Ethical Framework 2026: A conversation with the BACP

The new BACP Ethical Framework 2026 contains requirements regarding clear separation between personal and professional social media. But how practical is this for Facebook when many groups bar Facebook pages from participating? Additionally, how freely can a therapist speak in their personal capacity when much is publicly available online? These questions, together with how to protect client confidentiality on social media, are explored in today's podcast. The episode also includes post ideas for November 2026. In this episode: The limitations of professional accounts on Facebook Why setting up an additional personal account may be problematic An alternative way to ensure boundaries are in place The care that therapists need to take when speaking in a personal capacity on social media Honesty about your service Protecting client confidentiality when using social media Ideas for posts for November 2026

Why are private practice therapists vulnerable to burnout, what are the signs they need to look out for - and how can they avoid it happening? In this interview, clinical psychologist and author, Dr Claire Plumbly, defines burnout and describes the warning signs that may appear in the therapeutic relationship. We discuss the factors that make therapists particularly vulnerable to burnout and what not to say to help them. Takeaways: What's the official definition of burnout? How to recognise burnout How factors such as perfectionism, high standards and the desire to help add to workplace pressure on therapists Why private practice can make burnout more likely How to make private practice more sustainable What to do when burnout begins to appear

Why is it so hard to ask for help when we're quite happy to offer it? In this rather vulnerable episode of the Good Enough Counsellors podcast, I'm sharing something I've been thinking about for a long time and have finally plucked up the courage to do. It has been difficult to get to this point as it's brought up all sorts of feelings for me. These include whether I should be able to manage by myself, being willing to receive and to admit I need help. But what if people want to help and how, by valuing independence, am I denying people the gift of support? I'm also sharing a taster of something new I've been creating - a behind the scenes podcast. In it I take you behind the scenes of exhibiting at the BACP Private Practice Conference. I share something that can hold me back. "Perfectionism Paralysis" and how I get over it. What if you don't need to feel completely ready before you do the thing that scares you? In this episode: Why asking for help can feel so vulnerable Something my daughter said that changed how I thought about receiving support My latest, rather scary, business adventure A taster of my new private podcast How perfectionism nearly stopped me exhibiting at the BACP conference Why "good enough" can sometimes get us further than trying to get everything right

Have you ever sat down and worked out how much your private practice is costing you? Sometimes it's more than you realise and this can have an impact on whether it's a business that actually supports you. Your session fees need to not only cover day to day costs such as supervision, but also allow for holidays, sickness and retirement. In this second episode with psychotherapist and supervisor, Claire Ratcliffe, we discuss how to build a sustainable practice including how to attract clients. In this episode: How Claire started TikTok, despite her discomfort with visibility, and how she makes it work alongside running a busy practice and being a single parent The impact of her TikTok channel on her enquiries Why she thinks it is important to let people know who you are and what you offer rather than relying on a single place to find clients The hidden costs of running a private practice The beliefs therapists can have about being greedy or selfish and the impact on their fees Accessibility and why higher fees can make it easier to offer concessions How our personal history with money can affect the fees we are comfortable to charge Why comparing your fees with another therapist can be misleading due to different financial circumstances

Working with couples can feel very different from working with individual clients. There are two people in the room, two different perspectives and the added challenge of managing what happens between them. In this episode of the Good Enough Counsellors podcast, I talk to integrative psychotherapist, couples therapist and clinical supervisor Claire Ratcliffe about how therapists can feel more confident working with couples. Claire shares that she didn't always enjoy couples work. Despite completing couples therapy training, she initially felt out of her depth and eventually removed couples counselling from her profile altogether. It was only when she found an approach that suited her, alongside specialist training and supervision, that her experience began to change. Today, couples work is something she loves. We talk about what makes couples counselling so rewarding, as well as some of the challenges therapists can face when working with more than one client in the room and how to handle them. Towards the end of our conversation, we return to something that made a huge difference to both Claire's experience and my own reflections on working with couples: supervision. Claire explains why specialist couples supervision matters and how learning alongside other therapists can help you develop your skills and feel less alone when the work feels challenging. Claire is also developing a group supervision membership for couples and relationship therapists, with opportunities to learn through case discussion and shared experience. You can find out more about Claire and her supervision offer through the links below. In this episode, we discuss: Why Claire initially stopped offering couples counselling The difference the right training and specialist supervision can make What Claire now loves about working with couples How childhood experiences and trauma can play out within relationships Helping partners listen without immediately reacting or making it about themselves Why slowing things down can be so important in couples therapy Sex, shame and differences in desire within relationships Resentment, contempt and what can happen when couples seek help very late Why couples therapists can benefit from learning together in supervision What to do if you want to work with couples but don't yet feel confident