The Therapeutic Relationship: Perspectives and Themes [Paperback]

This text will be of immense value to students, lecturers and practitioners -- a valuable resource to those exploring different theoretical models in psychotherapy. The contributors provide clear expositions of their original philosophic and clinical hypotheses and how these are blended into contemporary relational practice. --Colin Lago, author of The Handbook of Transcultural Counselling and Psychotherapy (OUP, 2011)

As therapy moves from psychological tool to a greater focus on the nature and quality of the relationship itself, this book sums up and critically reflects on the different views of the therapeutic relationship. It offers new perspectives that empower the practitioner and illuminate theory, based in reflective practice. This is essential reading for therapists and teachers of therapy alike. --Simon Robinson, Professor of Applied and Professional Ethics, Leeds Metropolitan University

This text will be of immense value to students, lecturers and practitioners -- a valuable resource to those exploring different theoretical models in psychotherapy. The contributors provide clear expositions of their original philosophic and clinical hypotheses and how these are blended into contemporary relational practice. Colin Lago, author of Race, Culture and Counselling: The Ongoing Challenge. (OUP, 2006)As therapy moves from psychological tool to a greater focus on the nature and quality of the relationship itself, this book sums up and critically reflects on the different views of the therapeutic relationship. It offers new perspectives that empower the practitioner and illuminate theory, based in reflective practice. This is essential reading for therapists and teachers of therapy alike.Simon Robinson, Professor of Applied and Professional Ethics, Leeds Metropolitan University

This work explores the therapeutic relationship in the psychological therapies. It will be an important resource book for practitioners including counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, trainers and trainees and all those who work with people in therapeutic contexts. This book reviews the importance of the therapeutic relationship within the key modalities of Person-Centred, Psychodynamic, Existential, Gestalt, TA, CBT, Relational and Transpersonal approaches. The place of power and oppression and the social context of the relationship in therapy are further reviewed. Authors examine what the research really tells us about outcomes in therapy and explores the place of research for the psychological therapies.In a series of commissioned chapters significant themes are presented which enable the reader to consider their impact on therapeutic practice. These include: touch, a Japanese perspective, spirituality, I- Thou relatedness and the contribution of Buber, the creative therapies and working with groups. In this title, the reader is invited to consider their own modality, their practice and their understanding of what really works in therapy.

Sheila Haugh is a Senior Lecturer in Psychotherapy at Leeds Metropolitan University, a UK Council for Psychotherapy registered psychotherapist and is a BAPCA accredited practitioner. Formally Convenor for the British Association for the Person-Centred Approach (BAPCA) she currently serves on the board of the World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counselling (WAPCEPC). She is Course Leader for the MA Client-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling at Leeds Metropolitan and her interests presently include the development of theory within the classical approach to client-centred psychotherapy.Stephen Paul is Director of the Centre for Psychological Therapies at Leeds Metropolitan University. He is a psychotherapist with over 30 years of practitioner experience in Adult and Adolescent & Child Psychiatry and was previously Head of a school for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. He has studied extensively in the areas of counselling, psychotherapy, spirituality and business and executive coaching and has led courses in counselling and psychotherapy since 1992.