Do Doctoral Training Programmes Actively Promote a Culture of Self-Care among Clinical and Counselling Psychology Trainees?

Despite frequent calls for the importance of self-care among both novice and practicing psychologists, evidence suggests that training institutions have done little to actively promote a culture of self-care among trainees. The current study examined self-care-related policies and practices in all the clinical and counselling psychology graduate programmes currently accredited by the British Psychological Society. Training handbooks and related programme material were evaluated for a mention of search terms related to self-care. Of the 46 programmes sampled, material was available online for 43 (93.5%) of them. "Personal development" was the most frequently occurring search term. Most of the programme material was well-developed and detailed, providing comprehensive information relating to self-care. Program material are evaluated and their strengths highlighted.