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Reasons for Unresolved/Complicated Grief

In this post we explore psychological and social factors that may contribute to unresolved/complicated grief. Click here for a list of symptoms and behaviours of unresolved/complicated grief. Psychological factors Anger and guilt can often be a key source of adjustment difficulties in the process of grief. Guilt can inhibit the grief process if mourners are unable […]

Ten Barriers to Ethical Decisions in Counselling

Coleman (n.d) suggests ten (10) barriers to the ethical problem solving process. They are: Lack of knowledge of Ethical Standards Financial Incentives Perfectionism Fear of Criticism/Scrutiny by Others High Affiliative Needs Personal and/or Professional Immaturity Counsellor Substance Abuse Lack of Personal Values Clarification Limitations of Codes of Ethics and Conduct Lack of a Decision Making […]

7 Ways to Improve Intimacy in Your Relationship

Good relationships don’t just happen. Many people have the attitude that, “If I have to work at it, then it can’t be the right relationship.” This is not a true statement, any more than it’s true that you don’t have to work at good physical health through exercise, eating well, and stress reduction. There are […]

Treatment Steps in Behaviour Therapy

Behaviour therapy/counselling is used to help “clients acquire new coping skills, improve communication, or learn to break maladaptive habits and overcome self-defeating emotional conflicts” (Corsini & Wedding, 2000). The behavioural therapist/counsellor focuses on interpreting the client’s behaviour, emphasising a collaborative and positive relationship with the client and values the use of objectivity to assess and […]

Common Thinking Errors

Below is a list of descriptions that cognitive-behavioural counsellors can use to categorise automatic thoughts. These are descriptions of the common types of faulty thinking. All-or-nothing thinking: You see things in black and white categories. If your performance falls short of perfect, you see yourself as a total failure. Overgeneralisation: You see a single negative […]

Attachment Theory

Attachment theory has emerged as a leading tool for understanding the deeper roots of the dynamics in a close relationship. Originally developed to explain attachments of children to their caregivers, this theory has been especially fruitful in couple therapy as it helps to explain how adults come to depend on one another. Attachment is viewed […]

Behaviour Couple Therapy

Behaviour couple therapy is concerned about how people learn and unlearn dysfunctional behaviours. The model relies on cognitive behaviour theory whereby the general assumption is that changing the cognitions of an individual is critical to help clients overcome their problematic behaviours and bring about change. The theory also believes that behaviour is maintained by its […]

Book Review: Counseling Children and Adolescents

Vernon, Ann. 512 Pages. 2002, USA: Love Publishing Company Children and adolescents of the 21st century encounter challenges and difficulties that are indicative of contemporary society, thus it is important that as therapists we equip ourselves with the most pertinent up-to-date information available. Counseling children and adolescents (2009) by Ann Vernon acknowledges the changing face […]

Manifestations of Normal Grief

With a number of people undergoing grief, it is important to understand signs of normal grief. Worden (2005) identified four categories that demonstrate normal grief. This includes feelings, cognitions, physical sensations and behaviours. It is also important to remember that these signs of grief will vary from individual to individual. Feelings Sadness is a common […]

Temperament and Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are thought to result from a difficult temperament (as well as biological and social factors). Personality traits and temperaments are dimensional characteristics that are heritable and manifest early in life. These characteristics underlie or influence cognitive processes, interpersonal and social functions, emotional and affective states and biological stress systems (Howland, 2007; Shiner, 2005). […]

Personality and Disorders

Everyone has personality traits that characterise them as unique individuals. Such traits refer to the usual way in which a person thinks, feels and behaves. Specifically, personality refers to the pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviours, consistently exhibited by an individual over a long period of time. Personality is a complex combination of traits and […]