Assistant Psychologist Roles: What the BPS Says You Should and Shouldn't Do

Show Notes for The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast Episode 149: Assistant Psychologist Roles: What the BPS Says You Should and Shouldn't Do In this episode of the Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, Dr. Marianne Trent and assistant psychologist Luke Meakin dive into the British Psychological Society's latest guidance on recruiting and supporting assistant psychologists. They explore what assistant psychologists should and shouldn't be doing, the accessibility of the guidance, and how it aims to standardise the role across the profession. This engaging conversation offers valuable insights for aspiring psychologists, supervisors, and services employing assistant psychologists. Whether you're an aspiring psychologist, a supervisor, or just curious about the evolving landscape of assistant psychologist roles, this episode provides a clear and detailed understanding of the latest BPS recommendations. ________________________________________ Key Takeaways: • Understanding the BPS guidance on assistant psychologist roles and responsibilities. • Challenges with the accessibility and inclusivity of the guidance. • Insights into voluntary roles, supervision, and ethical considerations for assistant psychologists. ________________________________________ Highlights: 00:00 - Introduction and Overview of the Episode 00:31 - Host Welcome and Introduction to BPS Guidance 01:19 - Welcoming Back Guest: Luke Meakin, Assistant Psychologist 02:58 - Discussion on BPS Guidance Accessibility Issues 03:16 - Comparing BPS and ACP Guidance on Assistant Psychologists 04:58 - Challenges of Accessing the BPS Website and Resources 05:35 - Luke’s Experience with BPS Membership and Access 06:40 - The Restrictive Nature of BPS Resources 07:48 - First Impressions of the BPS Guidance Document 09:14 - Clearer Job Titles for Assistant Psychologists 10:16 - Addressing the Ambiguity of Assistant Roles 11:00 - The Controversial Honorary (Voluntary) Roles in Psychology 12:45 - Minimum Requirements for Assistant Psychologist Roles 15:49 - Exploitation Concerns for Voluntary Assistant Roles 18:23 - Ethical Considerations and the Call for Paid Positions 21:28 - The BPS’s Recommendations on Assistant Psychologist Responsibilities 25:17 - The Use of Supervision and Reflective Practice 28:08 - Balancing Contracts, Fixed-Term Roles, and Job Security Links: 📲 Connect with Luke here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-meakin/ 🖥️ Check out my brand new short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/short-courses 🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support 📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0 📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97 💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/membership-interested ✍️ Get your Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/supervision 📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent 💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity Like, Comment, Subscribe & get involved: If you enjoy the podcast, please do subscribe and rate and review episodes. If you'd like to learn how to record and submit your own audio testimonial to be included in future shows head to: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/podcast and click the blue request info button at the top of the page. Hashtags: #aspiringpsychologist #dclinpsy #psychology #assistantpsychologist #psychologycareers #podcast #psychologypodcast #clinicalpsychologist #mentalhealth #traineeclinicalpsychologist #clinicalpsychology #drmariannetrent #mentalhealthprofessional #gettingqualified #mentalhealthprofessionals #traineepwp #mdt #qualifiedpsychologist #traineepsychologist #aspiringpsychologists #wellbeing Mentioned in this episode: Sponsored by WriteUpp Tap to Pay This episode is sponsored by WriteUpp. Their Tap to Pay app turns your smartphone into a card reader, helping private practitioners take secure payments without additional hardware. Use code MARIANNE30 for a free 30-day trial and 30% off your first 6 months at this link: https://writeupp.com/?refid=142336