You can choose one, a few, or all of my services...

• Emotional Support
• Understanding The Investigation Process
• Responding to the Complaint and Investigation
• Preparing for Panels and Hearings
• Recovery After The Final Decision

Please see the How I Help Therapists Through Complaints section for additional and specific details of my services

Each complaint is different, as is the investigation that follows. The procedure can feel anything but transparent, it takes time, and outcomes can be uncertain and thus Therapist Overwhelm is natural.

No matter what your modality is, or which professional body you are a member of, I’m here to support you.

To Book a session:

https://calendly.com/susiejamieson/one2one-65

Emotional Support

A complaint about you can feel personal, and can lead to shame, self-doubt, anxiety and more. As Therapists facing a complaint we can feel vulnerable in the presence of peers and often need an extra safe space to process our thoughts and feelings; I am a safe compassionate Therapist. I get it, it’s tough, feeling you are not good enough. Importantly, I don’t and wont judge you; a big fear when we are amongst peers! So many Therapists hide in shame (I did for nearly two years) and suffer in painful silence. Please don’t let that be you…

Together we will:

• Acknowledge, feel and process the emotional impact a complaint is having on you
• Focus on daily self-care and emotional regulation to create a sense of internal steadiness
• Soothingly repair the rupture/s to your professional identity
• Gain clarity of your needs throughout the investigation and consider how those needs can be met

Understand The Investigation Procedure

During the shock and emotional overwhelm of a complaint notification, it can be difficult to take in the necessary details. The procedure documents cover a lot of information over a lot of pages! The investigation procedure is a series of checks, assessments and decisions operating to its own timeline; that timeline can feel agonisingly slow…

I will help you:

• Understand the procedure steps and what they mean, and come to terms with the timeline.
• Identify and understand the difference between poor practice and misconduct
• Gain clarity with the roles of, and the necessity of, A Professional Conduct Team, Your Insurer and a Solicitor

Responding To The Investigation

Your initial / first response to a complaint can be a stressful and time-consuming part of the process, yet it is also one of the most important and impactful; a Solicitor can write an initial response for you. However, from my experience of working with Therapists, you actually have all the evidential and essential data you need to produce the initial response yourself. Also, your authentic voice matters!

I will help you:

• Communicate the facts with evidence and professional clarity, while respecting confidentiality
• Align your response to ethics and professional standards, and why this is important
• Incorporate evidence from other organisations e.g. Social Services as well as when such organisations may have stipulations of their own e.g. EAP’s

Preparing For Panels Or Hearings

There is a distinct difference between a panel and a hearing; and they can both feel scary. Panels are in the early stages of an investigation and your attendance is (mostly) not required. A Hearing is formal and - usually - marks the final step. Your case may go to both, or be dismissed at the panel stage. The panel might order a sanction, or other outcome.

I will help you:

• Understand the role of a panel and some of the decisions they can make
• To prepare emotionally for a hearing; as they can be daunting. We will work together to manage your emotions by exploring techniques that will help you feel grounded and more confident on the day
• Understand the role of a formal Hearing, helping you prepare administratively. Identifying the questions you might be asked, to help you feel prepared, calm and confident. Your Solicitor will also be key at this stage of the proceedings and will likely represent you, if that is your wish

Recovery After The Final Decision

Redefining your practice, repairing your wounded self, or perhaps changing career are each part of the recovery process, which really can’t begin until the final decision has been communicated. That final decision could be issued at any time in the proceedings, and it’s important to acknowledge how you feel. Together, we can redefine your identity as a Therapist, strengthen your professional confidence and re-establish your sense of self

I will help you:

• Reflect on what have you learned about yourself and how are you now feeling, what you need to process your feelings and re-establish your sense of self and emotional stability
• Rebuild your professional identity and confidence, consider how you can once again trust your professional competence and decisions
• Review your next steps. Perhaps settle back into your practice and carry on as before. Take a sabbatical. Consider a change of career, or something else

The Complaints Counsellor – Your Compassionately Supportive Ally!

I’m the Therapist you didn’t know you needed, until you do and I truly do understand what it is like to be the subject of a complaint. I took it very personally, I was deeply hurt and really struggled throughout the process, and beyond the final decision. You may already know my story; you might be here because you saw me present at a conference, or you read an article I wrote, or listened to a podcast, or took part in some of my CPD, you might follow me on social media…

I’m a Therapist just like you. I have so much compassionate empathy for Therapists who are complained about; I want to help you through your experience, whether that is one session with me, drop-in sessions when you need to talk, or regular sessions; it is your decision and I respect your autonomy.

I am a gentle soul with a big heart and a big desire for fairness and equality. My former career was in Corporate Management - Governance of Business and IT Procedures so I’m very acquainted with formal documented procedures. In the most part I think many of them have a place, but the procedures that are overly formal, emotionally harmful and unnecessarily unyielding do not have my support!

I offer you my soothing compassionate understanding and a deep desire to help you process your way through what it is like to be accused of professional mal-practice or misconduct. I will create a warm supportive space between us, into which you can openly express and make a mess; whatever helps. Although gentle, I can powerfully hold the distress that many Therapists face during an investigation.

A complaint does not define you and if I can get through a complaint investigation, I wholeheartedly believe you can too.

I took up wild swimming during my investigation; something that has really changed my world for the better. I love nature especially at sunrise and sunset. I will dance wildly around a campfire and I love yoga and breathwork and astrology and all things up there in the night sky.

I promise to offer you the core conditions with extra compassion. Let my lived experience help you live through your experience…

You can ask for a copy of my credentials:

• BACP registered member since 2009 an accredited registered member since 2017.
• 2012 Qualified as an Integrative Therapist
• 2015 Qualified as an Accredited EFT Practitioner
• 2019 Qualified as a Bodyworker and Breathwork Practitioner
• 2021 Qualified as a Yoga Teacher
• I have been Insured with Balens since 2001