Psychotherapy and Counselling Association - for Psychotherapy training in the UK

The UPCA

The UPCA Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association was founded in 1993 as the UPA, Universities Psychotherapy Association with the object of furthering the development of psychotherapy training.

In June 2002 the membership voted to add 'Counselling' to the name of the Association giving it the acronym it is know by today - the UPCA

The UPCA aims both to provide a professional body for graduates of university and university-linked courses which lead to a clinical qualification and to be the vehicle by which graduates might become registered psychotherapists.

Since 1998 the UPCA has also accepted university-based or university-linked counselling courses and their graduates as members.

The UPCA is an Institutional Member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and graduates from psychotherapy courses accredited by both UPCA and UKCP are eligible to be UKCP registered.

UPCA Objectives

· To protect the public by promoting safe and ethical psychotherapy and counselling practice
amongst its members.
· To enhance and develop public confidence in members psychotherapy and counselling practice.
· To promote high standards of psychotherapeutic training and education
· To provide a forum for the exploration of the common ground of psychotherapy and
counselling;
· To develop the academic and research base of psychotherapy and counselling;

By the following activities:
· Sponsoring collaborative ventures between universities, including conferences;
· Assisting academics in planning new courses;
· Assisting universities in the validation and audit of existing courses;
· Publishing and maintaining a Register of members;
· Publishing annual conference papers;
· Publishing a Newsletter