Letter

In response to Why psychologists can’t clearly say what they’re trained to do.

A response to Tess Nikitenko

I agree with Tess that the restrictions on accurate advertising, which would help potential clients in making wise choices of psychologists, are somewhat arcane and ridiculous. However, as a fellow trauma specialist with a Masters in Counselling and several other accompanying qualifications, when I developed a pamphlet of our services I was contacted by the Australian Psychological Society with an amazing draconian restriction.

They informed me that as I was not qualified as a psychologist I was not permitted to use the term “psychological” anywhere in our pamphlet. To be clear, I was not saying that I or any other workers in our agency were psychologists. Together with a clinical social worker, we replied that if they promised not to use the word “social” then we would promise not to use the word “psychological”!

I know that psychologists try to preserve their field of work at all costs, but frankly, that was ridiculous. We never did hear back from them!

— Maggie Woodhead from Perth, WA