The Governor election process for the BACP 2025 AGM opened with nominations on 14 April 2025 and Erin Stevens has had her nomination accepted. This year, members can nominate and vote for candidates standing for election to the Board of Governors and this provides a wonderful opportunity to change the recent autocratic history of the organisation to a member-led association, which genuinely represents member’s views and values.
Voting for BACP members will open on 15th July for BACP members and run until 15th August via Mi-Voice. Members should receive an email around 15th July.
Erin’s motivation:
I am a Yorkshire-based counsellor/psychotherapist, supervisor, consultant and trainer, working primarily with people who have experienced harm in previous therapy.
My main motivation for standing for the board is that, as the largest membership body in the UK, I feel that the BACP's relationship with members and the general public is key to working towards a trustworthy and effective profession for therapists and clients. I have been disappointed at times with the inconsistent and sometimes problematic messaging from my professional body, as well as some inattention to power and anti-oppressive practice. I want to see the relationship between BACP and its members change for the better, and for that to be a catalyst for real change to the organisational culture and commitment to equity in the therapy professions.
We find ourselves at a pivotal point in the profession, and the possibility of being part of the process of recentring therapy values at a structural level at this point in time, is really exciting.
I have created an email address so that people can ask me questions about my opinions and aims for standing for the BACP board
erinstevens4bacpboard@gmail.com This email will be active from now until the BACP AGM in November and I will aim to set some time aside each week to answer questions.
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When approached by members of SCAPA (Senior Counsellors and Psychotherapists Alliance) for her views on the scandalous treatment and demotion of Senior Accredited members, coupled to the flawed SCoPEd framework, Erin responded with her very supportive views:
“Thanks for your question in response to my announcement that I am standing for the BACP board.
I don't know how much your group know about me, but in 2019 I headed a 'scrap SCoPEd' campaign, in which we highlighted these exact issues - of the three professional bodies who first developed the framework, it is BACP members who are most disenfranchised by SCoPEd and particularly those who did not attend the most elitist and expensive courses. Senior Accredited members have demonstrated experience and knowledge over a significant period, post qualification, and it is my belief that this is (at least) just as valid as other routes to column C. I am still at a loss to understand what qualification level has to do with it at all, actually (even though I qualified at level 7).
So, I have two thoughts about it:
1) That the columns should not be on the basis of academic level
2) That if academic level as a measure is not something BACP can opt out of, there should be a grandfathering scheme for existing members.
Grandfathering schemes exist to honour the evolutionary nature of our profession and avoid disenfranchising people who qualified earlier. I don't see why that shouldn't count for people who are senior accredited too.
I have to say, I really don't know what influence I will have as a board member regarding the implementation of SCoPEd, but I will readily express this position if I am elected to the board, and if I can influence it at all, I will.
I hope this answers your question, and if you have any further questions, please let me know.
Warmly
Erin”
SCAPA warmly endorses Erin Stevens’ candidacy as a Governor on the Board of the BACP