THE REVISION OF THE PROFESSION'S NAME

Dear Matshidiso,

kindly find this Communication in order.

This is an expression of concerns and a proposal from a community of Registered Counsellors copied on this letter who are based across the country.

In our different number of years of practice in the profession, we have, in various ways and at various times experienced a difficulty using the 'Registered Counsellor' name for our profession. This difficultly is to date experienced as expressed below:

1. The 'Registered Counsellor' name/ phrase is too general and scattered, such that it does not speak to the profession. 'Counsellor' is a general English term that simply refers to any person that counsels/ gives counsel. It does not describe one's profession in any reasonable way, especially amongst many other professions. Also, the name's generality makes it prone to wide use by anyone everywhere else. 'Counsellor' is just a word that no one can claim tenure for. As such, it deprives our profession the pride it deserves, and equally robs the professionals in it of their worth and dignity at face value.

2. Stemming from the above, there are various kinds of 'counsellor' fields and niches that use the same name, leading to confusion in practice spaces and in generally understanding our profession. In various contexts of representation, the nature of our profession cannot be understood without lengthy explainilations, due to the generality of the name/ phrase. Even with the existence of niche/ field specifying concepts such as Registered, Debt, Holistic, Wellness, Christian, HIV Counsellor, and others, the confusion brought by the term 'Counsellor' stubbornly remains due to its vagueness and wide use. This encounter swallows our profession into layness and inefficiency, as well as renders the profession dishonorable.

3. In reflection, majority, if not all NQF8 professions of the HPCSA are named after their qualification/ field. A few examples include Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Psychometrist, Dietician, Medical Officer and Biokinetician, Radiographer, to name just a few. It therefore does not appear justifiable that as a Psychology profession we are deemed 'Registered Counsellors' when we possess an NQF8 equally to what other professions possess that are within the same council representing and regulating our profession. Our naming is generalized, scattered and unspecific to what we have studied, qualified in and the field we belong to.


Proposal/ recommendation:

As a broad community of Registered Counsellors in South Africa, we would like to propose for the revision of our naming into a more professional, profession specific, honorable, and self-explanatory one. We therefore request and suggest the use of the title 'General Psychologist' in naming our profession. i.e., a change from 'Registered Counsellor' to 'General Psychologist'.

This is also based on an understanding that masters holding Psychology professions of the HPCSA are specialty portfolios in diverse fraternities of the Psychology field. Thus, if the proposed name is handed to our profession, it would imply that we are general practitioners in the psychology field; the same applying to medical officers and several other HPCSA fields in which professionals remain generals until they decide to study beyond their NQF8 and specialise. Implementing this suggestion will help provide the deserved dignity to our profession, and address any confusion and profession pertaining misunderstanding.

Lastly, we will be open to closely discuss this matter further if necessary. If you wish to have a much closer conversation with us regarding this, please do not hesitate to arrange, at least, a virtual meeting with us. Our email addresses are attached to this letter and on the email.


Kind regards,
Nkateko Nghomani