Good Enough Counsellors

The BACP Ethical Framework 2026 includes a section on the ethical use of AI in therapeutic settings. However, many therapists don't know where to start with AI and indeed, may not want to use it at all in their practice. In this episode, we examine where you may be using AI without realising and what you need to consider in order to keep you and your clients safe.In this episode:Do you feel like you don't know enough? This isn't you, it's a reflection of how fast AI is changing our interactions with technologyCould you already be using AI without realising and why it is worth checking your practice management toolsWhat does the BACP Ethical Framework say about AI? Understanding risk, transparency and informed consentWhat happens to client information? What to ask and a tip on using AI to helpWhat about insurance and supervision?Further sources of supportResources:Ethical AI Practice: For Counsellors & Psychotherapists in the UK by Ken KellyThe BACP Ethics Checklist mentioned in the episode was removed from the website when the new Ethical Framework came into effect. Currently the website is hosting a video conversation Ethics and the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and an updated checklist will be issued in the next few weeks.This episode is part of a series created about the new Ethical Framework. Catch up with the others as follows:Episode 138: Facebook and the New BACP Ethical FrameworkEpisode 139: Ethical Framework 2026: A conversation with BACPAnd over on Patreon, Good Enough Counsellors Backstage: Worried about getting the BACP Ethical Framework wrong?If you enjoy the podcast and it's helped you in your practice, please consider supporting Josephine's work over on Patreon. You'll receive extra resources, a shout out on the podcast and you'll be paying it forward for other therapists in the future.Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREYou can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comKeywords: AI and counselling, BACP Ethical Framework 2026, ethical AI use, AI in private practice, counsellors and AI, client confidentiality, informed consent, client data protection, digital tools for therapists, professional judgement, AI risk assessment, counselling supervision, Ken Kelly, Ethical AI Practice, Good Enough CounsellorsThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

Has the new BACP Ethical Framework 2026 left you wondering what you’re supposed to do?In this episode, I’m joined by Nicola Blunden, BACP’s Deputy Head of Professional Standards, and Marita Morahan, who led the review of the Ethical Framework, to explore what it means for our everyday practice.We talk about why there isn’t always one answer that fits everyone, and how the framework’s decision-making questions can help us work out what is appropriate for our clients and our circumstances.We also discuss:Why relationship and context matter when making ethical decisionsWhat collaborative working with clients can look likeRecord keeping, clinical wills and concerns about notes after deathRecognising our power and responding when we get something wrongCompetence, training and supervisionSocial media, personal beliefs and the potential impact on clientsWhy we must retain responsibility for our decisions when using AII found the conversation helpful in understanding how to use the framework, and I hope it helps you feel more confident about approaching it too.The Ethical Framework 2026 takes effect on 3 November 2026. This conversation explores general principles and considerations rather than providing advice for individual ethical situations.You can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comSetting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREBACP Ethical Framework 2026, BACP ethics, counselling ethics, ethical decision-making, clinical wills for counsellors, counselling record keeping, client notes after death, confidentiality, collaborative working, anti-oppressive practice, counselling supervision, therapist competence, social media boundaries, AI in counselling, counsellors in private practice, Nicola Blunden, Marita Morahan, Good Enough CounsellorsThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

The new BACP Ethical Framework 2026 contains requirements regarding clear separation between personal and professional social media. But how practical is this for Facebook when many groups bar Facebook pages from participating? Additionally, how freely can a therapist speak in their personal capacity when much is publicly available online? These questions, together with how to protect client confidentiality on social media, are explored in today's podcast.The episode also includes post ideas for November 2026.In this episode:The limitations of professional accounts on FacebookWhy setting up an additional personal account may be problematicAn alternative way to ensure boundaries are in placeThe care that therapists need to take when speaking in a personal capacity on social mediaHonesty about your serviceProtecting client confidentiality when using social mediaIdeas for posts for November 2026This week's Good Enough Counsellors: Backstage bonus episode describes an alternative approach to using Facebook which utilises a personal account while limiting the personal information visible to the public. For practical guidance on putting these boundaries in place, please access the podcast via the Good Enough Counsellors patreon feed, which you can subscribe to here: https://patreon.com/goodenoughcounsellors(please note, use a web browser to access the standard fees, if you use the Apple Patreon app, you will be charged more)November 2026 Social Media Post Ideas for Counsellors:Throughout November: Men’s Health Awareness Month / Movember.2–8 November: Pressures of life, linked to Talk Money Week (from 2 November) and Stress Awareness Day (5 November).9–15 November: Kindness and remembrance, linked to Remembrance Sunday (8 November) and World Kindness Day (13 November).16–22 November: Feeling safe to be yourself, linked to Anti-Bullying Week and Disability History Month (from 16 November), International Men’s Day (19 November) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (20 November).23–30 November: Spending pressures and boundaries, linked to Black Friday (27 November) and Personal Space Day (30 November).You can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comSetting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREKeywords: BACP Ethical Framework 2026, counsellors on Facebook, social media ethics, counselling boundaries, client confidentiality, ethical marketing for therapists, personal and professional boundaries, counselling private practice, Good Enough CounsellorsThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

Why are private practice therapists vulnerable to burnout, what are the signs they need to look out for - and how can they avoid it happening? In this interview, clinical psychologist and author, Dr Claire Plumbly, defines burnout and describes the warning signs that may appear in the therapeutic relationship. We discuss the factors that make therapists particularly vulnerable to burnout and what not to say to help them.Takeaways:What's the official definition of burnout?How to recognise burnoutHow factors such as perfectionism, high standards and the desire to help add to workplace pressure on therapistsWhy private practice can make burnout more likelyHow to make private practice more sustainableWhat to do when burnout begins to appearDr Claire Plumbly is a clinical psychologist in private practice and the author of Burnout: How to Manage Your Nervous System Before It Manages You.You can download Claire's free burnout formulation tool here: https://burnout-blueprint.subscribepage.io/(normally retails at £6)For Claire's website including details of her book, speaking and burnout resources go to https://drclaireplumbly.com or for her therapy practice: https://plum-psychology.co.ukTo access Good Enough Counsellors: Backstage and Claire's description of the 5 P's model for preventing burnout in therapy practice, please go to: https://patreon.com/goodenoughcounsellorsYou can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comSetting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREKeywords: therapist burnout, burnout in private practice, counsellor burnout, preventing therapist burnout, signs of burnout, Dr Claire Plumbly, Good Enough Counsellors, Josephine Hughes, therapist wellbeing, counsellor wellbeing, burnout prevention, compassion fatigue, therapist self-care, setting boundaries in private practice, perfectionism in therapists, therapist imposter syndrome, financial anxiety in private practice, sustainable private practice, running a counselling practice, private practice therapists, mental health professionals, nervous system and burnout, work life balance for therapists, therapist exhaustionThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

Why is it so hard to ask for help when we're quite happy to offer it?In this rather vulnerable episode of the Good Enough Counsellors podcast, I'm sharing something I've been thinking about for a long time and have finally plucked up the courage to do.It has been difficult to get to this point as it's brought up all sorts of feelings for me. These include whether I should be able to manage by myself, being willing to receive and to admit I need help.But what if people want to help and how, by valuing independence, am I denying people the gift of support?I'm also sharing a taster of something new I've been creating - a behind the scenes podcast. In it I take you behind the scenes of exhibiting at the BACP Private Practice Conference. I share something that can hold me back. "Perfectionism Paralysis" and how I get over it.What if you don't need to feel completely ready before you do the thing that scares you?In this episode:Why asking for help can feel so vulnerableSomething my daughter said that changed how I thought about receiving supportMy latest, rather scary, business adventureA taster of my new private podcastHow perfectionism nearly stopped me exhibiting at the BACP conferenceWhy "good enough" can sometimes get us further than trying to get everything rightFind out more about my Patreon HEREYou can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comSetting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREKeywords: therapist self-doubt, therapist imposter syndrome, perfectionism, private practice confidence, therapist confidence, counsellor confidence, starting before you feel ready, good enough counsellors, therapist private practice, BACP Private Practice Conference, Patreon for therapistsThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.