Supervision is a term that often causes much debate within counselling and psychotherapy circles. It was once considered to be something you ‘got landed with’ by virtue of being the most experienced practitioner within an organisation. Implicit in this view was that therapy should be conducted in a right way and, therefore, not in a wrong […]
This week the Government announced extra funding for talking therapies in the NHS, crisis care, as well as a focus on preventing illness and proposals to strengthen early intervention and to integrate mental health services into primary care. The austerity agenda over the last 7 years has severely impacted the budgets of mental health services
Today I was interviewed on Sky News about the risks posed by the Blue Whale game in the UK and about peer pressure facing teenagers. Blue Whale is an online game that originated in Russia and where it is claimed users are manipulated into self harming and ultimately encouraged to commit suicide. This has led some
I have always been sceptical about the usefulness of providing trained counsellors to help those impacted by incidents of major trauma. It is almost commonplace, nowadays, to hear in news reports that trained counsellors have been drafted in to help deal with the emotional carnage following a major incident. Such considerations for those affected may
Have you heard of fidget spinners? If not, you might be surprised to hear then that they top the lists of the best-selling toys on Amazon UK. They are the latest craze amongst school children and are being hailed as a learning tool to help kids suffering from inattentive states of mind. Today I was
Yesterday I chatted with Dr Mary Deitch, President of SASH, about working with clients suffering with problematical sexual behaviour. I first heard Mary speak at the Farley Center when she presented on understanding the basics of problematical sexual behaviour. (See the slides for that presentation here). In the interview we discuss how to identify problematical sexual behaviour
For therapy to be successful I believe that it is essential that clients feel comfortable and safe with their therapist so that they can start an open and frank dialogue. Various research findings have indicated that the working alliance is as important as any other factor in successful therapeutic outcomes. This is not to say that
Do you struggle with your boundaries and usually give too much to your partner without receiving back the love and respect you expect? Are you involved with an avoidant personality type and frustrated with the level of communication in the relationship. Do you see yourself as dedicated to the welfare of others? If these questions
I often wonder how the whole field of counselling and psychotherapy could help to better address the needs of those who are essentially most in need of psychological support. Men, for instance, who suffer from depression often present as angry individuals but the anger is often hiding the pain of depression. Depression in men is
Yesterday I appeared on the Insight programme on TRT World discussing online safety, with particular reference to young people, as part of Safer Internet Day 2017. Click on the link below to see the discussion. When discussing the impact of the massive social change that has been underway for the past 25 years with the advent