Critical Thinking in Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Colin Feltham - Emeritus Professor of Counselling & Psychotherapy, Sheffield Hallam University
Critical Thinking in Counselling and Psychotherapy examines the critical debates around key topics in counselling and psychotherapy. In nine sections including Everyday Counselling Practice, Training and Curriculum Issues, and Counselling, Society and Culture, Colin Feltham explores and cross-references 60 provocative questions central to counselling training and practice.
Ranging from more mainstream subjects like unconditional positive regard, ethics and supervision to broader social or philosophical issues such as employment concerns and the debate on assisted suicide, entries include:
- Why have we focused on core theoretical models?
- What are the pros and cons of short-term, time-limited counselling?
- What's wrong with CBT?
- Where is research taking us?
- Is statutory regulation a good and inevitable development?
- Are there limits to personal change in counselling?
Each section includes questions for reflection, case studies and student exercises. This comprehensive, student-friendly text is a useful resource for lecturers to stimulate seminar discussion, and for all trainees wishing to write essays or generally develop their critical thinking in counselling and psychotherapy.
A really useful text that reflects the contentiousn and complex nature of counselling theory and practice. It is an accessible and engaging read that I think enables students to get to grips with some of the epistemological, theoretical and methodological dilememas present in counselling research and practice. I like the format and thought it was also good a as a pedagogical tool for setting up critical discussion and reflective activities
Another great text from Sage - very timely and extremely useful for Doctoral level training in Counselling Psychology
This book consists predominantly of a collection of essays considering critical issues in counselling and psychotherapy from "Is counselling scientific?" to "Should Men Counsel?" It emphasises the importance becoming critical thinkers as counsellors and raises a number of important questions. It is not focused so much on the identification and development of critical thinking for students studying counselling academically at an undergraduate level.
Lively, straightforward and up to date. Very useful for provoking debate.
Highly recommended as a stimulus for thought provoking discussion
I found the text an interesting and insightful read. By covering a wide range of brief reflections on important and current topical aspects of counselling practice it subsequently promoted self awareness of ones own personal perspectives proving a valuable alliance towards others opinions in the field.
I was however a little disappointed by the brevity of some critical chapter, such as brief thetapies, counsellor supervision, accountability, counsellor accreditation, and researching practice!
Never the less this is a worthwhile text worthy of a further pening....
This is a very easy read and in which the multiple short sections manage to provide a balanced view for the reader along with a well balanced discussion around the many facits of therapy. Long standing terms are deftly unravelled here for the reader and where more contentious issues arise, these are handled openly and honestly. Some sections carry helpful case studies in which to provide useful additions to the key point of this text...critical thinking!
