UPCA is an organisational member (OM) and accrediting body of University Training Colleges (UTC). UTC is one of 10 United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) Colleges, all UKCP Registrants have to belong to a college.

 

The purpose of UPCA is to provide a route for its members to UKCP registration upon completion of a UPCA approved training programme. UPCA also seeks to protect the public through an ethical framework that all trainee therapists must adhere to. Also acting as a professional association UPCA monitors the standards of training of its approved courses and the standards of its members’ practice.

UPCA was founded in 1993 as the Universities Psychotherapy Association (UPA) with the object of furthering the development of psychotherapy training.

Since then the objectives and organisation of the association have evolved to encompass a greater focus on protecting the public in addition to its original aims.

 

UPCA is run by a governing body known as the Council. The objectives of UPCA are to:

  • 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.

Council Members

Alistair Ross

CHAIR OF UPCA COUNCIL

Associate Professor Psychotherapy

Oxford University

Nancy Hakim Dowek

REPRESENTATIVE UTC

DProf Course Leader
NSPC

Foundation Course Leader
Existential Academy

Headshot image of Council member Oktober Evennett

Oktober Evennett

COUNCIL MEMBER

Co-Lead of the
Child & Adolescent
Psychotherapeutic Counselling Programme

University of Cambridge

Phil Goss

CHAIR OF ETHICS & COMPLAINTS

Director Counselling and Psychotherapy

University of Warwick

Faisal Mahmood

COUNCIL MEMBER

Head of Counselling and Psychotherapy

Birmingham Newman University

Dwight Turner

CHAIR OF TRAINING & STANDARDS

Counselling and Psychotherapy Psychodynamic Course

University of Brighton

Gary Winship

CHAIR OF RESEARCH

Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences

University of Nottingham

Headshot of council member Heike Myers

Heike Myers

STUDENT MEMBER

Trainee Member of UPCA

Studying at Oxford University