“Renegades, outsiders and lone warriors”: A qualitative study exploring perceptions of professional identity among counsellors working with children and young people in the United Kingdom

The present study investigates how counsellors working with children and young people (CYP) perceive their professional identity, the ‘Practitioner Manual’ BACP Competence Frameworks, commissioned by British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP; 2014/2019a), can contribute to strengthening of CYP counsellor identity. Participants were qualified clients in England Scotland. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used analyse data. Findings organised under three master themes: individual perception identity; others’ perceptions role resources on formation development Sub-themes included: discomfort concept professionalism; misunderstandings misconceptions; a desire recognised indicate that provision counselling could be enhanced establishing identity underpinned required minimum training standards leading registration body.