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From the editor

According to the Office for NationalÌýStatistics (ONS), the number of self-employedÌýworkers in the UK has risen toÌýits highest in 40 years.¹ Around 4.6 millionÌýpeople work for themselves, or 15 per centÌýof the total number in employment.

Jobs that have seen a big rise in self-employment,Ìýthe ONS reports,Ìýinclude management consultancy,Ìýphotographers and charteredÌýaccountants. Given the rapidly changingÌýlandscape of our profession and cutsÌýin staff positions in the statutory and voluntaryÌýsectors, it’s my guess that the number of self-employedÌýcounsellors and psychotherapists isÌýalso likely to have increased significantly. In aÌýrecent survey of over 4,500 representative Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏÌýmembers, over a quarter (27 per cent) selectedÌýprivate practice as their main role, and over aÌýthird (35–40 per cent) selected it in addition toÌýother activities.

Given this, I wonder how transparent therapyÌýtraining providers are with prospective studentsÌýabout the scarcity of salaried positions forÌýcounsellors and psychotherapists? And, as atÌýleast one in four newly qualified practitionersÌýcan expect to make their living solely fromÌýself-employment, are trainees adequatelyÌýprepared for the challenges of establishingÌýand sustaining a viable private practice?

Not very and not enough, argues Liddy Carver inÌýher article on the subject. Liddy suggestsÌýprospective students should ask training providersÌýhow they would rate their chances of earning aÌýdecent living on qualification. Like Liddy, I wonderÌýif they would get an honest answer, given trainingÌýinstitutions are more likely to be concerned withÌýkeeping numbers up than with students’ futureÌýemployment prospects. She argues the currentÌýlevel of students qualifying each year remainsÌýhigher than the market can sustain and that there’sÌýa need to reduce their number in order to enhanceÌýopportunities for existing practitioners.

She also thinks training programmes shouldÌýbe skilling students to cope with the challenges ofÌýprivate practice, which include isolation, insecurity,Ìýand a fluctuating and potentially low income.ÌýOn the last point, and at the risk of soundingÌýgloomy, the same ONS study cited above foundÌýthat, despite their increase in numbers, the averageÌýincome of self-employed workers has slumpedÌýby 22 per cent since 2008. The TUC described theÌýfigures as ‘worrying’, as the pay of self-employedÌýworkers is typically around half that of people inÌýstaff positions.² I suspect the average incomeÌýof self-employed therapists might also reflectÌýthis differential.

Private Practice does what it can to redressÌýthis lack of information. In this issue, CatherineÌýO’Riordan and James O’Riordan explore someÌýunderlying barriers that they say inhibit therapistsÌýfrom charging enough for, and making a livingÌýfrom, their service. And marketingÌýexperts Martin Hogg and CorrinaÌýGordon-Barnes offer advice on howÌýto thrive in a competitive market place and onÌýearning a healthy income from your work.

Now for some good news for privateÌýpractitioners. Perhaps partly in recognition ofÌýthe challenges faced by self-employed members,ÌýÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏ has created a new role of lead advisor forÌýthe private practice sector to join the team of leadÌýadvisors serving the other divisions, sectors andÌýcountries. Patti Wallace takes up the role of LeadÌýAdvisor, Private Practice for an initial period ofÌýone year, starting this month. The creation of thisÌýnew role is of critical strategic importance for theÌýdivision, which is the fastest growing of the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏÌýdivisions, having achieved a 30 per cent growth inÌýmembership since re-launching as Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏ PrivateÌýPractice in 2011. We plan to include an interviewÌýwith Patti in a future issue of this journal.

One significant aspect of the division’sÌýactivities that continues to expand is the numberÌýof regional networking groups now establishedÌýacross the country. I attended the inauguralÌýmeeting of the South London group, coordinatedÌýby Lesley Ludlow and Hatice Ocal, in July and wasÌýdelighted to see so many fellow therapists thereÌýand to join the discussions about shared andÌýindividual experiences and interests. If youÌýhaven’t already attended a meeting in yourÌýregion, I’d encourage you to do so. See RaynerÌýWard’s article and Division NewsÌýfor further details.

From practical to clinical matters, elsewhereÌýin this issue Mark Dempster writes about hisÌýapproach for working with clients addicted toÌýgambling and Janet Nicholls providesÌýadvice for therapists working with clientsÌýbereaved by homicide. Finally, HeatherÌýDale and Duncan Lawrence invite you to joinÌýa debate they kick start. They areÌýconcerned about gender inequality in ourÌýprofession: women make up the vast majorityÌýof counsellors and psychotherapists – overÌýfour-fifths of the membership of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏ, forÌýexample – but it is the small minority of maleÌýtherapists who rise disproportionately toÌýpositions of power and influence, they argue.ÌýYour views on this or any other topic coveredÌýin this issue, or exercising you at present, areÌýmost welcome. You can reach me on the emailÌýaddress below.

John Daniel
Editor
privatepractice.editorial@bacp.co.uk

References

1. Office for National Statistics. Self-employed workersÌýin the UK – 2014. Newport: Office for National Statistics.Ìýhttp://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lmac/self-employed-workers-in-the-uk/2014/. Accessed 20 August 2014.
2. BBC. Self-employment at 40 year high, says ONS.Ìýhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28866302.ÌýAccessed 20 August 2014.

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