The relation between the process and the appearance of the process: the MHTP

The question of whether Counsellor could be a protected title raised barely a mutter at the meeting, and will be dealt with by solicitor Jonathan Bracken at some future date.

It is such a general word that it seems very likely that capturing it will cause a catastrophe. There are around 30,000 counsellors on the BACP books for example. It would be amazing if the HPC took these 30,000 counsellors into its care yet this seems to be the image that BACP wants to create.

I wonder what is actually happening at these meetings. The process seems specifically designed to addle the mind. Much that is said seems irrelevant - the Chair often openly contradicts herself, many issues are parked for future debate, put into a pot, or just 'left there' for a moment but no-one is holding a list. The agenda seems to hover over the content, the minutes don't name anyone in particular. With so much vagueness and lack of direction the PLG process appears to float over something that is moving according to its own will.

The meeting generally stops around about 3.30 but there was still no mention of the discussion expected on protecting the title of 'child psychotherapist. So it was a big surprise when at about 3pm Diane Waller invited Jonathan Coe to put forward some unexpected business. He wanted to know, for no particular reason, and a very angelic smile, whether the group might wish to consider whether or no to protect the title Psychoanalyst. What was that about?

BPC and Skills for Health slapped the suggestion down. BPC vaguely implied that to practise as a psychoanalyst one would first have to enter the register as a psychotherapist - "these are the minimum standards" he said "you are free to go higher if you wish". And SfH sort of backed this up.

At 3.15 or thereabouts the PLG finally came back to the question of whether to protect the title of Child Psychotherapist (an idea thrown out several times over this six month process). Eileen Thornton for the HPC said she could see nothing convincing in the paperwork submitted to support the demand. BPC and SfH both piped up again and began bellowing. The most incoherent stream of nonsense issued forth from the SfH foghorn about the physical nature of a child's brain, and BPC said that because he personally wasn't competent to practise as a child psychotherapist the title must be protected (from him we must suppose).

At 3.29 the doormouse woke up and declared some dates for the next PLG - 17th and 18th November. Nothing seemed to be settled. And, just when they thought it was all over two more days are pulled out of the hat.

In the meantime, Anna van der Gaag has been recruiting her new HPC Board, due to meet on July 6 to consider the PLG's recommendations. Only 3 of the original Council will be reappointed, so Diane Waller, Jeff Lucas, Mary Clark Glass, Annie Taylor, Eileen Thornton, and Graham Smith are unlikely to be around for the November PLG. The original programme of consultation and review has been muddled, but the Draft Standards of Proficiency (SOP) are going to be circulated for another round of consultation - after the new Council has heard the 'group's recommendations'. Will there be a second set of recommendations to Council and a second consultation? Not if the HPC want to rush this through parliament before the next general election.

The UKCP member (Kathi Murphy) specifically said that she was unhappy with the definitions distinguishing Counselling from Psychotherapy (cooked up in half an hour over yesterday's lunch by Mick Cooper and Peter Fonagy - an idea from Julian Lousada which was eagerly put into play by Di Waller, who over-rode the loud protestations from Kathi Murphy), but would accept them for now knowing that they had to go for consultation. Lousada later said he could accept the phrase 'mental health well being' as a definition for counselling, but would then want to give up the will to live - thus evidencing the hypothesis that depression follows moral cowardice.

There is a barely spoken knowledge that everyone involved in this process will have to fudge and force things to fit in order not to lose face. I heard the Counselling Professor (Cooper) mutter his amazement over tea that the UKCP had not contested the definition of Psychotherapy in the meeting. I heard myself wonder why no-one screamed when someone said that the DSM IV was the therapist's bible. Another member of the silent gallery confessed her great discomfort at having to remain mute at this process. I wonder why we all obey the rules. I remember those films and plays and books where someone finally stands up says 'look here, this is all nonsense'. You will ask me why I didn't say it myself.

Look here this is all nonsense.