The Uk Association of Humanistic Psychology Practitioners
A professional association that values you
Welcome to the UKAHPP website
UKAHPP is an accrediting organisation for counsellors and psychotherapists who practice in the field of humanistic therapies. We are a values driven Association, providing both practical support and ethical codes of conduct which all our members subscribe to. Our website provides information to the general public to give them confidence in the professionalism of our members. The website provides information to UKAHPP members and other professionals about UKAHPP’s role of providing Accreditation and Registration in the field of Psychotherapy and Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the whole of the UK.
We are Unique
Distinctive characteristics of UKAHPP are:
Why Join Us?
Membership of the UKAHPP is open to practitioners from a range of professional backgrounds and applications, as well as members of the public, who have a general or specific interest in Humanistic Psychology. The UKAHPP offers a range of membership categories and classes. UKAHPP membership has numerous benefits including publication of practice details on the UKAHPP website, and free advertising of members’ workshops, courses, publications etc.
Ready To Join?
Protecting The Public
The UKAHPP is long-established accrediting organisation for Humanistic Psychotherapists and Psychotherapeutic Counsellors. UKAHPP holds a Register of practitioners and is firmly committed to the highest standards of public protection and promoting public confidence in its Register.
UKAHPP is the only accrediting organisation of such status which is dedicated solely to promoting the Humanistic tradition of psychology. Humanistic values are deeply held preserved by UKAHPP members many of whom describe their UKAHPP membership as belonging to a community of like-minded colleagues.
The UKAHPP’s commitment to public protection is reflected through the following provisions:
- Codes of Ethical Principles and Professional Conduct: Establish basic principles and standards of practice expected of professionals working with members of the public.
- Accreditation and Registration Requirements: The UKAHPP has rigorous training and practice requirements that must be attained and maintained in order to attain UKAHPP practice recognition.
Latest News
We hereby give notice that UKAHPP has taken the decision to withdraw from accreditation with the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) with immediate effect. This decision was taken by an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 12 July2025
It should be noted that we have taken this decision unilaterally and that, although we had been required to fulfil various outstanding requirements, we are withdrawing and have not in any way been asked to leave. It should also be noted that we have in the last six months successfully passed the UCKP quinquennial Organisational Members’ Review (OMR). The Association, consequently, remains a member organisation of UKCP which is itself accredited by PSA.
BACKGROUND
This decision follows a strategic review of UKAHPP’s regulatory and quality assurance governance framework. It has become evident that both the ethos and implementation of the PSA Scheme have significantly shifted since UKAHPP joined in 2017. What was once a platform that embraced diversity and supported service user choice has increasingly become characterised by rigid standardisation and the formation of monopolies that disproportionately benefit larger organisations.
For smaller organisations like UKAHPP, this shift has resulted in significant strain. Our resources have been increasingly diverted to meet externally imposed conditions—many of which do not align with the values of Humanistic counselling and psychotherapy concerning the best interests of registrants or service users.
Furthermore, the PSA’s flat-rate fee structure remains deeply inequitable. Small organisations pay a very similar annual fee as large national bodies, placing disproportionate financial burdens on them. In practice, this undermines the viability of smaller professional registers, placing pressure on them and their registrants toward assimilation into larger entities, often at the expense of identity, autonomy, and philosophical integrity. It is clear to us that the PSA has come to disproportionately value what it sees as user safety and is no longer interested in the loss of diversity that inevitably results from increased regulation.
Withdrawing from the Scheme will free UKAHPP to reinvest its resources in the promotion of Humanistic practice and strengthen our commitment to service user choice. We remain fully committed to maintaining high professional standards in the interest of public safety and professional integrity. This is expressed in our continued commitment to our membership of UKCP HIP College and PCIP College. UKAHPP will continue to operate under its established codes of conduct and governance framework—aligned with PSA principles and other professional models—while ensuring these are better tailored to our evolving structure and strategic goals.
The decision to withdraw from PSA Accreditation means individual UKAHPP members who do not hold dual membership with UKCP, BACP, or another PSA-accredited register will no longer be entitled to use the PSA Accredited Register logo for marketing purposes. Members must be aware that continued use of the logo in such cases could lead to a formal complaint from the PSA. As UKAHPP is a member organisation of UKCP, the Association continues to be able to use the PSA logo on its own marketing material.
As the Board of UKAHPP sees it, withdrawal from the Scheme presents an opportunity for UKAHPP and its members to chart a future that is responsive, ethically grounded, and aligned with the core values of Humanistic Psychotherapy. It allows us to remain committed to professional excellence while adapting to meet the diverse needs of practitioners and service users in a changing landscape.
July 2025
EQUALITY, DIVERSION AND INCLUSION POLICY
UKAHPP are keen to align themselves with any policy finalised by UKCP as a result of their Plan of Action on EDI currently being undertaken. A UKAHPP policy will be published as soon as this process is complete. In the meantime, we would ask you to be mindful of issues of Equality, Diversity and Identity in your practice.
Member Testimonial
Jackie, a long standing member discusses how UKAHPP resonate with her own humanistic practice
