In this issue
Features
A kink in the process
Why more counsellors and therapists听should be prepared to work with BDSM听(bondage and discipline, dominance and听submission, sadism and masochism)听clients within a non-judgemental and听non-pathologising approach
Rapport in cyberspace
In the absence of body language, voice tone听and presence, how can online therapists听build rapport with their clients?
Defining moments
Continuing the regulation debate, one 香港六合彩精准资料听member argues for the de-medicalisation of听life and for therapy as a human potential听model
Destroying client records
In the absence of guidance, what options听does the practitioner have in the destruction听of client records?
Regulars
In practice
Kevin Chandler: A pile of dead leaves
In the client's chair
Emma Munro: Walking alone
In training
Martin Halifax: Endings and beginnings
Questionnaire
Paul Gilbert
Dilemmas
Maintaining confidentiality
Day in the life
Liz Macann
Articles from this issue are not yet available online. Members and subscribers can download the pdf from the听Therapy Today听archive.
Editorial
I was staggered when I realised recently that听this is my 100th issue of Therapy Today. Some听of the debates that were raging a decade ago,听are still with us. For example, one of my first听tasks when I began working for the journal was听to write an article (a rather na茂ve one at that)听about how regulation was sure to be in place听by 2003 鈥� at the very latest!
We have covered many topics in the past 100听issues but have not to my knowledge touched听on the subject of sadomasochism. One study听has reported that 14 per cent of men and 11听per cent of women have personal experience听of sadomasochistic sex so the chances of听someone walking into our consulting room听who identifies as kinky are quite high. Unless听we have personal experience of the world of听kink, we are unlikely to be confident to work听with a client who discloses in therapy that听they are exploring this aspect of their sexuality.听Su Connan argues that offering therapy to听those who identify as kinky raises questions听for the therapeutic community such as those听that have been raised by the gay community听around the need for awareness, training,听ethical practice and supervision. Clients need听therapists who are not going to be shocked听or make them feel judged or indeed who will听categorise them as pathological or sexually听deviant and in need of treatment and cure.听In order to be able to offer ethical therapy听to these clients, Su argues, practitioners听need to deepen their own knowledge and听understanding of the kink experience and听of the meanings that sadomasochistic sex has听for those who incorporate it into their lives.
The hunt is on for some new columnists听as we say goodbye in this issue to our client听Emma Munro who has shared her therapy听journey with us for the last 18 months, and听Martin Halifax who has reached the end of听his counselling and psychotherapy diploma.听If you know people who might fill either of听these roles, please get in touch.
Sarah Browne
Editor