What are the perceived implications, if any, for non-IAPT therapists working in an IAPT service?

Abstract

The research aimed to investigate the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme, from the perspective of ‘non-IAPT’ counsellors and psychotherapists working within IAPT services. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with therapists who were currently working within IAPT services, but had no formal ‘IAPT-compliant’ or ‘IAPT-accredited’ training. Foucauldian discourse analysis was used to analyse interview transcriptions and the study examined the various discourses used by participants to speak about IAPT. Findings indicated that participants drew upon dominant discourses in attempts to fit in or belong, yet paradoxically, the way in which the discourses were used seemed to create subject positions that were outside to, or excluded from, the IAPT services they worked at. IAPT and non-IAPT discourses emerged simultaneously – a possible indication of the discursive junction where different ideologies were in conflict with one another. Implications of the power relations that may be operating within this setting are discussed and suggestions made for further research.

Keywords:

• Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)
• discourse analysis
• Foucault
• National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
• power relations
• subject positions

Notes on contributors

Catherine Altson is a Visiting Lecturer for the MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy programme at the University of Roehampton and a Research Assistant at the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education, also at the University of Roehampton. She has recently embarked on a PhD through the university's Department of Psychology and also works in private practice in Clapham, London.

Prof. Del Loewenthal is Director of the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education and Convener of Doctoral Programmes in Psychotherapy and Counselling, Department of Psychology, at the University of Roehampton. He is also in private practice in Wimbledon and Brighton. He trained as an existential analytic psychotherapist at the Philadelphia Association and is a chartered psychologist.

Dr. Anastasios Gaitanidis is a senior lecturer in Counselling Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy and a member of the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education at the University of Roehampton. He is also a psychodynamic counsellor/ psychotherapist in private practice. He is the editor of Narcissism – A Critical Reader (2007) and The Male in Analysis – Psychoanalytic and Cultural Perspectives (2011).

Dr. Rhiannon Thomas is a psychotherapeutic counsellor in private practice. She has previously worked as a counsellor in a school for children diagnosed with learning and behavioural difficulties and completed her PhD on language and experience, with particular reference to the experience of psychotherapy of mothers with children diagnosed as having a significant language delay.