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Counselling Theory & Process

Book Review: Introduction to Counseling

Kottler, Jeffrey, A., and Shepard, David, S. (2015). Introduction to Counseling: Voices from the Field. (8th ed). Stamford, USA: Cengage Learning. Introduction to Counseling — Voices from the field (8th edition) by Jeffrey Kottler and David Shepard is an introductory textbook for students beginning the journey to becoming a professional counsellor. Now in its eight […]

Role Play Demonstration of a Supervision Session

In this video, Philip Armstrong (Clinical Director of the Clinical Counselling Centre and CEO of the Australian Counselling Association) and Catherine Dodemont (Registered Supervisor and Level 4 Member of the Australian Counselling Association) demonstrate (through a role-play) a counselling supervision session. Topics explored include counsellor self-care, professional development, confidentiality issues, practice management and marketing, and […]

Counselling Dilemma: An Issue of Sexuality and Boundaries

A counsellor has been working with a client over a period of 9 months assisting with inner child therapy work. During the period, the client also talks about her relationship issues, sexuality as well as a relationship with another person. The counsellor, who also happens to be in a same sex relationship and going through […]

Dealing with Transference in Counselling

Transference is a phenomenon in psychology characterised by “unconscious redirection of feelings of one person to another” (Wiki Answers, n.d.). It can occur both in everyday life and also in the therapy room. One example of how it can happen is when a person mistrusts another because the other resembles, say, an ex-spouse, in manners, […]

Mindfulness Techniques: Defusion Exercises

Mindfulness (learn more about mindfulness here) interventions have been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of psychological and physical conditions such as anxiety, depression, chronic pain, personality disorders, and addictions. Controlled trials of normal populations have also demonstrated positive changes in brain function and immune response, self-awareness, perceived stress, and increase in self-compassion […]

Common Stages of Disaster Recovery

Disasters and mass disruptive events can be extremely unpredictable and chaotic. Even though that is a valid characterisation of catastrophe, disaster experts have discerned a general pattern or cycle of phases that a community and the individuals in it go through from the time of impact of a disaster to establishing a newly reconstructed life. […]

Core Actions of Psychological First Aid

In the first video of this two-part series (Principles of Psychological First Aid), Richard Hill looked at the five principles that are the basis for all Psychological First Aid: that is, promoting safety, calmness, self-efficacy, connectedness, and hope. In this talk, Richard will be putting you into the field: that is, the explorations will take […]

Principles of Psychological First Aid

Psychological First Aid is a means of providing psychosocial support to individuals and families immediately after a disaster, terrorist or traumatic event, or other emergency. It consists of a set of helping actions which are systematically undertaken in order to reduce initial post-trauma distress and to support short- and long-term adaptive functioning. Based on the […]

Transference and Projection

The phenomena of transference and projection, although solidly accepted in the analytical and psychodynamic schools of psychology in which they originated, are nevertheless complex and often misunderstood concepts. Yet some claim that projection is the single most important phenomenon in psychotherapy. In this video, Richard Hill helps you understand what transference and projection are, how […]

Romancing Our Shadow

Shadow, the hidden component of our character which we have consigned to the dark recesses of our psyche, comes out inexplicably and horribly at times, embarrassing us, surprising us, and – if we are attuned to it – offering us the possibility of deeper insights into our true selves. And just as it does this […]

Professor Windy Dryden on REBT

Professor Windy Dryden, author of nearly 200 books, discusses how his journey through the world of psychology led to his enthusiastic adoption of the precepts and practice of REBT. REBT is one of the most thoroughly researched and widely used therapeutic approaches in the UK today, and has also been called ‘applied philosophy’ for its […]

Counselling Dilemma: Dual Relationship Boundaries

You have been working with a client for the last 3 months on rebuilding his life and re-integrating into society after having spent 6 years in prison for sex offences. For the last month, you have been working on issues of him frequently stealing money from his girlfriend’s wallet for drinks with his mates, him […]

A Summary of Eight Counselling Microskills

In this post we summarise the following eight fundamental skills that alone or together can help a client to access their deepest thoughts or clarify their future dreams: Attending Behaviour Questioning Responding Noting and Reflecting Client Observation Confrontation Focusing Influencing Attending Behaviour Attending behaviours encourage clients to talk and show that the counsellor is interested […]