A petition on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine calling for the introduction of legislative regulation of psychological counseling and psychotherapeutic practice in Ukraine has failed to gather the required number of votes for consideration.
According to the platform on the government website, the petition was submitted on May 25 and as of August 26 has collected only 32 votes out of the 25,000 required.
"In Ukraine, the number of individuals providing psychological consultations, psychotherapeutic services, and working with people’s mental state without proper specialized education, clinical training, supervision, and professional responsibility is growing rapidly," the petition said.
The author of the petition states that currently there is effectively no clear state regulation regarding: the use of professional titles "psychologist," "psychotherapist," "consulting psychologist," "therapist"; the activities of individuals working with psychological trauma and mental health of the population; and liability for providing psychological services without proper qualifications.
In her view, because of this, Ukrainian citizens may become victims of unprofessional help, psychological manipulation, imposition of dangerous practices, and pseudotherapy by individuals who: have completed only short-term courses; lack a basic psychological education; have not undergone clinical practice; lack supervision and ethical control; and actually exert psychological influence without proper professional training.
The author emphasizes that practice without appropriate qualifications is especially dangerous when working with: people in crisis states; military personnel and veterans; children and adolescents; victims of violence; people with PTSD; depressive and anxiety disorders; people with suicidal ideation; and persons who have experienced loss, occupation, and the consequences of war.
She states that in most European countries, psychological and psychotherapeutic practice is regulated by law: education requirements exist; professional certification; ethical standards; professional liability; and client protection mechanisms.
"At the same time, in Ukraine, anyone can position themselves as a ‘psychologist’ or ‘therapist,’ actively promote their services on social networks, and work with vulnerable people without proper competence verification," according to the petition.
In this regard, the author requests: drafting and adopting legislative norms regarding the regulation of psychological and psychotherapeutic practice in Ukraine; establishing clear qualification requirements for individuals entitled to provide psychological and psychotherapeutic services; legislatively regulating the use of professional titles: psychologist, psychotherapist, consulting psychologist, clinical psychologist; creating a state or official professional registry of certified specialists; establishing liability for misleading citizens through the unauthorized use of professional titles and the provision of psychological services without proper qualifications; and legislatively separating the concepts of: psychologist; psychotherapist; coach; consultant; mentor; personal development trainer.
