Alan Frankland 1948-2020

Alan Frankland, a jovial and friendly man who featured prominently in the activities of the British Psychological Society's Division of Counselling Psychology, was a dear friend and colleague to many.

Alan had noble ambitions from an early age, telling a childhood friend of his desire to make his mark in the world. He went to boarding school at Bromsgrove and then studied psychology at the University of Sussex, which led him to his first job with a charity.

He and his first wife Sue lived in Nottingham after they married and struggled with an inability to have children. Alan told friends he felt caught up in a life not of his choosing – a cloud partially lifted by his discovery of his gifts as a teacher. He was appointed as a lecturer at Nottingham Trent, where he later set up and led an MA in Person-Centred counselling.

After his divorce from Sue, Alan met Sarah and her children. They stayed in Nottingham, where Alan continued to practise and teach. Their shared love for France meant they spent many happy family holidays in their holiday cottage. Eventually it led them to relocate and start a Bed and Breakfast after Sarah retired. Alan continued his practice in the UK and travelled back and forth between the two worlds he loved.

Alan contributed substantially to the profession of psychology over the course of his career, particularly through the development of counselling psychology; he was one of the founding members of the Division. In 2012 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Staffordshire University in recognition of his contribution to the professions of counselling, psychotherapy and counselling psychology. He wrote two books for student counsellors, was an external examiner for numerous university courses, and became Stipendiary Registrar of the Qualification in Counselling Psychology in the British Psychological Society. During his five-year term as Registrar, he worked tirelessly to support trainees as they transferred to the Qualification – a demanding process that he graciously balanced with his ongoing practice. He supported trainees, for example, in clarification of enrolment processes, and support and guidance if they had failed an assessment. These trainees spoke highly of his genuineness, respect and support for them.

When Alan's term of office as Registrar ended, he continued his active involvement with the Qualification for many years as an assessor and co-ordinator of training. Alan was on the editorial board of the Counselling Psychology Review and served a period as chair of the Division of Counselling Psychology. He was creative and progressive in his thinking and would often challenge the status quo in an articulate and well-reasoned manner – and yet he personified what might be considered old-fashioned principles of decency and respect. He was a leading presence in meetings and held his person-centred principles close.

When Alan attended friend Digby Tantam's 70th birthday dinner he was not himself, telling Digby "I'm off now, but I don't know where my AirBnB is". Digby thought he was joking about being in a strange city, but subsequent investigation revealed his tumour. He was patient about his symptoms over the following two and a half years, and his warmth and capacity for affection became more and more obvious.

His last correspondence with Amanda Hall captured his quintessential nature and evolved acceptance of fate: I am not that unwell or struggling too much emotionally, part of the condition and the medication is that I have a somewhat surprising sense of equanimity a lot of the time. It's very odd to think that this may be my last summer or whatever but so far I seem able to get on with it, my life is "do-able": no heroics but not just sitting in the Grim Reaper's waiting room waiting for my number to be called either!

Alan is remembered as a warm and genuine man who was not afraid to express his views. We felt a sense of shock and loss on hearing that he had died, as well as sadness for a colleague and friend who was only in his seventies. The profession has lost one of its formative and influential giants, and our sympathies go out to those close to Alan who knew and loved him.

- Collated by Jill Mytton with contributions from Barbara Douglas, Amanda Hall, Pam James, and Digby Tantam