June 2024: JP, Reference No 00610310, Registrant ID 46512
June 2024: Julie Pike, Reference No 00610310, Registrant ID 46512
Outcome Details
This outcome was reached by agreement.
Reasons
Julie Pike a BACP member agrees to the following outcome of the investigation into a complaint of professional misconduct under reference PCP[…].
1. Background
• Ms Pike has been a BACP member since […].
• Ms Pike is currently practicing.
• On 15th May Year 2 the Complainant reported Ms Pike, an individual member of BACP. She complained that:
1. She had sessions with the Member between 29 October Year 1 and 23 March Year 2, initially fortnightly then weekly.
2. The Complainant has a history of […]. As a result, she developed […] . The Member's stated qualifications seemed, to the Complainant, to make her an ideal Counsellor.
3. The Member assured her that she could discuss anything she wanted and that she (the Member) would not 'leave' or judge her.
4. At the end of a session the Member told the Complainant that something urgent had come up and that she could not have the session the following week; the Complainant asked if the session could take place on a different day which the Member agreed to.
5. An hour before the next session the Member cancelled due to […] and said that the Complainant would be refunded for the session. On the Sunday before their next scheduled session on Thursday the Complainant informed the Member she could not attend. The Member told the Complainant that she would not refund the cost of the session as the Complainant had not given sufficient notice.
6. Shortly after this, the Member sent the Complainant a message and said that she would no longer have sessions with the Complainant as the Member was 'very, very boundaried' and the Complainant had pushed the boundaries. The Complainant says the Member had never discussed this with the Complainant before.
6. The Complainant requested a copy of her notes and the contract. The Member sent a copy of the contract but told the Complainant that she does not keep notes and told the Complainant to not contact her further.
2. Admissions
• Ms Pike makes the following admissions which the BACP accepts.
Allegation 1
By electronic communication the Member unilaterally and/or without notice to her ended the therapeutic relationship with the Complainant.
Allegation 2
The Member accepted the Complainant as a client and/or commenced therapeutic work with the Complainant and/or continued to work in a therapeutic relationship with the Complainant when not sufficiently well enough to do so.
3. Mitigation
3.1 Ms Pike puts forward the following in mitigation, which has been taken into account by the Investigation & Assessment Committee (“IAC”) in deciding the appropriate outcome:
• She has been a counsellor for […] years and BACP accredited for […] years. She has never had a complaint made about her previously.
• This has been a valuable space for her to reflect with her supervisor as to how she could have done things differently and how to improve and do things differently in future.
• Going forward she will be aware and mindful of keeping a good work life balance and of being healthy mentally and physically.
• She has amended her contract so that after 6 sessions there is a review so that she and the client have the space to end the sessions if they feel the relationship is not working.
• The contract includes more detailed information regarding ‘the ending of our sessions, how we will end’, and how much notice the client needs to be given in order to end. This is discussed in the first session to ensure the client understands.
• She now explores in the first session with the client the importance of boundaries and why they are needed so that the client understands.
• She is now taking regular breaks and has cut down her working hours.
4. Conclusion
4.1 The issues identified and admitted by Ms Pike amounted to breaches of the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018, in particular paragraphs:
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.
18. We will maintain our own physical and psychological health at a level that enables us to work effectively with our clients – see 91 Care of self as a practitioner.
91. We will take responsibility for our own wellbeing as essential to sustaining good practice with our clients by:
b. monitoring and maintaining our own psychological and physical health, particularly that we are sufficiently resilient and resourceful to undertake our work in ways that satisfy professional standards.
4.2 One of the aims of the Professional Conduct Procedure is to protect members of the public. The IAC, in considering what sanction may be appropriate in the circumstances of this case, has taken into account the interests of public protection.
4.3 In relation to the findings above, the IAC considers it appropriate that Ms Pike should:
• Within 4 weeks of the date of the Agreement, undertake a minimum of 6 hours of Continuing Professional Development on delivering appropriate therapeutic endings.
• Within 8 weeks of the Agreement, write a genuine and sincere letter of apology to the Complainant, recognising what went wrong in this case and acknowledging the impact of her actions on the Complainant.
• Within 8 weeks of the Agreement, submit to BACP a reflective piece addressing her learning from the CPD and the changes she has implemented in her practice to deal with therapeutic endings and her own health and
wellbeing, to avoid a similar situation arising again. The Member should confirm that this has been discussed with her supervisor.
4.4 Ms Pike agrees that this agreement may be published by the BACP.
4.5 Ms Pike agrees that she will not act in any way inconsistent with this agreement such as, for example, by denying the findings in paragraph 2 above.
4.6 If Ms Pike acts in a way which is inconsistent with this agreement, her membership will be terminated. Such a decision will be published.
(Where ellipses [ . . . ] are displayed, they indicate an omission of text)