The Order of Portuguese Psychologists sent 70 cases to the Public Prosecutor’s Office this year for usurpation of professional title, the Jornal de Notícias reported this Saturday, citing the president of the Order, Francisco Miranda Rodrigues.
According to the newspaper, the number of cases of false psychologists has been increasing considerably: this number (referring only to the eleven months until November) compares with 54 complaints in 2021 and 11 in 2020.
These complaints refer to people who present themselves as psychologists or who perform psychological acts despite not having the authorization to do so – and who, after being contacted by the Order, have not remedied the situation.
According to Francisco Miranda Rodrigues himself, the most common is the existence of “advisors without training in psychology”, who “come from other areas such as management, economics and law and are trained in training weekends”.
On the other hand, there are cases of “people who think they are very nice to others and start calling themselves life coaches????????
There are still, although in a “more residual” way, situations that concern people who either did not finish their degree or did not enroll in the Order of Psychologists, but who present themselves as psychologists, practicing their profession.
The CEO explains that the only certification in training It’s of training offered by the Order of Psychologists.
According to Francisco Miranda Rodrigues, the number of complaints has increased because people “distinguish the wheat from the chaff.”
“There will be cases of people with very good intentions, but others not so much. Some will be more aware of the dangers they can cause and others will not, ”he explained to Jornal de Notícias.
Source: Observadora
