re dedicated to partnering with organisations that share our values and can provide support to both us and our clients.


If you’re looking for innovative ways to transform your practice, come along to our next exciting event!

Our voice is our future (Online)
Thursday 13 June – 7 – 9pm UK

Join us as we work towards empowering you to build your own practise “toolbox”, leveraging the latest in technology.

We have invited our industry partner, PlaySpace, to present how they’ve been working with practitioners in Canada and USA to unlock potential with their sessions using technology. We will cover the following topics as well as a Q&A discussion afterwards:

● The main challenges facing practitioners with private practice
● The current online therapy landscape and the pivotal role that practitioners play in shaping its near future
● How PlaySpace is taking a new approach to developing technological solutions by putting practitioners in the driver’s seat
● How ACTO members can access these technological solutions such as VR, virtual playroom tools such as Dollhouse and Sandtray, and more

Our goal is to create an open forum where members can come together, discuss these challenges, learn and get more involved.

But we need your input, your views and your involvement: whether you are a practitioner working with CYP or adults. All are welcome! It’s free to attend, however you do need to reserve your spot:

How to join: Click on the Eventbrite page.

By the end of this event, we’re confident you’ll join us in our excitement for the future, brimming with new tools at your disposal, opportunities for involvement, and exclusive access to solutions you can put into practice.

Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities and pave the way for a brighter future in counselling and therapy.

Thank you.

See you on the 13th June!

Basi Amodu

Chair, ACTO

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Blog Events

How to risk assess effectively working online

“Safeguarding needs to run through us like letters on a stick of rock; it is the bedrock of what we do,” Pippa Copleston

Free Workshop: Wednesday 10 April 2024 – 1.30 pm (1 hour)

Pippa Copleston is a practising counsellor with 25 years’ experience. Based in East Sussex, Pippa provides Online, In person and Blended Counselling, Psychotherapy and Clinical Supervision.

This April and October, Pippa is running two workshops specifically for ACTO members, to give practitioners valuable insight into risk and safeguarding issues whilst working online.

Below, Pippa explains why she passionately believes that safeguarding is so important, and provides detailed information about the free workshops.

Why are you passionate about the importance of safeguarding?

Since working online since 2016 it has become clear to me that there is little information or training available specific to therapists wishing to work online – apart from dedicated online courses. I have been fortunate enough to work as both a therapist and then as a Clinical Lead with safeguarding responsibility in an employed capacity for online providers. In these settings, I have worked using variety of delivery methods, including anonymous text based therapy, telephone counselling and other settings where safeguarding is a little trickier than for in-person therapists. During the pandemic, I used this experience to ensure that I was working as safely as I could remotely. During lockdown,  I was concerned by some attitudes and assumptions that I came across; that working online was no different to working in person, and so chose to take a General Certificate to increase my skillset and formalise the experience I had. I followed this by completing a Diploma in Online and Blended Supervision, and through doing this, recognised the need for Supervisors also to have good knowledge of safeguarding and risk when supervising online therapists. Safeguarding is relevant to all age groups, and therefore, all clients.

What is the objective of the workshop/webinar?

The aims is to share some ideas about good practice, stimulate thinking and reassure therapists that although this is a tricky area it’s still possible! I believe that we all continually learn from each other, and so I welcome additional ideas and knowledge from participants.

What are the intended outcomes of the session (what will participants learn/benefit from)?

The first session will look at:

  • How and why we risk assess
  • The “pros and cons” of using formal established assessment tools
  • How we risk assess effectively in our particular work setting, and to share useful resources.

There are “points to consider” throughout the presentation, just as a reminder to update and assess how we keep our clients and ourselves safe, particularly if working with clients not based in our country. The session’s aim is to encourage participants to further develop the processes we currently use and create up to date resources for clients and ourselves after the session with peers or in supervision.

What will be included in the following sessions?

The next session in October 2024 will be about effective safeguarding – i.e. what to do after risk has been identified, depending on our geographic location and that of the client, their age group using the resources that we have adopted. There are two sessions as one hour is not enough to cover both topics sufficiently.

I intend to run much more in depth training expanding on the topics covered in the two workshops, and am hopeful that this will be CPD of around 30 to 40 hours, presented live and using interactive activities. I hope that this may lead to peer groups being formed after the training is completed. I also intend to produce modular, recorded versions of training.

What are the main risks around not following safeguarding guidelines?

So many! Very briefly, obviously, client safety and /or that of others, including suicide or physical harm. There is also risk to us in terms of professional reputation and risking have a complaint raised or legal proceedings. More widely, we owe it to the profession to be robust and clear in how and why we keep our clients safe so that therapy, particularly remote provision, is recognised as safe and contained.

Are there any emerging new risks around safeguarding – and how do we approach these to reduce risk?

There are always emerging new risks, particularly as we are all using the internet. The increase of risk for harm and exploitation is especially evident the more that the disinhibition effect influences what people say and what people hear or trust. There is more risk of exploitation, and greater access to online therapy means that as therapists, we have exposure to far more clients and risk is not always obvious. Statistically, therefore, we are in a position where we may be exposed to potentially more risky presentations and disclosures from clients. This is where safeguarding training and updating this training, keeping abreast of new developments and being risk aware is, as it always has been, important.

In your view, what constitutes safeguarding?

Briefly, safeguarding needs to run through us like letters on a stick of rock; it is the bedrock of what we do. Good safeguarding is about being clear about our rationale for what we do, without be hyper vigilant. Safeguarding is not always clear cut, risk can be nuanced and often involves being brave and making a well-founded decision in the moment. Therefore, the guidelines we follow and the supervision that we have needs to reflect this to show that decisions and actions we take are well founded, not dismissive, negligent, hasty, or damaging to the client.

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Blog

Loss and Survival: a lesson in why training is crucial

Research report into the experiences of psychoanalytic psychotherapists working online highlights the importance of training for all therapists working online

Understanding the impacts of the period of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic is of undoubted importance, providing crucial insights into how future health emergencies can be managed.

It is therefore welcome to see research published on the subject, including this project that explored the experiences of psychoanalytic psychotherapists based in the UK during the first period of lockdown.

The research findings

The findings of the research study concluded that the psychotherapists primary concerns focused on loss and survival, with sub-themes relating to holding the frame, worries over a loss of security and safety, challenged analytic technique and altered relationship dynamics.

However, what is disappointing about the research article is that it barely mentions the importance or relevance of training.

Why is training for working online critically important?

Training and CPD provide each of us with the knowledge, the skills and expertise which ensures that our clients receive the best possible care – and also offers safeguards to ourselves as working practitioners. Working online is no different.

Those who have pioneered the work of online therapy have much to give to all those who are considering working online, whether on a long-term basis or in situations where it is necessary, such as during the recent pandemic.

Innovators in the development of online therapy have really given thought to the processes, frame, disinhibition effect, transference/counter-transference issues etc that can occur or change once therapy transfers online.

Furthermore, there is a real risk if you do not undertake any training, as you are likely to be working outside your set of competencies.

BACP guidance

It is consequently surprising that the thought of actually training to work online did not arise during the project, as each of the issues raised in the study are covered in training courses which would have been available to all at the start of the pandemic.

Indeed, the BACP has produced excellent guidance which strongly recommends training for working online.  It highlights the challenges of changing the method or medium of communication within the therapeutic relationship, for both practitioners and their clients. For example, it cites the fact that online relationships of all kinds are qualitatively different from those held in a physical space. The document recommends that practitioners think carefully about what is needed to ensure that they become competent in this new way of working. Training and preparation are vital ingredients to achieving this successful evolution into a new way of working.

The benefits of a supervisor

As a practising online counsellor, I have seen at first hand the benefits of training and the important role of a supervisor. Supervisory support furthermore reduces the risk of isolation and can guide those working online to access the tools and information, increase their skills and improve the effectiveness of the techniques applied. In addition, supervision must be online e-supervision, by an experienced practitioner who understands the differences to face-to-face work.

Training and research are key

At ACTO, we passionately believe in the importance of high levels of training across all the modalities, and to transform our individual modalities.

Training builds knowledge, skills and understanding. This process also encourages us to use research data to assess efficacy and the appropriateness of different approaches.

Let us hope that in the coming years, all those working within the mental health professions can benefit from good quality training; reducing the feelings of loss and survival and enabling them to thrive.

About the Author 

Kiren Sweetman is a person-centred counsellor and registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Kiren is also a director of ACTO.

Research study article

Taylor, L. Kegerreis, Rohleder, P. (2022). Loss and Survival: Experiences of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists Working Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic. British Journal of Psychotherapy. 27 November 2022. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjp.12800. [Last accessed 06.12.2022].

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Vlogs

How to access the members area

Find out more about a new feature on the website. The area that is only accessible to ACTO members.

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ACTO board messages Announcements Blog

Looking for an exciting new opportunity?

Looking for an exciting new opportunity?

The world of online counselling and psychotherapy is changing – and you can help to shape it by joining our team of directors on the ACTO Board

ACTO is always on the look-out for talent and energy to join the Board of Directors. In recent months, our profession has seen significant changes with the huge growth in the practice of online psychotherapy and counselling. We are keen to support that development by broadening our team with new directors.

There are opportunities for members to join our Board as ‘Directors without portfolio’; however we are particularly in need of expertise in the following areas:-

A Director of Training – to help us:

  • improve our training standards;
  • support our Training Organisations;
  • encourage other online training organisations to join the ACTO family.

A Director for Inclusivity/Diversity, to:

  • help us decide what this director should be called!
  • champion issues of inclusion and diversity within ACTO;
  • disseminate awareness and understanding of inclusion and diversity in online work.

An International Director (or deputy)

  • this is a passion of our Chair – but he hasn’t sufficient time to manage it fully:
  • to bring the long-awaited International Directory to fruition, to develop and manage it;
  • to link in with the international organisations devoted to online work;
  • to develop a network of ACTO ‘chapters’ around the world.

If you are interested, please contact the Chair of ACTO at:  chair@ACTO-org.uk for an informal chat.

Adrian M Rhodes

Chair, ACTO

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Blog

It’s time to rethink the norms and face the new realities

ACTO patron Anne Stokes and champion of online therapy is challenging our profession to think differently

Over the years many of you will have heard of, listened to presentations at conferences, read books or articles by or indeed spoken to Anne Stokes. Anne is a passionate advocate of online counselling and psychotherapy and a practitioner of online work since the late 1990’s. Earlier this year, we were delighted when Anne accepted our invitation to become a patron of ACTO in recognition of her service to the profession.

Last month, you may have read about our plans to refresh our organisation for the challenges which lay ahead, as the online community grows to accommodate the environment, we now work in.

In July, I therefore invited Anne to give a presentation to the ACTO Board. Anne’s experience in the field of online psychotherapy and counselling is immense. Her book Online Supervision (Psychotherapy 2.0) is undoubtedly a must-read text for all online practitioners.  I wanted to give Anne the opportunity of challenging our organisation to embrace the new opportunities and help us to overcome the hurdles presented following the global pandemic. Since March, we have experienced significant membership growth in ACTO and of course thousands of psychotherapists and counsellors have migrated from face-to-face sessions to meeting with clients online.

I thought I would share one of the key points that Anne made: –

“The COVID-19 pandemic feels like it is a real watershed moment for the online counselling and therapy profession, turning our world upside down.

“In recent years, the number of therapists practising online has increased significantly. However, since March these numbers have grown exponentially. Many practitioners are now working online – because they have to. We need to respond to that, bringing people into our online community.

“For example, how are we going to ensure a consistently high quality of service to clients as those offering counselling and therapy online increases substantially? We must reach out to training providers and encourage people who may do things differently, whilst maintaining our ethical standards and values.”

Many of us have been working online for a period of time. Sometimes – given our enthusiasm and passion for online working – it can be difficult to understand the steep learning curve and issues facing other therapists who are new to this form of working. Our response must be inclusive and positive: supporting practitioners and those in the field of training, with the key objective of raising standards and ensuring the quality of our work.  

Anne’s contribution is timely. We have recently set ourselves new goals and aspirations to raise standards and encourage discussion and debate, as we welcome more members into our online community. Anne is encouraging us to do more – and to rethink how we do it.

Inspiring words. And words which we will translate into action.

Thank you, Anne.

Adrian M Rhodes

Chair, ACTO

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Blog

New ACTO Chair aims to raise the standards of online therapy

It is easy to do therapy online; but it is difficult to do therapy online well,

Raising standards and making ACTO the go-to place for online counselling and psychotherapy. Those are the two principal goals of ACTO’s new Chair, Adrian Rhodes, who leads the volunteer Board of Directors with representatives from across the profession. And for Adrian, the new role comes at a time of fundamental change as the world adjusts to life during the Covid-19 pandemic, necessitating innovative ways of working for counsellors and psychotherapists.

The lockdown and the introduction of social distancing measures have resulted in a massive increase in the numbers of psychotherapists and counsellors seeking to work online. Earlier this year, ACTO responded by publishing security and privacy guidance for practitioners providing online therapy. However, further work is needed as practitioners and services adapt to the technology and ways of engaging with their clients.

Adrian, who qualified as a psychotherapist in the 1980s, worked as a psychotherapist in the NHS and is also an Honorary Canon in the Church of England, believes that the growth in practitioners and services working online is a positive response to the crisis; however, it offers fresh challenges too, to ensure that a high standard of quality is provided. As Chair, Adrian is committed to leading the organisation in this exciting, albeit challenging, new phase of its history.

ACTO is a body with a clear objective: to support counsellors and psychotherapists who work online. With 15 years’ experience, we believe that this knowledge and expertise is invaluable at the current time.

Clearly, the landscape that practitioners and training providers operate in has been transformed since the start of the pandemic. Since March, many psychotherapists and counsellors have started to work online, some with limited experience and training.  The need to equip our colleagues with the right skills and expertise is therefore urgent. It is easy to do therapy online; but it is difficult to do therapy online well.

ACTO priorities

To make these transformative changes, ACTO will build up its repository of resources and knowledge around online therapy. Furthermore, as an organisation we will drive up standards of practice and training, provide information about working internationally and improve access to key research.

The goal: for ACTO to be the ‘go-to’ place for discussion and debate for psychotherapists and counsellors.

ACTO provides a range of services to its members, including a directory for therapists and supervisors, forums for practitioners to discuss relevant issues and access to digital tools.

If you would like to enquire about joining ACTO or find out more regarding our work, please go to the ACTO website or get in touch.

Adrian M. Rhodes

Chair, ACTO

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Blog

ACTO clarification on use of platforms

This is ACTO’s very short clarification on the use of platforms.

We do not have the time or the expertise to say something about every platform. Another reason is that technology changes fast that what we say today may not be true tomorrow.

We are pointing towards one of our organisational members Privacy4  who are offering a free month now.

And this article has a lot of useful information. It was written with children and young people in mind but there is useful information about the use of platforms that applies to us all.

If you have any other questions about working online please don’t hesitate to contact us. Keep in mind that we are all volunteers and we are getting a lot of questions at the moment, but we are trying to get to yours as fast as we can.

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Blog

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Advice from ACTO for CLIENTS and NON-ACTO THERAPISTS

Please look here for the latest guidance

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Blog

How to keep online therapy safe and secure

In early November, The Guardian posted an article about Tim Berners-Lee idea for a new “contract for the web”. Tim Berners-Lee is the founder of the web and he is very concerned with the privacy of online users on the internet.

Tim Berners-Lee has launched a global campaign to protect the online users for abuse and discrimination among other important issues with the use of the internet.

He wants governments, companies and individuals to support a “Contract for the Web” with the main goal to protect people’s rights and freedom on the internet. He calls it a “Magna Carta for the web”. The aim is for all to have access to the internet, in a freely, safely, secured and without fear of abuse.

“Magna Carta for the web”

ACTO welcome this campaign and is very pleased with already so many companies supporting a contract for the web. More than 50 organisations have signed the contract so far and the number is hopefully growing every day. 

The online world is a wonderful and exciting world where opportunities are endless. Unfortunately, the internet also brings fake news, online bullying, websites being hacked and personal information might end up being shared online, which was never intended to be shared for the wide public.

At ACTO we work very hard to keep online therapy safe and secure but accessible for all. We keep up with current research in the area, we keep developing as online software becomes available and the technology furthers.

We only promote and work with online platforms that can show evidence of a secured and confidential service to clients, therapists and counsellor.

ACTO is using its strong relationships with other professional therapy. and related, bodies to ensure that these high standards are maintained across all modalities and online work.

ACTO’s online training requirements

ACTO is also working with the growing number of online training providers to create high standards of training that will give therapists confidence in the course they choose, that it will equip them to embark on online therapy. 

ACTO believes strongly that to practice as effectively and ethically as possible specific training in online therapy is vital.  In the same way that any professional would seek training if broadening out their career and skills in a new area.  All therapists have a foundation training that is robust, with ethics a core aspect running through it.  As we develop our careers our professional bodies expect us to continuously train and keep open to new approaches and learning.  And if we were to begin work in a new way would look for an appropriate course to support this. 

For example, core therapy training is to equip the therapist to work with adults, and so we know that to branch out to work with children and young people, we would seek a course that helped us to develop the skills to work ethically in this specialism.  In the same way, we would expect a doctor wanting to practice in a related, but a different part of medicine to undertake appropriate training.

ACTO believes that maintaining high standards of online training and practice supports both online therapists and the public.  The legal and technological world is ever-changing and can be complicated to understand, potentially leading the untrained online therapist into difficulties.  So ACTO has recently led in a pilot with CORE-net, gathering evidence for the use of CORE in online therapy, with a fascinating and very positive result, which will be used to take this pilot forward to the benefit of all ACTO members.

This gives a flavour of the range of work that ACTO is undertaking on behalf of online therapists, and those wishing to train.  ACTO’s ethos is to be professional, ethical and inclusive, and the Board is always keen for ACTO members to join either the Board or the range of working groups that are doing so much of the valuable work of ACTO.  For example, there are working groups for research and development, children and young people, the CORE project, and the development of the website.

ACTO is happy to engage in open and robust discussion and offer guidance and support to anyone interested in online working.  ACTO’s members have a wealth of experience, skills and backgrounds that they are keen to share.

Sources:

Read the guardian article.

www.acto-org.uk

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