On this page you will find a regularly updated list of journal articles essays and teaching handouts on a range of subjects relating to Counselling and Psychotherapy practice (mostly full text PDF's or Word files).
Please Note: If the author is Stephen Power the text is offered freely for personal study use. However if you wish to use the text for teaching or training purposes, it would be appreciated if you could contact Stephen Power directly using the contact page, before downloading to advise of the specific use of the resource.
All other texts are within the public domain and are freely available to all. I hope you find them of interest.
Click on the blue links to download and open the file to your hard drive.
This page currently has 17 downloadable resources
Counselling & Psychotherapy Practice
Definition of Counselling
Word Document. Author: The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
A brief, one-page document outlining the basic premise and remits for counselling and psychotherapy practice as laid down by the BACP. useful as a refresher read, or perhaps for informing current or prospective clients on your practice.
What is Counselling?
PDF file. Author: COSCA: Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland. 2004.
This 5 page document from COSCA states that it is impossible to define counselling and psychotherapy, once and for all. So, rather than do that, it describes what counselling and psychotherapy are about; shows how they differ from other activities with which they are sometimes confused and offers views about the main differences between counselling and psychotherapy.
Basic Counselling Interventions
Word file. Author: Stephen Power.
A summary of the basic types of interventions that can be used by counsellors and psychotherapists, and an outline of their benefits. The article covers a range of interventions including: listening skills; attending; reflection; summarizing; forming a choice point and gaining a figure-ground perspective.
Beginnings, Endings and Outcomes
PDF file. Author: Gertrude Mander. Psychodynamic Counselling; August 2000.
This article discusses the importance of beginning and ending in both brief and long-term psychotherapy and how important it is that the correct method of working with the client is chosen at the beginning, during assessment, to ensure the best outcome for the client.
Hobson's Conversational Model of Psychotherapy
PDF file. Authors: Margison and Shapiro, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine; Vol 79 August 1986.
This is an old, but still very pertinent discussion paper on one of the most practical and easy to understand contemporary models of psychotherapy - "The Conversational Model of Psychotherapy" as devised by R.F. Hobson. It is the model that I cut my therapy teeth on, and it is still as relevant to psychotherapy and counselling practice, now, as it was in the 1980's when it was conceived.
Sort Your Life Out Chart
PDF file. Source: Cactus TV: 'Richard & Judy Show'
A colourful and easy to use chart designed to help your clients work out which aspects of their life are taking up most of their time and energy, and which ones need more attention.
Approaches to Group Therapy
PDF file. Author: Addiction Messenger Newsletter. April 2004.
An introduction to the theories and practice of group psychotherapy, including the important "Curative Factors" of group work, as defined by Yalom.
Counsellor-Client Feedback Form
PDF file. Author: counsellingresource.com 2003
This form is intended to be given to your clients, in order that they can complete the checklists and give you a feedback on your performance as a counsellor or psychotherapists. I find that it also has another useful purpose in highlighting criteria that clients will find relevant in their counselling experience.
The Elements of Effective Counselling
PDF file. Author: Kerry Bernes 2005
Following on from the form above, This essay looks in-depth at the elements that go to make an effective counsellor or psychotherapist.
Evaluating Competence in Psychotherapy
PDF file. Authors: Manring, Beitman & Dewan, Academic Psychiatry, Autumn 2003.
This research study found that there are theoretical and practical problems inherent in measuring competence in psychotherapy. They offer suggestions for specific assessment measures that could be used to measure the competence of psychotherapy practitioners.
Specific Issues in Counselling & Psychotherapy
Handling Anger
PDF file. Authors: Bill Brewer, Shelly Brown, Hillary M. Mostinger. New Life Behavior.
A useful guide to how anger works within us - albeit with a spiritual undertone. It may be helpful for less experienced counsellors, and also as a guide for clients. it includes charts and exercises to determine the strength and source of inappropriate anger behaviour.
The Origins of Attachment Theory
PDF file. Author: Inge Bretherton. Developmental Psychology, 1992.
This article is an overview of the work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth who postulated and then expanded the theory of Attachment, which is often central to issues raised by clients in counselling and psychotherapy.
Working With and Against Depression
PDF file. Author: Suzanne Brownhill. Counselling Psychology Quarterly. Vol. 17, No. 4. 2004.
This article introduces a model for coping with depression that demonstrates the interplay between our emotions and the and our responses to the environment that surrounds us. It will be of use to anyone who is working with depressed or suicidal clients.
Suicide Assessment Strategies
PDF file. Authors: Robert C Schwartz and James R Rogers, Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 2004.
Suicide is a commonly recognised health risk and the authors state that it is important to understand facts about suicidal behaviour, assessing for self-harm traits in clients and to be able to evaluate the lethality of the cleint's suicidal gestures.
Suicide Prevention Strategies
PDF file. Authors: J. John Mann, et al. Journal of American Medical Association, 2005.
An article aimed at medical practitioners, stating that when doctors are trained to recognize depression and use suicide prevention plans, the result in a reduction in the suicide rate. Specific strategies for intervention are outlined.
The Interpretation of Dreams
PDF file. Author: Sigmund Freud, 1900 (3rd Edition)
The full text - 212 pages - of the 3rd edition of Sigmund Freud's classic book on Dream Analysis. In it, Freud suggests that dreams are highly symbolic and contain overt meanings (manifest content) and deeper, unconscious meanings (latent content). It's a long, heavy read but if you're into Freud, this is the book to have in your collection.
An Introduction to Fritz Perls' Dream Interpretation Techniques
PDF file. Frederick L Coolidge (2006), Radcliffe Publishing, UK.
(Quote)"Fritz Perls (1893–1970) was one of the founders of Gestalt Therapy, and he was a lively and controversial figure of this popular psychotherapy of the 1960s. His early influences included German neurologist Kurt Goldstein and highly controversial neo-Freudian Wilhelm Reich. In Perls’ book, Gestalt Therapy Verbatim (1969a), he outlined in only 71 pages its philosophical bases in a series of public lectures. Whereas Freud believed that dreams were the royal road to the unconscious, Perls thought that dreams served as ‘the royal road to integration.’"
This is chapter 7 from Frederick Coolidge's excellent tour-de-force on dream interpretation from various psychotherapeutic viewpoints - well worth a read.
