Alison Whybrow & Stephen Palmer

Objectives: This paper presents the findings from a follow-up survey exploring the practice and opinions of the membership of the Special Group in Coaching Psychology (SGCP).
Design: The study was cross sectional in design.
Method: This survey of Coaching Psychologists was conducted in December, 2005, 12 months after the formation of the SGCP. The survey focused on psychologists’ practice as coaches and their views on a number of relevant issues such as the necessary training and experience to practise as a coaching psychologist.
Results: Building on the work of two previous surveys (see Whybrow & Palmer, 2006), there are many consistencies with these earlier surveys and some interesting shifts. More psychologists are identifying coaching as a formal, albeit part-time, aspect of their practice. There was a desire for the SGCP to build and maintain a strong presence in the broader coaching arena, and to promote the value that psychology brings to this field of practice. The issue of flexible, inclusive methods of accreditation were a specific focus. Indeed, this area of emerging tensions is captured by the desire on the one hand for a formal qualifications route to demonstrate competence as a coaching psychologist, and on the other the desire for informality and openness captured by the SGCP currently.
Conclusions: The outcome of this third survey of the perspectives of coaching psychologists highlights some trends that are ongoing, and points to the first significant challenge for the practice of Coaching Psychology in the UK as the demand for accreditation and recognition increases.

Keywords: Coaching Psychology, professional practice, supervision, coaching approaches, continuing professional development, British Psychological Society.

Full article: Volume 1, Issue 2 pages 75 - 85