What's the Good of Counselling & Psychotherapy?: The Benefits Explained

by Colin Feltham

Overview

Psychological therapy is widely criticized by those who question its necessity and effectiveness. While much has been written within the field about the advantages of one form of therapy over another, much less attention has been given to either defending or promoting the practice of psychological therapy in general. In response to the critics What's the Good of Counselling & Psychotherapy presents the case for psychological therapy, as seen by those at the leading edge of practice. Analyzing the nature of human distress and the social and political factors which give rise to it, the first part examines the extent to which individuals can realistically be helped in areas such as: - relationship difficulties - borderline personality disorders - suicidal thoughts, - psychological effects of abuse in childhood. While it is often a personal crisis which prompts individuals to seek help from a counsellor or psychotherapist, practitioners themselves see benefits to their clients, which extend beyond crisis intervention to facilitating personal growth and greater emotional intelligence. Part Two considers this aspect of the therapist's role and the benefits for clients both as individuals and members of society. Taking as examples health care, industry and the military, the final part highlights the benefits of counselling in both public and private organizations and addresses the particular question of how the cost of services can be justified where public money is concerned. This is thought-provoking reading for all who believe in the benefits of counselling and psychotherapy and a challenging response to those who stand on the outside as critics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761969556
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	11/20/2002
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	286
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.06(h) x 0.66(d)

About the Author

Colin Feltham is series editor of Professional Skills for Counsellors and Short Introductions to the Therapy Professions series, co-editor of SAGE Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy and author of several SAGE texts, including What is Counselling?

Table of Contents

PART ONE: ADDRESSING HUMAN SUFFERING
The Epidemiology of Mental Distress - Janis Abernathy and Mick Power
Proven Benefits of Psychotherapy Interventions with Children and Adolescents - Helen Cowie and Judith Dawkins
Benefits of Therapy with Adults Who Were Abused as Children - Peter Dale
Some Issues from Evaluation of Counselling Services
Suicide Reduction and Prevention - Robert W Firestone and Lisa Firestone
Relationship Difficulties - Douglas Hooper
Causes and Cures
Therapeutic Benefits for People with Borderline Personality Disorder - Eva Burns-Lundgren
PART TWO: ENHANCING PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND SOCIAL COHESION
Consumers' Views of the Benefits of Counselling and Psychotherapy - Colin Feltham
Visionary Deep Personal Growth - Juliana Brown and Richard Mowbray
The Benefits of Psychotherapy to Spirituality - Shahid Najeeb
The Couch and Ballot Box - Keith Tudor and Helena Hargaden
The Contribution and Potential of Psychotherapy in Enhancing Citizenship
Fostering Emotional Intelligence - Hilde Rapp
PART THREE: THERAPEUTIC SETTINGS AND ARGUMENTS FOR EFFECTIVENESS
Good Money after Bad? - Graham Curtis Jenkins
The Justification for the Expansion of Counselling Services in Primary Health Care
The Benefits of Counselling and Employee Assistance Programmes to British Industry - Carolyn Marchington-Yeoman and Cary L Cooper
Psychotherapy, the Psychology of Trauma and Army Psychiatry since 1904 - Ian Palmer
The Clinical Effectiveness of Psychotherapy - Stephen M Saunders
The Philosophical and Ethical Basis of Benefit - Digby Tantam