The invisible psychologist: The impact of the governing bodies on psychologist well-being and practice.

All disciplines of health care in Australia are governed by laws, standards of educational attainment, guidelines for practice, and ethical codes of conduct.The Psychology Board, the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council, the Australian Psychological Society, and Medicare form the system within which the discipline of psychology operates.Literature indicates a need to examine the ways in which these psychological systems impact the professionals who work within them.The aim of this research was to explore the ways in which governmental guidelines and standards influence and constrain the freedom of psychologists within their practice, as well as the impact these governing bodies have on the individual well-being and personhood of psychologists.A critical, exploratory social constructionist qualitative approach was undertaken, drawing on semistructured interviews conducted with 11 psychologists and analysis of policy and practice documents pertaining to psychology in Australia.Using thematic analysis, four themes centered on the impact the governing bodies had on both the well-being and practice of the participants were constructed.The four themes, The Framework Is Containing, Anxiety Around Reprimand and Losing Registration, Evidence-Based Treatment Has Limited Efficacy, and Friction Within the System, together reveal a system that often renders the psychologist invisible, highlighting the professional anxiety psychologists experience in navigating the standards and structures of the psychology profession.Further critical qualitative inquiry is recommended to understand the experiences of psychologists in relation to evidence-based treatment and practice.The rules, regulations, and guidelines of the profession warrant scrutiny to ensure their personal and professional impact on psychologists is considered.