I'd like to talk about making a complaint

If you have concerns about your therapy, please try speaking to your therapist first to try to resolve the issue directly with them.

If you feel you can’t speak to your therapist, you can talk to our Get help with counselling concerns service. They can answer any questions you may have and offer guidance on what to do next.

If you decide to make a complaint, you’ll need to tell us how you have tried to resolve the issue, or explain why this has not been possible.

If your therapist works for a BACP organisational member, you should complain through their internal complaints procedures first. Contact your counselling service provider for details.

I'm thinking about making a formal complaint

We’re only able to consider complaints against our members, so please check that your therapist is a BACP member. We can also deal with complaints about former members in some circumstances.

The Association can only progress complaints or referrals which concern behaviour that may constitute a breach of the BACP Ethical Framework:

  • a therapeutic service (including counselling or psychotherapy) provided by a BACP member
  • concerns over a member’s conduct which is not related to a therapeutic service, for example if the therapist has been convicted of a crime or behaves inappropriately

There are a number of complaints/referrals that BACP may not be able to process:

  • Matters where the appropriate remedy is within the jurisdiction of the court or tribunals.
  • Matters that are subject to police investigation, although we may still be able to act where a public protection risk is identified.
  • The Association cannot progress complaints concerning Member’s involvement in ongoing Family Court cases. This includes the contents of Members’ submissions to the Family Court. Where Family Court proceedings are concluded, any material submitted to the Court can only be considered by the Association with the Judge’s explicit approval (England, Wales & Northern Ireland).
  • The Association cannot look behind decisions concerning other regulatory bodies or the Courts.
  • Disputes between members where there has been no client impact and/or there are no public protection issues.
  • Anonymous complaints, unless the information is publicly available and indicates a risk of serious harm.

Please see our guide to making a complaint or email professional_conduct@bacp.co.uk if you want more information.

Guide to making a complaint (pdf 218KB)

We have two complaints procedures which can be used by clients, our members and ourselves to complain about alleged poor practice by a member:

If we uphold a complaint, there several possible steps we can take, including withdrawal of membership.

I'd like to make a complaint

If you wish to make a complaint, please click on our complaint form. Please note if you have a self disclosure or third party referral please also complete the complaint form with all the relevant information. 

If you need help, or have any problems making your complaint, please email us at professional_conduct@bacp.co.uk

Alternatively, you can download and complete a Word version of the form and send it by post to Professional Conduct, BACP House, Unit 15, St. John’s Business Park, Lutterworth, LE17 4HB.

Professional conduct complaint form (docx 133KB)

What happens next

We'll contact you to confirm we've received your complaint and will talk you through the process and any further information we may need.

It may take up to 12 to 18 months to complete the complaints procedure.