Counselling Skills for Complimentary Therapists

by March-Smith, Rosie

• ISBN13: 9780335211227
• ISBN10: 0335211224
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-01
• Publisher: Open University Press

Summary

Which skills should a complementary therapist develop? How might the skills be used more effectively? What are the ethical issues that a complementary therapist must consider? When and how should a complementary therapist seek help? As the demand for tighter professionalism grows in the complementary healing world, and government regulation increases, a more skilled approach to counselling patients has become priority. Surprisingly, few practitioners over the past thirty years have used more than basic listening skills as part of their clinical work, largely because they were not taught counselling techniques. Most continue to rely instead upon sympathy and intuition to help their patients face emotional problems. Yet advice, however well-meant, could prove dangerous or, at the least, inappropriate.This pioneering book seeks to change this. Counselling skills help prevent making mistakes, they tell therapists what they can and cannot do. In turn, they then guide the patient towards taking more responsibility for their life and to discover their own 'healer within' to speed recovery. In using talking treatment as well as their primary discipline, practitioners may now offer a truly holistic mind-body-spirit dimension to their work.Theoretical consideration of topics such as transference and counter-transference are woven together with case studies, practical tips, personal anecdotes and observations, to make this an accessible and informative book for professionals, graduates and students.

Author Biography

Rosie March-Smith is a registered psychotherapist with the UK Council for Psychotherapy, and currently runs a private practice in the UK.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	viii
Foreword	ix
Chapter 1 Patients deserve more than sympathy	1	(13)
Twenty-first century crises	3	(3)
The dangers in unskilled interventions	6	(2)
Transference and counter-transference	8	(1)
Regression: potentials and pitfalls	9	(1)
The parental metaphor	10	(1)
Negative transference	11	(1)
The need for better practice	12	(1)
Summary	13	(1)
Chapter 2 Why counselling needs rules	14	(11)
A difficult balancing act	16	(1)
The significance of trust	17	(3)
Boundaries exist for good reasons	20	(1)
The opening session	21	(2)
Summary	23	(2)
Chapter 3 How to listen through the words	25	(11)
Passive listening has its place	26	(3)
What goes wrong with ordinary listening	29	(1)
Practitioners do need to ask questions	30	(3)
Reining in the over-talkative	33	(1)
Summary	34	(2)
Chapter 4 Metaphors and mind magic	36	(9)
Backing out of conflict	37	(2)
Body cells remember	39	(3)
Mind magic and imaginal clues	42	(1)
A lowly self-image	42	(2)
Summary	44	(1)
Chapter 5 The search for meaning in illness	45	(12)
The value of finding a meaning	46	(3)
Being one step ahead	49	(1)
Early warning signs	50	(2)
The 'eyes of death' and depression	52	(2)
Body, mind and soul	54	(1)
Summary	55	(2)
Chapter 6 The therapeutic relationship	57	(12)
The healing moment	59	(2)
Recovery and the life force	61	(1)
Sympathy is not enough	62	(3)
The 'white coat' effect	65	(2)
An empowering relationship	67	(1)
Summary	68	(1)
Chapter 7 Perils and psychic protection	69	(14)
Ignorance and arrogance	70	(2)
Attacks can be harmful	72	(1)
Contagious contacts	73	(4)
Watch for the danger signs	77	(1)
Listening to the message	78	(2)
Sick and tired	80	(2)
Summary	82	(1)
Chapter 8 Dealing with difficulties: finding support	83	(17)
Shake about a bit	84	(3)
Violence and abuse	87	(2)
Suicidal patients	89	(2)
The value of support	91	(2)
A new feeling	93	(2)
Why supervision is necessary	95	(2)
Setting up peer group supervision	97	(1)
Summary	98	(2)
Chapter 9 Endings and never-endings	100	(13)
Developing a tolerance	102	(1)
Dealing with endings	103	(4)
An inherent ambivalence	107	(2)
When the problem is terminal	109	(2)
Towards life	111	(2)
Appendix Referrals and resources	113	(2)
References	115	(3)
Index	118