Mental health experts call for regulatory body to curb malpractices

Islamabad : Head of the Psychology Department at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) has called for the establishment of a regulatory body for psychologists which could register practitioners, set rules, and provide an ethical foundation for the profession.

Talking to this agency on Saturday, Dr. Ulfat pointed out that there are regulatory bodies such as the Nursing Council, Tib Council and Homeopathic Council but surprisingly, there is no council or regulatory body for psychologists, despite mental health being a pressing global concern. "There is no forum where a patient can file a complaint when things go wrong", she added.

She highlighted the growing number of unqualified individuals entering the counselling field, portraying themselves as life coaches, gurus, or motivational speakers despite lacking proper psychological training. She expressed concern that some non-professionals are even prescribing mental health medications which is a task reserved for psychiatrists.

Dr. Ulfat warned that young female psychologists might be unaware of the dangers posed by certain clients who exploit them for inappropriate conversations. Less experienced professionals, she added, are often unable to recognize these situations.

She expressed concern that students with limited knowledge often enter the field of counselling, struggling to manage complex and chronic cases. She noted that while online healthcare platforms were a blessing during the COVID-19 pandemic, some unqualified psychologists exploited these platforms for financial gain.

Talking to this agency, Director of Psychaffinity, Kiran Aamir stressed the urgent need for mental health laws in Pakistan. She highlighted the mistreatment of addicts at some rehabilitation centres and called for the establishment of Psychiatric Community Centres similar to those in developed countries.

She noted that current health regulatory bodies lack the expertise to properly monitor rehabilitation centres, as their focus is on traditional hospitals and clinics.

Kiran Aamir urged the Pakistan Psychological Association to take a more active role in promoting authentic rehabilitation centres and addressing malpractice within the community.