Mick Cooper and John McLeod pioneer a major new framework for counselling theory, practice and research - the ′pluralistic′ approach. This model breaks away from the orientation-specific way in which counselling has traditionally been taught, reflecting and responding to shifts in counselling and psychotherapy training. As accessible and engaging as ever, Cooper and McLeod argue that there is no one right way of doing therapy and that different clients need different things at different times. By identifying and demonstrating the application of a range of therapeutic methods, the book outlines a flexible framework for practice within which appropriate methods can be selected depending on the client′s individual needs and the therapist′s knowledge and experience. This is a must-read for anybody training or practising in the counselling or helping professions - it should not be missed!
Pluralistic Therapy: Distinctive Features offers an introduction to what is distinctive about this increasingly popular method. Written by one of the co-founders of pluralistic therapy, and a leading UK figure in counselling and psychotherapy, this book describes 15 theoretical features and 15 practical techniques for practitioners. Pluralistic therapy is a flexible, integrative approach to counselling and psychotherapy, which has also found applications in fields such as mental health, life coaching and careers guidance. Pluralistic Therapy: Distinctive Features will provide an essential guide to students and practitioners of psychotherapy, or an allied area of practice, who are open to learning about new ideas and techniques from current interdisciplinary research.
A practical resource that your students can return to again and again to guide and coordinate their pluralistic practice, it provides: Hands-on guidance to developing pluralistic practice: providing the tools, skills and practice frameworks A step-by-step understanding of how the ideas and methods of different orientations can contribute towards a pluralistic way of working The tools and understandings needed to work with clients to achieve the most common goals The tools and understandings needed to work with clients wishing to address particular issues such as depression, anxiety, addiction, health issues, suicidal thoughts An understanding of a range of professional and practice issues relevant to pluralistic practitioners. Each chapter offers definitions of key terms, several case studies, exercises and points for reflection, further reading, chapter introductions and summaries of key learning points, and overviews of relevant research.
Written by a diverse range of expert contributors, unified by a relational, ethics-based reading of person-centred theory and practice, this seminal text is the most in-depth and comprehensive guide to person-centred therapy. Divided into four parts, it examines the theoretical, philosophical and historical foundations of the person-centred approach; the fundamental principles of person-centred practice (as well as new developments in, and applications of, person-centred clinical work), explorations of how person-centred conceptualisations and practices can be applied to groups of clients who bring particular issues to therapy, such as bereavement or trauma, and professional issues for person-centred therapists such as ethics, supervision, and training. 10 years after it was last published, this third edition includes new content on the climate crisis, intersectionality and working with racism and anti-racism. It includes new dedicated chapters on the Non-directive Attitude, Relational Depth, Experiential Practices, Working with Trauma, Online PCA and Person-Centred approaches around the Globe. International and interdisciplinary in conception, this is a cutting-edge resource for students of psychotherapy and counselling on a range of programmes, as well as professional practitioners working in the field.
′[This] is essential reading for all who aspire to professional practice to ensure that knowledge and skills are up to date in order to best serve their clients.′ Professor Sue Wheeler, University of Leicester ′[It] continues to be the book that one turns to when looking for a clear introduction to the broad range of therapies that are offered in the UK today.′ Dr Nick Midgley, Anna Freud Centre This classic text has helped over 50,000 students wishing to understand the key counselling and psychotherapy approaches. This sixth edition is the most comprehensive update since it was first published in 1984, with 15 newly contributed chapters and 8 updated chapters. Each approach now includes a new Research section summarising the research findings, an in-depth Case Study illustrating how that approach works in practice, and an extended Practice section. Also covered: · historical context and development · main theoretical assumptions · which clients will benefit most · strengths and limitations. New chapters include Compassion-Focussed Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Mindfulness in Individual Therapy, Pluralistic Therapy and The Transpersonal in Individual Therapy. This is an ideal one-stop shop for trainees of counselling, psychotherapy, counselling psychology, psychology and other allied professions wanting to learn about the most commonly practised therapies today. Windy Dryden has worked in the fields of counselling and psychotherapy since 1975. He is author/editor of over 200 books. Andrew Reeves is a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist at the Univeristy of Liverpool and a freelance writer, trainer and supervisor. He is former Editor of the Counselling and Psychotherapy Research journal.
`One can only applaud the bravery of an author who gently send up Kierkegaard's wilful obscurantism and cleans out the acrid smoke of Gauloises from the room. With welcome clarity and sanity, Mick Cooper efficiently lays out the concepts, techniques and directions adopted by several key figures in the broad field of existentially informed psychotherapy. In an excellent first chapter, Mick Cooper pointed out my `ontic' from my `ontological'; and I could see, behind the long-words-with-dashes, the true resonance of these ideas with real human and therapeutic issues, dilemmas and goals' - Clinical Psychology `This book proves to be a real treasure chest: what you always wanted to know about existential psychotherapy but failed to find anywhere else in such a comprehensive, clear and concise manner. In that sense, this publication provides a missing link. One merit of the book is its systematic structure. As extensive, and in part as heterogeneous as existential philosophy and therapy also maybe, Mick Cooper had nevertheless been able to build convincing clusters with, on the one hand, an enormous understanding of details and, on the other, a far-sightedness that, like a map, provides orientation in the diversity of existential therapy. I really appreciate this publication and can recommend it very strongly' - Person-Centred and Experiential Psychotherapies `Existential Therapies will I suspect, suddenly make "existentialism" come alive. The author, Mick Cooper loves his subject, it fascinates and enthrals him, and we get to experience some of that, even though the book is "academic". The connections and overlaps with person-centred psychology are there for us to be, but so are the differences' - Person-Centred Practice `As an overview of a number of different existential therapies the book is extremely welcome and manages in a relatively short space to cover a wide arena. Overall I rate the book highly. To pull together a large and somewhat disparate literature, then make sense of it and finally retains the reader's interest, is difficult' - Existential Analysis `Mick Cooper has done an impressive job in writing a much needed, current and user friendly survey of the field of existential therapies. If I were to teach this course, I would use this book. I applaud Mick Cooper for having admirably achieved the aim he set out to achieve. All this makes Mick Cooper's book a must-read for anyone wishing to explore the topic of existential therapy' - Society for Laingian Studies Website `What makes this book unique is that all the different strands of Existential philosophy are always clearly linked to practice' - Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal `This is a very fresh book, not treading well-worn paths and genuinely informing us about a small but important field. This is really an indispensable book for anyone who wants to understand existentialist approaches to therapy' - Self and Society `This publication marks a milestone providing an excellent, clear and critical overview of the contrasting forms of the approach as it is currently practised' - Emmy van Deurzen, New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, Schiller University, London `This is a book of superb thoroughness and scholarship - an unprecedented guide to existential therapy's chief positions and controversies' - Kirk J Schneider, President of the Existential-Humanistic Institute, USA `Combines scholarship with a writing style that makes difficult concepts accessible. This book should be required reading on any course where the existential tradition plays a part, and that includes person-centred courses and all sympathetic to the idea that psychotherapy is, in essence, a human encounter where warmth, understanding and a deep respect for the individual are key values' - Tony Merry, University of East London What does it mean to practice in an existential way? What are the different existential approaches? What are their strengths and limitations? Existential Therapies addresses these key questions, and more, by providing students and practitioners with an invaluable introduction to the diverse and multifaceted world of existential therapeutic practices. Focusing on practical, face-to-face work with clients, the book: · introduces readers to six key existential therapies · discusses key figures and their contributions, including Irvin Yalom, Emmy van Deurzen, Ernesto Spinelli, Viktor Frankl and R D Laing · compares and contrasts the various approaches, highlighting areas of commonality and difference · outlines key debates within the existential therapy field · provides detailed suggestions for further reading Existential Therapies offers students and practitioners of all orientations much that they can incorporate into their own therapeutic work, and each approach is vividly brought to life through therapist-client dialogues and case studies. Written in an accessible, warm, and engaging manner, Existential Therapies is an essential introduction to this rich, vibrant and stimulating field.
How can therapists integrate theories and practices from across the psychological therapies? This book presents a framework for understanding distress and change that can unite different orientations, along with sociopolitical perspectives. Its starting point is that therapy aims to help clients move towards the things they most deeply want. It shows how the actualisation of these ‘directions’ leads to greater well-being, and how this can be brought about through the development of internal and external synergies. Using in-depth cases, the book provides detailed guidance on how this framework can be applied. After reading this book, you’ll feel better equipped to understand, and work with, your clients’ directions—tailoring the therapy to their unique wants.
This best-selling, eminently practical, evidence-based guide to the cognitive behavioural approach to counselling has now been substantially revised and updated to reflect current theoretical and practical developments in the CBT field. The second edition contains an expanded step-by-step guide to the process of counselling, from initial contact with the client to termination. The guide follows a skills-based format and new case studies illustrate the theory into practice. Drawing on their own extensive experience and contemporary research, the authors provide a concise overview of the cognitive behavioural approach, with new material on emotional problems rarely covered in practitioner guides, a strong emphasis on the therapeutic alliance, and updated bibliographic references throughout.
This book is an authoritative introduction to everything you need to know to become a professional therapist. It takes you through the entire therapeutic process, introducing the theory and applying it to real-life practice. Drawing on years of experience as a counselling practitioner and researcher, Andrew Reeves links counselling and psychotherapy theory to the development of appropriate skills, and locates it within the context of therapeutic practice today. Engagingly and accessibly written, the book is packed with learning features including Chapter Overviews, Summaries and a Glossary -helping you navigate the book and get the most out of it. Discussion Points, 'Skills Practice' and 'Pause for Reflection' sections, helping you critically engage with and reflect on what you have learned. Case Studies and scenarios, helping you apply key ideas in practice across settings and modalities. Indicated Further Reading and Important Websites - supporting your continued learning. This groundbreaking textbook represents a benchmark in understanding - and applying - the principles and practice of counselling and psychotherapy. It's accompanied by a companion website featuring a wealth of chapter-by-chapter resources for both students and lecturers to use alongside the book. From extended case studies through to web resources, links and PowerPoint presentations, these extra resources will help aid and enhance your learning and understanding. Andrew Reeves is a counsellor at the University of Liverpool and Editor of Counselling and Psychotherapy Research journal.
At a time when evidence is everything, the comprehensive Handbook of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies handbook provides a unique, up-to-date overview of the current evidence-base for psychological therapies and major psychological disorders. The editors take a pluralistic approach, covering cognitive and behavioural therapies as well as counselling and humanistic approaches. Internationally-renowned expert contributors guide readers through the latest research, taking a critical overview of each practice’s strengths and weaknesses. A final chapter provides an overview for the future.
