In this issue
Features
The work of therapy
Susie Orbach describes what听is, for her, the essence of the听therapeutic relationship
Real need or real life?
Kathryn Ecclestone asks听if universities have become听over-sensitive to students鈥櫶齟motional support needs
Healing and resilience
Manu Bazzano believes there听is strength in vulnerability
Walking together
Chris Rose finds much in听common in psychotherapy听and psychogeography
Creative interventions听in counselling practice
Sarah Baker explores the听possibilities offered by听creative arts in counselling
Going independent
Jayne Godward shares the听highs and lows of setting up听an independent counselling听training organisation
Regulars
News feature: Can counselling help people in poverty听(free article)
Catherine Jackson asks how counselling can help people living in poverty听and financial stress
A pdf version of this issue is available from the听Therapy Today archive
Editorial
Can counselling cure poverty? A deliberately provocative question, as counselling, by principle and by definition, doesn鈥檛 seek to 鈥榗ure鈥� anything: the difficulties it seeks to address are (arguably) not 鈥榙isorders鈥� of the kind that respond to technical intervention, but, rather, a lack of ease with self and others. But, as this month鈥檚 news feature asks, how can a counsellor, or counselling service, deliver effective therapy to someone for whom the bailiff or debt collector at the door, or their children鈥檚 need to be fed, is a more present concern than the shadow of the abusive parent in their own childhood? The contributors to the feature make some truly thought-provoking points about where the profession stands on the mental health continuum, and, indeed, if it belongs in the health service at all.
Context also features in Chris Rose鈥檚 intriguing discussion of the commonality of psychotherapy and psychogeography. Counselling often talks of the 鈥榗lient journey鈥�; Chris鈥檚 article addresses the importance of space and place: 鈥楾he environment is not the backdrop, but is woven through our identity.'
Elsewhere, we are delighted to be able to reprint an extract from Susie Orbach鈥檚 latest book, In Therapy, based on her Radio 4 series earlier this year. In the extract, Susie is articulating the experience of being 鈥榠n therapy鈥� for both the client and the therapist. She describes the co-creative process of therapy as having an 鈥榓esthetic鈥�, of being 鈥榓 practice, like the work of painting, or writing, or composing, or dancing鈥�. Sarah Baker picks up the theme in her exploration of the use of arts materials in counselling to help clients give their emotions form. Therapy as an art or science? That debate continues in our letters pages.
The letters pages also include some thoughtful responses to last month鈥檚 article on gender identity. These writers worry that we, as a society, are moving too quickly from understanding and acceptance to medical intervention in response to children and young people鈥檚 sense of being born in the 鈥榳rong鈥� body. I hope readers鈥� responses will be no less thoughtful and respectful of difference.
Catherine Jackson
Editor听