Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy
1st Edition
Published on 22. March 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
398 pages
978-1-84920-476-7 (ISBN)
Description
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.
- 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.
Reviews / Votes
'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
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 242 mm
Width: 170 mm
Weight
1094 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84920-476-7 (9781849204767)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Meg-John Barker | Andreas Vossler | Darren Langdridge
Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy
Book
03/2010
1st Edition
SAGE Publications Ltd
€221.72
Article exhausted; check different version
Persons
Meg-John Barker is the author of a number of popular books on sex, gender, and relationships, including Queer: A Graphic History, Gender: A Graphic Guide, How To Understand Your Gender, Life Isn't Binary, Enjoy Sex (How, When, and IF You Want To), Rewriting the Rules, The Psychology of Sex, and The Secrets of Enduring Love. They have also written a number of books for scholars and counsellors on these topics, drawing on their own research and therapeutic practice. Websites: rewriting-the-rules.com, megjohnandjustin.com. Twitter: @megjohnbarker, Instagram: @meg_john_barker.
Andreas Vossler is Director of the Foundation Degree in Counselling and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University. He is also a systemic trained couple and family psychotherapist. His current research activities focus on therapeutic work with couples and families, infidelity, Internet infidelity, and counselling and psychotherapy. Andreas is co-editor of the Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Handbook (2014) and Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy (2010; both Sage). He has authored three textbooks and published 17 book chapters and 19 articles in peer-reviewed papers on topics related to counselling and psychotherapy (family therapy, infidelity, online counselling, health psychology, psychiatry) and research methods. Andreas is on the editorial board of Counselling Psychology Quarterly and Forum Community-Psychology.
Darren Langdridge is Professor of Psychology at the Open University (UK), and a UKCP accredited existential psychotherapist and logotherapist working in private practice. He was intrigued by existentialism as a child but became truly fascinated with phenomenology many years ago when introduced to the work of Maurice Merleau-Ponty by a dear colleague and friend, Dr Trevor Butt, who is sadly no longer with us. This led to a lifelong love of phenomenology, existentialism and hermeneutics. For many years, Darren has researched and written on sexualities, critical theory, psychotherapy, and health, publishing numerous books, papers and book chapters. Never one to accept unnecessary boundaries, Darren continues to work across disciplines, notably psychology, health, sociology, and politics. His most recent book is Sexual Citizenship and Social Change: A Dialectical Approach to Narratives of Tradition and Critique, published by Oxford University Press.
Andreas Vossler is Director of the Foundation Degree in Counselling and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University. He is also a systemic trained couple and family psychotherapist. His current research activities focus on therapeutic work with couples and families, infidelity, Internet infidelity, and counselling and psychotherapy. Andreas is co-editor of the Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Handbook (2014) and Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy (2010; both Sage). He has authored three textbooks and published 17 book chapters and 19 articles in peer-reviewed papers on topics related to counselling and psychotherapy (family therapy, infidelity, online counselling, health psychology, psychiatry) and research methods. Andreas is on the editorial board of Counselling Psychology Quarterly and Forum Community-Psychology.
Darren Langdridge is Professor of Psychology at the Open University (UK), and a UKCP accredited existential psychotherapist and logotherapist working in private practice. He was intrigued by existentialism as a child but became truly fascinated with phenomenology many years ago when introduced to the work of Maurice Merleau-Ponty by a dear colleague and friend, Dr Trevor Butt, who is sadly no longer with us. This led to a lifelong love of phenomenology, existentialism and hermeneutics. For many years, Darren has researched and written on sexualities, critical theory, psychotherapy, and health, publishing numerous books, papers and book chapters. Never one to accept unnecessary boundaries, Darren continues to work across disciplines, notably psychology, health, sociology, and politics. His most recent book is Sexual Citizenship and Social Change: A Dialectical Approach to Narratives of Tradition and Critique, published by Oxford University Press.
Content
Introduction - Meg Barker, Andreas Vossler and Darren Langdridge
PART ONE: COUNSELLING, PSYCHOTHERAPY AND 'MENTAL HEALTH'
The Diagnosis of Mental-Health Problems - David Pilgrim
Understanding Drug Treatments: A Biopsychosocial Approach - Frederick Toates
Psychoanalysis: The 'Talking Cure' - Ian Parker
PART TWO: INDIVIDUAL THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
Humanistic Approaches - Fiona Ballantine Dykes
Existential Psychotherapy - Darren Langdridge
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - Paul M Salkovskis
Mindfulness Approaches - Meg Barker
PART THREE: BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL
Systemic Approaches - Andreas Vossler
Sociocultural Issues - Meg Barker
PART FOUR: PRACTISING AND EVALUATING COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Context and Setting - Andreas Vossler
The Therapeutic Relationship - Darren Langdridge, Meg Barker and Mick Cooper
Outcomes Research - Michael Barkham and Meg Barker
Process Research: Using Qualitative Methods to Explore Therapeutic Practice around Issues of Fear and Sadness - John McLeod
Conclusions - Meg Barker, Andreas Vossler and Darren Langdridge
PART ONE: COUNSELLING, PSYCHOTHERAPY AND 'MENTAL HEALTH'
The Diagnosis of Mental-Health Problems - David Pilgrim
Understanding Drug Treatments: A Biopsychosocial Approach - Frederick Toates
Psychoanalysis: The 'Talking Cure' - Ian Parker
PART TWO: INDIVIDUAL THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
Humanistic Approaches - Fiona Ballantine Dykes
Existential Psychotherapy - Darren Langdridge
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - Paul M Salkovskis
Mindfulness Approaches - Meg Barker
PART THREE: BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL
Systemic Approaches - Andreas Vossler
Sociocultural Issues - Meg Barker
PART FOUR: PRACTISING AND EVALUATING COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Context and Setting - Andreas Vossler
The Therapeutic Relationship - Darren Langdridge, Meg Barker and Mick Cooper
Outcomes Research - Michael Barkham and Meg Barker
Process Research: Using Qualitative Methods to Explore Therapeutic Practice around Issues of Fear and Sadness - John McLeod
Conclusions - Meg Barker, Andreas Vossler and Darren Langdridge