Alistair McBeath

Learning how to creatively and effectively use oneself in the treatment process is an essential component in therapy training and this level of self-awareness has long been a neglected area in research – until now. With examples ranging from private therapeutic practice to psychiatric related research, each chapter combines ‘how-to-do-it’ advice with illustrative real-life examples. The textbook provides a guide to the development of a rigorous and creative research-supported practice for students, practitioners, and researchers in counselling and psychotherapy. With an emphasis on critical thinking and “research mindedness”, it introduces practical research skills and links them to self-awareness and critical reflection. The authors outline the use of a broad range of research methods, embracing Arts- as well as RCT-based research, and covering qualitative, quantitative, pluralistic and mixed methods approaches. Whether you are engaging with research for the first time or already developing your own research projects, if you are a student at diploma level or taking a Postgraduate research course for counsellors, psychotherapists and counselling psychotherapists, this is essential reading for anyone looking for a book that combines self-awareness with analytical and practical skills.

Counselling and psychotherapy research special section: What core knowledge is needed to be a therapist? Significant changes have emerged in the field of counselling and psychotherapy during the last couple of decades. From being relatively steeped in mystery, evidence and accountability have been put to the forefront. Symington (1986) described once psychotherapy “as impossible to convey the sense of … as it is to explain to an eight-year-old child what it is like to be in love” (p.9). The changes towards transparency may be reasonable and welcomed—but are potentially confusing for the many therapists who find themselves caught between contrasting schools of thought. The evidence-based approaches emphasise the importance of certainties and a for therapy commonly held “truth”; whilst postmodern and contemporary thinking emphasise differences with socio-cultural, linguistic, gender related and other context dependent interests in mind. Both bring a refreshingly demystifying approach to traditional therapy; they argue for transparency and accountability—but from different angles. In this journal issue, we will bring a broad selection of research which put therapists core skills and knowledge to the forefront. They will be presented in terms of three overarching themes: 1. Therapy and theory. What is the overarching theory for psychotherapy? In what “discipline” do we position counselling and psychotherapy; in what ontological and epistemological contexts does psychotherapy belong? This will be explored in the following article contributions: Ontological and Epistemological Reflexivity: A Core Skill for Therapists, by Carla Willig. The Relationship between Psychotherapists and Research. An Exploration of Therapists’ Views, Bager-Charleson, McBeath, A., du Plock, S. Teaching and learning evidence-Based practices: Promoting dialogue for counsellors and psychotherapists, Robert Allan. Graduate training in psychotherapy: The importance of ongoing clinical activity for the training faculty, James C. Overholser. 2. The therapist's use of self What can research tell us about essential characteristics and development of the psychotherapist? How can we explain to another—and ourselves, what we do? This is explored in the following studies: How Psychotherapists Develop revisiting the International Study of Therapist Development of the SPR-Collaborative Research Network (SPR/CRN). What has happened within the therapists’ professions since then? by Michael Helge Rønnestad, David E. Orlinsky, Thomas A. Schröder, Thomas M. Skovholt, Ulrike Willutzki. What are Psychotherapists’ Motivations for Practice? An In-Depth Survey into factors drawing therapists into their profession, Dr Alistair McBeath. 3. The socio-cultural context of therapy How does socio-cultural tensions and technological development impact counselling and psychotherapy practice and theory? What is the role of therapy in context of social change? This is explored in context of socio-cultural and technological development, in the following articles: The talking cure—building the core skills and the confidence of counsellors and psychotherapists to work effectively with multilingual patients through training and supervision, by Dr Beverley Costa and Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele. Van Rijn, B., Chryssafidou, E.,Falconer,C., Stiles, W.B. Digital Images as Meaning Bridges: Case study of assimilation using avatar software in counselling with a 14-year-old boy.

Contents: Introduction: towards professional wisdom, David Carr, Liz Bondi, Chris Clark and Cecelia Clegg Part I Practical Wisdom and Professional Deliberation: 'Professional wisdom' in 'practice', Joseph Dunne Expertise a " initiation into learning, not knowing, Michael Luntley Evidence-based practice and professional wisdom, Chris Clark Intuition and professional wisdom: can we teach moral discernment?, Daniel Vokey and Jeannie Kerr Teacher education as a missed opportunity in the professional preparation of ethical practitioners, Elizabeth Campbell. Part II The Personal and Affective Dimension of Professional Engagement: Virtue, character and emotion on people's professions: towards a virtue ethics of interpersonal professional conduct, David Carr Some Aristotelian reflections on teachers' professional identities and the emotional practice of teaching, KristjA!n KristjA!nsson On the gender of professional wisdom, Liz Bondi Work is where we live: emotional literacy and the psychological dimensions of the various relationships there, Susie Orbach The wisdom of L'Arche and the practices of care: disability, professional wisdom and encounter-in-community, John Swinton. Part III Legislation, Regulation and Professional Judgement: Fabled uncertainty in social work, Sue White Crowding out wisdom: the mechanisation of adult-child relationships, Kathleen Marshall and Maggie Mellon Ministry, homelessness and professional deliberation, Alison Elliot Pastoral supervision: ministry, spirit and regulation, Cecelia Clegg Not a tame lion: psychotherapy in a safety-obsessed culture, Nick Totton Index.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing are notoriously difficult to research and understand.Psychotherapy plays a significant role in generating new knowledge in the field. This study offers a metasynthesis of earlier published, primary research reports into therapists’ experience of and involvement in postgraduate research. Meta-synthesis is an approach of synthesising findings from different studies to enable deeper understanding about a research topic. The synthesis involved ‘re-searching’ and reviewing three studies previously published by the authors in response to an upcoming conference about postgraduate research with a new, transdisciplinary audience focusing on identity, access and opportunitywhen transitioning to postgraduate research. Our meta-synthesis followed three analytic phases, namely revisiting and reviewing the original findings (meta–data analysis), considering the original methods (metamethod and metatheory phase) and discussing, comparing and contrasting the pr...

The views and feelings of psychotherapists around academic writing were explored using a mixed methods approach. An on-line survey completed by 222 psychotherapists produced both quantitative and qualitative data with the latter being subject to a Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Significant numbers of participants lacked confidence about participating in academic writing. Fear of rejection, not being good enough and not knowing what is required were prominent underlying factors. Current academic writing was viewed as overly intellectual, not focused on clinical practice and the preserve of academics and not practicing therapists. Difficulty in accessing academic material lying behind pay walls was another factor limiting participation in academic writing as well as a lack of formal support. Clinical relevance and clarity of expression were viewed as the key factors of good academic writing. There was overwhelming support for academic writing to be a core skill taught in formal psychoth...

This textbook provides a guide to the development of a rigorous and creative research-supported practice for students, practitioners, and researchers in counselling and psychotherapy. With an emphasis on critical thinking and “research mindedness”, it introduces practical research skills and links them to self-awareness and critical reflection. Learning how to creatively and effectively use oneself in the treatment process is an essential component in therapy training and this level of self-awareness has long been a neglected area in research – until now. With examples ranging from private therapeutic practice to psychiatric related research, each chapter combines ‘how-to-do-it’ advice with illustrative real-life examples. The authors outline the use of a broad range of research methods, embracing Arts- as well as RCT-based research, and covering qualitative, quantitative, pluralistic and mixed methods approaches. Whether you are engaging with research for the first time or already developing your own research projects, if you are a student at diploma level or taking a Postgraduate research course for counsellors, psychotherapists and counselling psychotherapists, this is essential reading for anyone looking for a book that combines self-awareness with analytical and practical skills.

This textbook provides a guide to the development of a rigorous and creative research-supported practice for students, practitioners, and researchers in counselling and psychotherapy. With an emphasis on critical thinking and "research mindedness", it introduces practical research skills and links them to self-awareness and critical reflection. Learning how to creatively and effectively use oneself in the treatment process is an essential component in therapy training and this level of self-awareness has long been a neglected area in research-until now. With examples ranging from private therapeutic practice to psychiatric related research, each chapter combines 'how-to-do-it' advice with illustrative real-life examples. The authors outline the use of a broad range of research methods, embracing Arts-as well as RCT-based research, and covering qualitative, quantitative, pluralistic and mixed methods approaches. Whether you are engaging with research for the first t...

Research frequently addresses a gap between practice and research in the field of psychotherapy. Castonguay et al (2010) suggest that the practice of many full-time psychotherapists is rarely or nonsubstantially influenced by research. Boisvert and Faust (2005) ask 'why do psychotherapists not rely on the research to consistently inform their practice?' and suggest that concerns 'have echoed through the decades' about psychotherapists' failings to integrate of research and practice. This study focuses on therapists' (counsellors and psychotherapists) reasoning about their engagement with 'research' as described in dissertations and in personal, anonymously presented documents, research journals and interviews included. The study focuses on the stages which generally are referred to as 'data analysis', which in this study refers research stages where interpretation typically is required with synthesising and analysing in mind. Turning our atten...

This textbook provides a guide to the development of a rigorous and creative research-supported practice for students, practitioners, and researchers in counselling and psychotherapy. With an emphasis on critical thinking and “research mindedness”, it introduces practical research skills and links them to self-awareness and critical reflection. Learning how to creatively and effectively use oneself in the treatment process is an essential component in therapy training and this level of self-awareness has long been a neglected area in research – until now. With examples ranging from private therapeutic practice to psychiatric related research, each chapter combines ‘how-to-do-it’ advice with illustrative real-life examples. The authors outline the use of a broad range of research methods, embracing Arts- as well as RCT-based research, and covering qualitative, quantitative, pluralistic and mixed methods approaches. Whether you are engaging with research for the first time or already developing your own research projects, if you are a student at diploma level or taking a Postgraduate research course for counsellors, psychotherapists and counselling psychotherapists, this is essential reading for anyone looking for a book that combines self-awareness with analytical and practical skills.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing are notoriously difficult to research and understand. Psychotherapy plays a significant role in generating new knowledge in the field. This study offers a meta-synthesis of earlier published, primary research reports into therapists' experience of and involvement in postgraduate research. Meta-synthesis is an approach of synthesising findings from different studies to enable deeper understanding about a research topic. The synthesis involved 're-searching' and reviewing three studies previously published by the authors in response to an upcoming conference about postgraduate research with a new, transdisciplinary audience focusing on identity, access and opportunity when transitioning to postgraduate research. Our meta-synthesis followed three analytic phases, namely revisiting and reviewing the original findings (meta-data analysis), considering the original methods (metamethod and metatheory phase) and discussing, comparing and con...

The views and feelings of psychotherapists around academic writing were explored using a mixed methods approach. An on-line survey completed by 222 psychotherapists produced both quantitative and qualitative data with the latter being subject to a Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Significant numbers of participants lacked confidence about participating in academic writing. Fear of rejection, not being good enough and not knowing what is required were prominent underlying factors. Current academic writing was viewed as overly intellectual, not focused on clinical practice and the preserve of academics and not practicing therapists. Difficulty in accessing academic material lying behind pay walls was another factor limiting participation in academic writing as well as a lack of formal support. Clinical relevance and clarity of expression were viewed as the key factors of good academic writing. There was overwhelming support for academic writing to be a core skill taught in formal psychoth...

To quote please go to final article in the CPR, citing: McBeath, A., du Plock, S., and Bager-Charleson, S (2020) The challenges and experiences of psychotherapists working remotely during the Coronavirus pandemic, Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, Volume 20, Issue 2. Abstract The experiences and challenges of psychotherapists working remotely during the Coronavirus pandemic were explored using a mixed methods approach. An on-line survey completed by 325 psychotherapists produced both quantitative and qualitative data with the latter being subject to a Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Large numbers of therapists were using video-link platforms and the 'phone to conduct client sessions. A majority of therapists felt challenged by remote working, with reduced interpersonal cues, feelings of isolation and fatigue, and technical issues frequently cited concerns. At the same time, most therapists considered that remote working had been effective and that clients were comfortable wit...

Research frequently addresses a gap between practice and research in the field of psychotherapy. Castonguay et al (2010) suggest that the practice of many full-time psychotherapists is rarely or nonsubstantially influenced by research. Boisvert and Faust (2005) ask ‘why do psychotherapists not rely on the research to consistently inform their practice?’ and suggest that concerns ‘have echoed through the decades’ about psychotherapists’ failings to integrate of research and practice. This study focuses on therapists’ (counsellors and psychotherapists) reasoning about their engagement with ‘research’ as described in dissertations and in personal, anonymously presented documents, research journals and interviews included. The study focuses on the stages which generally are referred to as ‘data analysis’, which in this study refers research stages where interpretation typically is required with synthesising and analysing in mind. Turning our attention to the therapists’ ‘narrative knowi...

References are frequently made to a strained relationship between therapeutic practice and research. This study has developed in response this critique. Our aim has been to explore therapists’ views on the relationship between research and clinical practice within a mixed-methods framework, drawing from a survey (n=92) distributed within and outside of the UK, and coupled with interviews (n=9). Both the survey and the interviews were guided by some of the following questions: What sort of relationship do therapists feel that they have with research? What amount of formal research training do therapists have? To what extent do therapists feel that their own research is valued? To what extent does research inform therapists’ clinical practice? Both the survey and the interviews suggested a sense of ‘homelessness’ for researchers in the field of therapy. Obstacles were referred to within and outside the therapeutic community. Some referred to little training and many felt unsupported among colleagues and employers when pursuing research. One therapist said: ‘The scientists and researchers I work with; they know they have a career in research – you get rewarded and promoted. That kind of recognition doesn’t exist in therapy’. To meet the increased requirements of research-supported practice the study suggests that more systematic efforts are required to support psychotherapists’ engagement in research activities.