Making Successful Decisions in Counselling and Psychotherapy A practical guide

by Lane, David; Corrie, Sarah

• ISBN13: 9780335244348
• ISBN10: 0335244343
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-04-01
• Publisher: Open Univ Pr

Summary

It is commonly assumed that the ability to make decisions in therapy is acquired as a result of experience and for this reason the subject is more or less ignored in programmes of training. Lane and Corrie effectively challenge this position in a comprehensive account of the process by which information is acquired, interpreted and used. The book benefits from the comprehensive experience of the two authors both as clinicians and researchers and is illustrated by some excellent case material and interesting self-assessment exercises. There is something of value here for therapists of every modality at all stages of development. Ray Woolfe, Psychologist and Psychotherapist in independent practice, Bristol, UK In this well written, meticulously researched and timely book, Lane and Corrie propose that the art of decision making, like any art, requires discipline, training and continual practice. This book should be required reading on clinical and counselling psychology programmes and related fields. For those about to enter practice, this book provides you with much needed support for engaging with the realities of a complex and shifting political and professional landscape. For the more experienced practitioner, this book challenges you to become more explicit about, and to sharpen and widen, the assumptions, models and procedures that guide your everyday decision making. This is continuing professional development of the most relevant and needed kind. I will be recommending this text to my students, colleagues, peers, and, yes, managers, very strongly indeed! Dr Michael Worrell, Consultant Clinical Psychologist & Programme Director, CNWL Foundation Trust What is the Purpose in working with the client? What are the main problems or concerns we need to explore? Who else is involved and what are their expectations? The task of working with a client in order to bring about therapeutic change involves a constant stream of decisions. But how exactly do you decide? What influences your choices and how can you be sure that you are making the right ones? Professional training provides guidelines. However, the evidence suggests that in practice, decision-making is a complex task and our decisions are not always as accurate as we assume. This book examines some of the factors that are involved in making good decisions, the range of thinking skills we need in order to make effective choices and some of the factors that can prevent us from making sound decisions in our work with clients. Drawing on both the existing literature and a range of practical exercises, Making Successful Decisions in Counselling and Psychotherapyprovides invaluable guidance on how to tackle the task of decision-making in 'real world' counselling and psychotherapeutic settings in order to develop a systematic, effective and creative approach.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgements
The authors
Introduction

Part 1: What do we know about Decision-Making in Counselling and Psychotherapy?
Decision-Making under the Microscope
Beyond the Question of Accuracy: Decision-Making in the Real World
Going Wider, Going Deeper; Decision-Making in States of Uncertainty

Part 2: How do we Frame our Decision-Making in Practice?
MAP: A Framework for Decision-Making in Practice
Defining your Mission
Identifying the Attitude that Informs your Decisions
Devising a Process for Decision-Making

Part 3: Decision-Making Contexts that require Special Consideration
Decision-Making in Supervision
Decision-Making in Teams
Developing as a Critical Thinker: Some Final Recommendations