The IACP recently published results of a survey of members and it makes interesting reading. You can download the report from the IACP website, here.

For me, the questions relating to the business side of running a therapy or counselling practice are particularly interesting. The survey reports that the recession seems to have had a big impact on the profession, and that “45% [of respondents] spontaneously cite the recession and/or business development and clients’ inability to pay for counselling as their significant problem at present.” However, the report does not indicate what changes if any, therapists and counsellors have made in their practices in response to this challenge to their practising environment.

In this regard, one finding that caught my attention was “Although many may clearly be struggling to develop and grow viable practises, most seem more interested in learning about developing areas of treatment rather than about how to market, develop or establish their practise.”

Does this mean, I wonder, that practitioners are more concerned with their clients’ needs than with their own? It left me curious to know more. Do therapists have other sources of income that mean they don’t need to earn a living from their practices? Or do they come to the work with no expectations that the work will reward them financially? One possible clue is that a high percentage of respondents (almost one in three) are students or pre-accredited members, and more than one in four respondents charge €20 or less per session, charge a donation only, or work for no charge.

Perhaps there is a general belief that there is nothing that can be done to counteract the impact of the recession? I’d be interested in hearing the views of readers on this point. It raises a question for me which is in part why I do the work I do here at This Business of Therapy. Is this profession financially viable? Is it possible for someone with a mortgage and a family to support to work in this business, or is it the preserve of those who have minimal financial obligations and low expectations?

It is interesting that while Recession/Personal Finance/Getting Clients is cited as the greatest challenge (45% of respondents), only 15% identified Marketing or PR as an area they’d like more CPD in. I find this curious.  Another finding suggests that 42% of respondents believe that the IACP could do more to promote itself. Perhaps this suggests that members see the professional body as having a greater responsibility than members themselves to promote the profession?

Other interesting findings include the number of clients seen per month (average 21) and the average fee per session (€44). Personally, I was surprised these figures were so low, but again, perhaps they have been skewed by the relatively high number of student and preaccredited members included in the survey.

Elsewhere, the report states that, [lack of interest in Information Technology and Research] seems to underscore a contention that counsellors may be passionate about their discipline but perhaps less good at organising and establishing their own businesses or thinking more strategically. This would support anecdotal evidence I have received speaking to therapists. Most of those I have spoken to told me that their training in relation to establishing and running a practice was at best, skimpy, and at worst, non-existent. In this profession it seems we train people to work in their practice, but not to create the practice, or manage it.

Perhaps in our submissions regarding the regulation of the profession, we may need to include a requirement that the training of future therapists has some component of the practical skills necessary to establish and maintain a viable practice?

The IACP survey report makes interesting reading, and hats off to the organisation for undertaking this work.  (If you haven’t read it yet, you can download it here.) It also leaves many questions unanswered. National Director of IACP, Naoise Kelly, states that the results will be used in the strategic planning for the organisation, and I look forward to seeing what comes out of it.

If you have comments or questions relating to this or any other issue about your practice, please leave a comment or question in the box below, or contact me here for your free 20 minute consultation.