Professional Conduct notice / TS

February 2026: Tracy Szamek, Reference No 00801079, Registrant ID 324376

Outcome Details

Consensual Disposal

Reasons

1. Tracy Szamek, a BACP individual member agrees to the following outcome of the investigation into a complaint of a failure to meet the Professional Standards under reference PCP[…].

Background

2. Ms Szamek has been a BACP member since […].

3. The Member works in private practice as […].

4. On 22 October Year 1 a complaint was made about the Member’s conduct. In summary the Complainant sought counselling for her child […]. The Complainant alleged that the Member ended the therapy abruptly without offering a closing session.

Admissions

5. The Member makes the following admissions which the BACP accepts:

Allegation 1

1.1 The Member ended therapy with Child X abruptly and without offering a closing session.

1.2 The Member thereby failed to meet professional standards, including in particular by acting in a way which was inconsistent with the following paragraphs of Good Practice in the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018:

39 - We will endeavour to inform clients well in advance of approaching endings and be sensitive to our client’s expectations and concerns when we are approaching the end of our work together.

Mitigation

6. The Member puts forward the following in mitigation, which has been taken into account by the IAC in deciding the appropriate outcome:

She acknowledges that she should have offered a closing session, acknowledges the hurt and inconvenience caused and apologises. She has reflected on the complaint and has changed her practice as a result.

Conclusion

7. The issues identified and admitted by the Member amount to a breach of the professional standards reasonably expected of the Member having regard to the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018 in particular paragraph 39 as identified in the admissions above.

8. One of the aims of the Professional Conduct Procedure is to protect members of the public. The IAC in considering the appropriate outcome and sanction for the admitted breaches in this case have taken into account the interests of public protection and determined that it is reasonable and proportionate to conclude it by agreement on the terms set out below.

9. In relation to the finding above the IAC considers it appropriate that the Member is required, within 6 weeks of the date of this agreement, to provide to BACP:

a. A letter of apology addressed to the Complainant and Child X, which acknowledges her conduct and its impact on Child X.

b. Evidence of completion of a minimum of 6 hours CPD in relation to therapeutic endings, including details of training undertaken or reading completed.

c. A statement demonstrating changes the Member has made to her practice as a result of this complaint.

10. The Member agrees that this Agreement will be published by the BACP in line with the Publication Policy and that it will be disclosed to the Complainant.

11. The Member agrees that she will not act in any way inconsistent with this agreement such as, for example, by denying the admission in paragraph 5 above.

12. If the Member fails, without good reason, to comply with the sanction set out above or acts in a way which is inconsistent with this Agreement the matter will be referred to a sanction panel for consideration. A sanction panel may determine that it will terminate her membership. Such a decision will be published.

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