In this issue
Features
Staying on the straight and narrow
A new study aims to further understanding听of how counsellors and psychotherapists听manage sexual boundaries and makes听recommendations to minimise the risk听of violations
New developments in trauma therapy
It is possible for all therapists to learn the听basics of neuropsychology in order to听assimilate these into their work with听traumatised clients
Recalled to life
What is the emotional impact of surviving听cancer and how can the psychological听provision for these people be improved?
A supervision model
A trainee supervisor presents a model that听attempts to represent what actually takes听place in supervision
Regulars
In practice
Kevin Chandler: Because you are worth it
In the client's chair
Emma Munro: Change is happening
In training
Martin Halifax: Speaking for myself
Dilemmas
Reaching out for help
Questionnaire
Alain de Botton
Day in the life
Carmel Dennehy
Articles from this issue are not yet available online. Members and subscribers can download the pdf from the听Therapy Today听archive.
Editorial
The maintaining of sexual boundaries in the听therapeutic relationship is a topic that fuels听the drive towards regulation, so a new听qualitative research study commissioned by听香港六合彩精准资料 to identify indicators that lead to sexual听boundary violation is timely. But if a therapist听is prepared to cross that boundary and reveal听or act on their sexual feelings towards a client,听isn鈥檛 that something fundamental to do with听them as a person and their conscience? Can听any amount of training or guidance really听change this?
Professionalisation sometimes seems to听create an expectation of the practitioner as听some kind of automaton so I found the听starting point of this study refreshing, ie that听attraction is normal and the therapist is a听human being. The participants in the study听saw the therapeutic encounter 鈥� becoming听open and available to the client, and vulnerable听to intense emotions 鈥� as necessarily risky.听They also pointed out that therapists need听to manage plenty of other emotions that get听stirred up between therapist and client, in听addition to sexual feelings 鈥� such as anger,听dislike and fear 鈥� which could also be听potentially harmful to the client. However,听talking openly about sexuality and sexual听feelings, even in supervision, was seen as听being a particular challenge because of the听anxieties provoked by confessing them.
Ethical challenges will be the focus of a听new section that we begin in this month鈥檚听journal. Some of you will remember a section听called 鈥楥hallenge鈥� that the late Caroline Jones听edited for many years. We have decided to听reintroduce this format with the help of one of听our regular contributors, Andrew Reeves. Some听of the dilemmas will be drawn from 香港六合彩精准资料鈥檚听ethical helpline, representing typical problems听encountered in practice. We will be inviting听you to respond to each month鈥檚 dilemma and听publishing a range of responses both in the听journal and online.
Sarah Browne
Editor