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Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy
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Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy

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April 2010 | 398 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy focuses on common problems such as anxiety and depression, exploring how different therapeutic approaches understand and work with them. Counselling and psychotherapy are considered within the wider context of their history and the mental health systems in which they are often located. In addition to this, the book introduces key aspects of the theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy, and the increasing relevance of research in this area.

• Section 1 introduces counselling and psychotherapy and the history of these professions, considering how current understandings of 'mental health problems' have been influenced by psychiatric diagnosis, biomedical approaches and psychoanalysis.

• Section 2 covers four key therapeutic approaches – humanistic, existential, cognitive–behavioural and mindfulness – exploring how they work with problems relating to fear and sadness.

• Section 3 focuses on therapeutic perspectives that specifically address problems in a wider context, such as relationships, families, cultural groups and society.

• Section 4 considers practice and research issues in counselling and psychotherapy, including the different contexts and settings in which these take place, the therapeutic relationship, and outcome and process research.

This accessible and stimulating text uses innovative activities and case illustrations to demonstrate how people experience common problems, and how counsellors and psychotherapists work with these.


Meg Barker, Andreas Vossler and Darren Langdridge
Introduction
 
PART ONE: COUNSELLING, PSYCHOTHERAPY AND 'MENTAL HEALTH'
David Pilgrim
The Diagnosis of Mental-Health Problems
Frederick Toates
Understanding Drug Treatments: A Biopsychosocial Approach
Ian Parker
Psychoanalysis: The 'Talking Cure'
 
PART TWO: INDIVIDUAL THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
Fiona Ballantine Dykes
Humanistic Approaches
Darren Langdridge
Existential Psychotherapy
Paul M Salkovskis
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Meg Barker
Mindfulness Approaches
 
PART THREE: BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL
Andreas Vossler
Systemic Approaches
Meg Barker
Sociocultural Issues
 
PART FOUR: PRACTISING AND EVALUATING COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Andreas Vossler
Context and Setting
Darren Langdridge, Meg Barker and Mick Cooper
The Therapeutic Relationship
Michael Barkham and Meg Barker
Outcomes Research
John McLeod
Process Research: Using Qualitative Methods to Explore Therapeutic Practice around Issues of Fear and Sadness
Meg Barker, Andreas Vossler and Darren Langdridge
Conclusions

'I enjoyed reading this book, finding it stimulating, well written, and provocative. I thought it would make an excellent introductory read, especially if this was augmented by critical debate and discussion. For me it is an engaging read and provides both a clear and contextually relevant background to its subject' -
Journal of The Society for Existential Analysis

'This is probably one of the most useful books I am ever likely to own. It is the nearest thing to a complete Bible for all aspects of my work as a counsellor, trainer and supervisor that I have had the privilege to read...For those who cannot afford to invest in a whole library, [this] is the book to buy' -
Therapy Today


An excellent overview of different approaches which is well written and interesting to read. This book is recommended as a useful source for undergraduate study. It provides a comprehensive overview of different approaches and the activities and discussion points will help students to engage with the material.

Mrs Sarah Finlay
Social Work and Communities, Northumbria University
October 21, 2014

A good foundation text for students who wish to understand and differentiate counselling practice and theory

Kate Smith
Division of Psychology, University of Abertay, Dundee
June 7, 2013

This is a comprehensive book and a very useful "vade mecum" for students of Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Mr Bill Stanley
Counselling, Newman University College
June 13, 2012

This is a very strong, step by step reference book for students starting out on counselling training. The individual exercises peppered throughout encourage the development of reflexivity and enable students to engage with the concepts presented. I would recommend the text for undergraduates, rather than postgraduate trainings, however.

Mrs Valerie Sanders
Counselor Education , University of Greenwich
January 9, 2012

A useful introduction to the field of counselling

Ms Carol Hughes
Counselling, Swansea Metropolitan University
June 30, 2011

I will also use the book in current undergraduate courses in the area of Mental Health Nursing. I like the manner in which the chapters are laid out. The book should enable mental health nursing students and others to understand how Counselling and Psychotherapeutic principles are demystified and applied using simple activities and discussion examples at critical and appropriate stages at the end of sections under discussion. It is directive to the student in this regard and if the student engages as such, it will reinforce learning and improve practice.

Mr Tommy Healy
other, Athlone Institute of Technology
April 7, 2011

Most comprehensive content - good to see mindfulness and also research covered!

Mrs Beverley Wellington
School of Nursing, University of the West of Scotland
February 24, 2011

An excellent text for general reference providing a wealth of supporting material for most major areas of counselling study at an advanced (undergraduate) level.

Mr John Dixon
Counselling, Cleveland & Redcar College
February 15, 2011

Course no longer running

Mr Peter Cardew
School of Health and Postgrad Medicine, Central Lancashire University
December 6, 2010

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter One and Chapter Two


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