Recent weeks have seen multiple, distressing reports about the behaviours of a therapist who used physical touch with a Service User – culminating in sexual acts.
It is vital that we are clear as the professional body for Psychosexual and Relationship Therapists…
Psychosexual and Relationship Therapies are strictly talk-based therapies. They do not involve physical touch. They do notentail any medical procedures or examinations.
At no point should any talking therapy practitioner seek to engage in physical touch as part of the talking therapy. It is as simple as that.
Indeed, COSRT goes further.
Our Members must not engage in sexual contact or intimate relationships with Service Users (or their close contacts), even outside the confines of the therapy intervention.
To help protect the public we ensure that COSRT Members are subject to rigorous standards that help protect the public. Detailed Codes of Ethics lay out expectations for professional conduct including touch. And a comprehensive Conduct Procedure is in place to hold Members to account when they do not meet expectations.