Counselling Tutor Podcast

Latest Episodes:

194 – The Shadow Self Jun 19, 2021

Show notes

Parallel Process in Supervision - Peek into Practice with Tamara Howell In episode 194 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, you can hear presenters Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly talking about Carl Gustav Jung's concept of the shadow self in 'Student Check-In'. Then, in 'Focus on Supervision', they discuss the parallel process in the supervisory relationship. The episode closes with experienced online therapist Tamara Howell offering us a peek into her practice. The Shadow Self (starts at 1.40 mins) Carl Gustav Jung was a contemporary of Sigmund Freud; they shared a close association until they fell out over different theoretical views. Jung believed that we all have a shadow self, which is the part of us we find unacceptable. We often deny our shadow self, pretending even to ourselves that it does not exist. Ken and Rory talk about: how you can spot your and other people's shadow self why it is helpful to understand the shadow self how the shadow self affects relationships with others how to face and accept the shadow self Rory provides an example of what he sees as his shadow self, and how he has tackled this. You can download a handout on Jung and the Shadow Self in the blue box above. Parallel Process in Supervision (starts at 12.20 mins) Parallel process is a phenomenon that you will likely be familiar with through your counselling training. In the context of the therapeutic relationship, it describes the situation when what you have going on for you has strong similarities with a client's situation. In this context, you may well need to refer such a client to another counsellor. Parallel process can also occur in the supervisory relationship, with the supervisee paralleling a client's feelings about therapy when describing their case to the supervisor. Ken and Rory provide examples of this phenomenon and explain how it links with transference and countertransference. They also discuss the knowledge and skills that supervisors need in order to be able to spot and work with parallel process in supervision. Counselling Tutor has recently developed a level 6 certificate in online supervision, which looks at the parallel process in supervision in detail. This is mapped to the supervision competences set by ACTO, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and National Counselling Society (NCS). You can read more about it on the Counselling Tutor website. Parallel process is a topic that arises frequently in the Counselling Tutor Facebook group. If you aren't already a member, do come along and join over 37,000 students, qualified practitioners, tutors and supervisors interested in the world of counselling and psychotherapy. Peek into Practice with Tamara Howell (starts at 27.40 mins) Rory talks with Tamara Howell, who was an early adopter of working online as a therapist, following her move abroad over ten years ago. Topics covered in this interview include: how Tamara felt about online working initially her view of training in online counselling differences between face-to-face and online working changes she has witnessed over the time she has been working in this way expectations of clients with regard to online working benefits for clients how online working can help counsellors, too Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

193 – Tackling Destructive Thought Patterns Jun 12, 2021

Show notes

Personal Development Linked to Theory - Boundaries in Supervision Episode 193 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast opens with 'Student Check-In', in which presenters Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss the importance of personal development for both trainee and qualified counsellors, and how this links to theory. Next - in our new slot 'Focus on Supervision' - Ken and Rory talk about the importance of boundaries in supervision. Finally, in 'Practice Matters', Rory interviews Clint Adams about how to support clients in tackling destructive thought patterns. Personal Development Linked to Theory (starts at 1.55 mins) Personal development is a topic that arises frequently in the Counselling Tutor Facebook group. If you aren't already a member, do come along and join over 37,000 students, qualified practitioners, tutors and supervisors interested in the world of counselling and psychotherapy. Personal development forms an important part of counselling training - and is assessed by assignments about what students have learned about themselves during training. It may feel daunting to write an assignment of this nature, and hard to know what to include. Ken and Rory provide a number of tips on how to make this easier, including the following: Look at the theory you have studied, and are practising in your skills and/or client sessions, and use this as a structure for your observations on yourself. For example, if you are studying the person-centred approach, you might use the concepts of introjected values, conditions of worth, frame of reference, the seven stages of the process, and configurations of self. During the course, keep a journal as you go along. This allows you to look back on - and serves as a memory-jogger for - your personal developmental process, including any 'lightbulb moments'. Ken explores the feeling of disloyalty that students sometimes encounter in writing about the origins of their conditions of worth etc. in how relatives treated them when young. Rory has prepared a handout for you on this important area of counselling training, 'Personal Development in Counselling'. You can download this here. Boundaries in Supervision (starts at 16.25 mins) Rory reflects on his very first supervision meeting some years ago, and how his supervisor modelled boundary-setting at this early stage in his counselling career. Indeed, when - as a supervisor - you set clear boundaries with supervisees, this serves as an example of good practice for how they work with their clients. Rory and Ken look at a range of issues relating to boundaries, including: the various types of boundary in counselling and supervision, e.g. time boundaries and ethical boundaries the particular importance of boundaries in online work, where the disinhibition effect can blur these the importance of collaborative learning Counselling Tutor has recently developed a level 6 certificate in online supervision. This will allow: qualified counsellors to upgrade to online working counsellors who are ready to train as supervisors to do so with a specialisation in online working. The course is mapped to the supervision competences set by ACTO, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling Society (NCS). You can read more about it on the Counselling Tutor website. Tackling Destructive Thought Patterns (starts at 32.30 mins) Rory talks with Clint Adams, a former police officer who has studied psychology and counselling. Based in Australia, Clint works from a pluralistic perspective, drawing on different theories, models and techniques to fit each client. Clint and Rory's conversation covers a range of issues relating to how counsellors can support clients to tackle destructive thought patterns, including: what destructive thought patterns are how clients with destructive thought processes might present understanding more about self and how we create thought patterns the client being the expert on themselves the importance of tailoring treatment to the individual how his approach links with pluralism collaborative working and onward referral. Clint has recorded a lecture on this topic for Counsellor CPD, our online CPD library. His hope in providing this is that participants will be encouraged to think 'outside the box'. In the lecture, he explains his Red Brain, Blue Brain model, in which he translates academic theory relating to brain functions into an easy-to-understand model that can be applied readily in your counselling practice. Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

192 – The Supervision Triangle May 29, 2021

Show notes

Key Theory in Counselling - Creative Arts Therapy In episode 192 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, presenters Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly talk in 'Student Check-In' about key theory in counselling. Then - in the first instalment of 'Focus on Supervision' - Ken and Rory talk about the supervision triangle. To end, in 'Practice Matters', Rory talks to counsellor and trainer Ani de la Prida about working with creative arts therapy. Key Theory in Counselling (starts at 1.30 mins) Understanding counselling theory can be tricky, coming as it does with a whole new language. And as a student of counselling or psychotherapy, you need to be able not only to understand the theory but also to write about it in assignments and apply it to practice. Different modalities are based on different theories, and some take longer to train in than others. But, as Ken points out, there is - despite these different theoretical underpinnings - some commonality between modalities, with different words sometimes representing similar concepts across modalities. Thus, while the words may differ, the ideas behind them may well overlap. Rory has prepared a handout for you on this important area of counselling training. Entitled 'Counselling Theory - Trigger Vocabulary: Cheat Sheet' (though there's no actual cheating involved in using a plain-English summary of keywords of counselling-speak!), you can download this here. The Supervision Triangle (starts at 16.05 mins) If you are already a qualified supervisor, do you need any additional training to be able to supervise counsellors who are working online? Ken and Rory's answer is a resounding 'Yes!' from a professional and ethical standpoint. In 'Focus on Supervision', this new regular slot in the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Ken and Rory begin by talking about the supervision triangle. The supervision 'triangle' refers to the three cornerstones of clinical supervision: normative - ensuring that the practitioner (supervisee) is practising in line with the ethical standards of their professional body formative - looking at the learning and development of the supervisee, identifying any needs in this respect and encouraging the supervisee to fill them restorative - supporting the supervisee to look after themselves in a way that fosters their own wellbeing and personal development Ken and Rory talk through each of these three cornerstones, providing examples to illustrate them. While they may not be obvious to the supervisee, the skilled supervisor is constantly reviewing and balancing these three areas of focus. And in the very middle of this triangle stands ethics, reflecting the whole raison d'etre of clinical supervision. Counselling Tutor has been working hard over the last year - led on this project by Rory - to develop a level 6 certificate in online supervision. This will allow: qualified counsellors to upgrade to online working counsellors who are ready to train as supervisors to do so with a specialisation in online working The course is mapped to the supervision competences set by ACTO, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling Society (NCS). You can read more about it on the Counselling Tutor website. Creative Arts Therapy (starts at 28.45 mins) Using creative arts in counselling is a topic that arises often in the Counselling Tutor Facebook group. If you aren't already a member, do come along and join over 37,000 students, qualified practitioners, tutors and supervisors interested in the world of counselling and psychotherapy. Rory talks with Ani de la Prida, who is a psychotherapist, creative arts counsellor, and lecturer at the University of East London. She also founded the Association for Person Centred Creative Arts. Their conversation covers a range of points regarding this interesting way of working, including: the difference between person-centred art therapy and using creative arts in a therapeutic setting protected titles and associated restrictions how creative arts can enhance therapeutic effectiveness the impact of creative arts on relationship development the importance of sensitivity non-directivity in creative arts, and the risk of harm to clients through directivity what types and presentations of the client might particularly benefit from creative arts therapy If you would like to learn more about this fascinating topic, you can watch Ani's lecture in Counsellor CPD, our online CPD. Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

191 – Online Supervision Training for Counsellors May 22, 2021

Show notes

Placement Interview Questions - Life Transitions Episode 191 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast opens with 'Student Check-In' - in which presenters Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly talk about placement interviews. Next - in the final instalment of 'Digital Counselling Revolution' - Ken and Rory talk about online supervision training for counsellors. Last, in 'Practice Matters', Rory talks to the counsellor and trainer Emma Chapman about working with clients on life transitions. Placement Interview Questions (starts at 1.10 mins) As we reach the time of year when many counselling students are preparing to move into placements, the issue of what to expect at placement interviews is uppermost in many listeners' minds - as evidenced by how frequently it is talked about in the Counselling Tutor Facebook group. If you aren't already a member, do come along and join over 37,000 students, qualified practitioners, tutors and supervisors interested in the world of counselling and psychotherapy. Ken and Rory talk about this important topic, including: what placement agencies are looking for in trainee counsellors what you can do to prepare for placement interviews how to research agencies and the areas of counselling they cover areas to be aware of when attending placement interviews importance of online experience and training in the current climate how to show congruence in your interview questions for you to ask the agency You can download a handout on this topic, 'Questions at a Placement interview', here. Online Supervision Training for Counsellors (starts at 16.05 mins) If you are already a qualified supervisor, do you need any additional training to be able to supervise counsellors who are working online? Ken and Rory's answer is a resounding 'Yes!' from a professional and ethical standpoint. There are psychological processes and a number of practical considerations that you need to be aware of when counselling online or supervising others' online counselling work. Indeed, the Association for Counselling & Therapy Online (ACTO) advises that before beginning to supervise online counsellors, clinical supervisors should have experienced themselves of counselling online, and have completed online supervision training for counsellors. Currently, it seems that there are many counsellors working online and not many supervisors qualified to support them. Becoming skilled in this important area of clinical supervision may therefore represent an opportunity to develop your practice. Counselling Tutor has been working hard over the last year - led on this project by Rory - to develop a level 6 certificate in online supervision. This will allow: qualified counsellors to upgrade to online working counsellors who are ready to train as supervisors to do so with a specialisation in online working. The course is mapped to the supervision competencies set by ACTO, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and National Counselling Society (NCS). You can read more about it on the Counselling Tutor website. From the next episode, supervision will be the theme for this slot of the Counselling Tutor Podcast. Life Transitions (starts at 28.45 mins) Rory talks with Emma Chapman - who contributes regularly to Counsellor CPD, our online CPD library - about working with clients who are processing life transitions. These are a theme that occurs frequently in counselling. Emma explains: why it is important for counsellors to understand life transitions major transitions are seen in therapy, including those relating to life stages, relationships and work expected and unexpected life transitions expectations and narratives of others regarding life transitions how to work with life transitions gender differences in life transitions Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

190 – Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development May 15, 2021

Show notes

Establishing the Identity of the Client during Online Counselling - Counselling in the USA In Episode 190 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly talk about Erik Erikson's eight stages of development in 'Student Check-In'. 'Digital Counselling Revolution' then looks at the issue of establishing the identity of the client when working online. Finally, in 'Practice Matters', Rory talks to Meer Elkin about counselling in the USA. Erik Erikson's Eight Stages of Development (starts at 1.50 mins) It was psychologist and psychoanalyst Erik Erikson who coined the term 'identity crisis'. Erikson's work links with that of Sigmund Freud but focuses more on psychosocial rather than psychosexual development. Erikson had a particular interest in psychosocial development - that is, where people find themselves in the arc of their lives, from birth to death. Erikson's work is not widely taught in counselling and other training in the UK, but Ken - who grew up in South Africa - explains its prevalence there. He talks through in detail Erikson's eight stages of development: Stage 1 (birth to 18 months): trust versus mistrust Stage 2 (18 months to three years): autonomy versus shame and doubt Stage 3 (three to five years): initiative versus guilt Stage 4 (five to 13 years): industry versus inferiority Stage 5 (13 to 21 years): ego identity versus role confusion Stage 6 (21 to 39 years): intimacy versus isolation Stage 7 (40 to 65 years): generativity versus stagnation Stage 8 (65+ years): ego integrity versus despair For each of these stages, Ken and Rory have detailed discussion, drawing on examples to illustrate them, including from their own life experiences. Erikson's eight stages of development build on each other, and how the earlier stages go for an individual can have a major effect on how the later ones turn out. It can be really helpful for therapists to understand the stages and to bear these in mind when working with clients. Where are you in the eight stages of development, and do the themes given by Erikson for that stage fit with your own experience? You can download a handout on Erikson's eight stages of development model in the blue box above. Establishing the Identity of the Client during Online Counselling (starts at 33.05 mins) The BACP's Telephone and E-Counselling Training Curriculum includes a section as follows (2016, p. 7): Knowledge that absence of visual contact presents problems in verifying the identity of the client, and within this develop an ability to identify signs that a client may be older or younger than they purport to be by noting age congruence of language used and contextual information offered by the client. Be aware of legal and ethical differences when working with children rather than adults and be able to take reasonable steps to verify age the client's age accordingly. Develop an ability to elicit and triangulate lines of information about a client to substantiate their background and identity. Ken and Rory explain how much more possible it is for people to pretend to be someone they are not when not working face-to-face. Telephone counselling - and, even more so, email and text counselling - present opportunities for this. They discuss the potential dangers (e.g. when working with clients who are subject to domestic abuse), and warning signs to watch out for (such as the use of language that does not fit the stated age etc. of the client). Establishing the identity of clients is covered in more depth in our Online and Telephone Counselling Certificate course. Counselling in the USA (starts at 45.55 mins) How to practise as a counsellor in the USA is a question that is frequently raised in the Counselling Tutor Facebook group. If you aren't already a member, do come along and join over 37,000 students, qualified practitioners, tutors and supervisors interested in the world of counselling and psychotherapy. Meer Elkin was born in Scotland and undertook her counselling training in Illinois, USA in the 1990s, becoming licensed in 2007. She explains how training works in the USA, where the profession is regulated. For example, a master's degree is required in order to be able to practise as a counsellor; for her master's qualification, Meer had to gain 2,000 client hours. Meer talks to Rory about: her path through counselling training in the USA the licensing requirements there how these vary between states the pros and cons of having one single modality or several the modalities she has chosen to study the health-insurance system in the USA CPD requirements for therapists practising in the USA strengths of the American system Meer describes her reasons for supporting the idea of licensing and her commitment to education as an important way to become and remain professionally competent. Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

189 – Role of Parents in Mental Health May 08, 2021

Show notes

History of CBT - Choosing the Right Equipment for Working Online Episode 189 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast opens with Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly talking through the history of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in 'Student Check-In'. 'Digital Counselling Revolution' then looks at the equipment you will need to practise online therapy effectively and ethically. Last, in 'Practice Matters', Rory talks to special guest Dr Roseann Capanna-Hodge about the role of parents in mental health, in particular how they can support their children's mental health between counselling sessions. History of CBT (starts at 1.55 mins) Rory provides a potted history of CBT, starting some 2,000 years ago, including: the Greek philosophy of stoicism developments in Roman times Albert Ellis, RBT and the ABCDE model Aaron Beck third-wave CBT CBT is essentially based on the idea that each situation triggers thoughts, which affect our feelings, which in turn affect our behaviours - and so our lives. CBT encourages clients to check the rationality of their thoughts, looking at the evidence for and against. It is well established in the NHS, thanks in part to its measurability. As an active-directive modality, it is different from the non-directive person-centred approach, though the modern third-wave CBT approaches do bridge this divide to an extent, so incorporating mindfulness. You can download a handout on the history of the CBT model and the ABCDE model here. We also have lots of information on CBT on our website, including its history and philosophy. Choosing the Right Equipment for Working Online (starts at 13.40 mins) In order to provide effective digital counselling, one of the prerequisites is the right equipment. Ken and Rory talk through what you need, and share their tips from online working of how to configure this, covering: getting the sound quality right selecting headsets, air pods and external microphones avoiding echo protecting your hearing ensuring your equipment is not obtrusive getting your lighting right using all your equipment properly. Why not share your experience and ask any questions in the Counselling Tutor Facebook group (where you can hang out with over 37,000 counselling students, qualified practitioners, tutors and supervisors)? You might also like to find a buddy to practise your skills with online, providing feedback on each other's equipment. Choosing the right equipment is covered in more depth in our Online and Telephone Counselling Certificate course. Role of Parents in Mental Health (starts at 31.00 mins) Rory talks with Dr Roseann Capanna-Hodge - who is based in Connecticut, USA and has a special interest in children's mental health - about the role of parents in mental health. Parents may be surprised to find out just how much they can do to reduce and reverse mental-health symptoms in children. The key to this is regulating the nervous system, triggering a parasympathetic state: achieving this for even ten minutes per day can make a real difference. We all live in a world full of stressors, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been a source of additional stress. Roseann asserts that if parents work on their own nervous systems, this in itself has a huge positive impact on their children, given that children learn from parents. Roseann uses the REPS ProtocolTM, which provides four steps to getting stress under control: Respirate (looking at the importance of breathing) Envision (seeing oneself with successful solutions) Positivity (ensuring positive self-talk) Stress management. Links and Resources Counselling Skills Academy Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

188 – Counselling for Personality Disorders May 01, 2021

Show notes

Dual Process Model of Grief - Attachment Issues in Telephone Therapy In episode 188 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly start with 'Student Check-In', discussing the dual process model of grief. In 'Digital Counselling Revolution', they then turn to attachment issues in telephone therapy - before Rory speaks with Martin Smith, in 'Practice Matters', about counselling for personality disorders. Dual Process Model of Grief (starts at 1.35 mins) Grief is an experience that everyone has in some form at some time. While the loss of a loved one through death might be the most obvious time at which we would expect to feel grief, it is a natural reaction to other forms of loss too - for example, loss of a relationship, loss of health, and job loss. Counselling for bereavement and loss is not about 'curing' the client, but about helping them to process the loss. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's 1969 five-stage model of grief is well-known for its use in grief work. It is sometimes known as 'DABDA', after the initials of its five stages: Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance A more recent model of grief, however, is the dual process model, described by Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut in the journal Death Studies in 1999. This model refers to the oscillation between loss-oriented and restoration-oriented responses and activities. Ken and Rory look at the dangers of being stuck in one or the other of these two modes, and ways of using the approach in therapy. Ken shares his own experience of grief, noting the difference between losses. You can download a handout that provides an overview of the dual process model here (in the blue box above). Attachment Issues in Telephone Therapy (starts at 15.30 mins) Providing therapy by telephone brings challenges that may be new to those whose work has previously been face-to-face. One such challenge is the disinhibition effect, as described by John Suler. Transference can also be powerful and brings a number of risks when working with voice-only technology. It is easy to create an imaginary picture of what the other person looks like; this is an important pitfall to be aware of. Avoiding speculation is vital. Both these phenomena are influenced by attachment style. Ken and Rory share anecdotes of their experience with telephone working, illustrating the possible hazards and how to ensure you practise in a way that is ethical and professional. Professional training in working online is vital, and you may wish to consider taking our Online and Telephone Counselling Certificate course. The course exceeds 80 hours of guided learning, and the learning outcomes are mapped to the BACP's 2021 competencies for telephone and e-counselling. Most of the course is self-directed learning via online lectures and resources; this means that you can work at your own pace, and complete the course with no external time pressure. Counselling for Personality Disorders (starts at 27.30 mins) Martin Smith specialises in working with clients who have personality disorders, and he has recorded a lecture on this topic for our Counsellor CPD library (which offers hundreds of hours of on-demand lectures, training and resources to support the continuing professional development of qualified practitioners). Martin and Rory discuss a range of issues relating to counselling for personality disorders, including: what personality disorders are how they affect life the duration of personality disorders aim of counselling for people with personality disorders statistics in the general population and among counselling clients how to adapt your skillset to working with these clients understanding what you see in the therapy room tell-tale signs of personality disorders other issues that may accompany personality disorders, e.g. substance abuse, addiction and depression the potential pitfalls in counselling clients who have personality disorders. Given the number of counselling clients who may have a personality disorder, it is important to have an understanding of this important area. You may well also come across clients who have loved ones with personality disorders; again, having knowledge on the management of personality disorders enable you to better serve them, too. Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

187 – Walk-and-Talk Therapy Apr 24, 2021

Show notes

Use of Homework in CBT - Timing of Communication in Asynchronous Counselling Episode 187 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast opens with Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly talking about the strengths and weaknesses of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and in particular the use of homework in this popular modality. 'Digital Counselling Revolution' then looks at asynchronous therapy - specifically the timing of communications when working in this way. Last - in 'Practice Matters' - Rory speaks with counsellor and tutor Simon Heath about ecotherapy, in particular walk-and-talk therapy. Use of Homework in CBT (starts at 1.45 mins) The term 'homework' may carry negative connotations of school and its academic pressures for some people, but CBT homework is intended as a supportive part of the therapy that both increases its effectiveness and promotes client autonomy (through encouraging clients to 'become their own therapist' between and after sessions). Rory describes the origins of CBT, describing how US psychologist Albert Ellis developed Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) - the earliest form of cognitive-based psychotherapy - in the 1950s. As a young man, Ellis lacked the confidence to talk to women of his own age. He decided to try to tackle his shyness by going to Central Park in New York and making himself talk to 100 women. This helped him become more confident about talking to women and he managed to alter what he saw as his irrational fear. Ellis's experiment was an early example of CBT homework, which may focus on the client challenging their perception. Ken and Rory discuss other examples of such experiments and other possible types of CBT homework. They also compare and contrast the non-directive modality of person-centred therapy and the active-directive CBT. CBT has a strong base in research, helped by its measurability (due partly to the setting of a specific goal for therapy). You can download a handout on CBT session structure and use of homework here. And the Counselling Tutor website has lots of other resources on CBT - simply go to the 'Theory' tab on the top menu bar or search for what you require using our special tool on the website. Timing of Communication in Asynchronous Counselling (starts at 15.00 mins) Asynchronous communication is when you send a message without expecting an immediate response - for example, using text, social media, email or online forums. Email and text therapy are forms of counselling that use asynchronous communication. It is easy to think that it's fine to send an email at any time of day or night, but it is good practice to contract with the client on when you will do this - partly to avoid them being left emotionally 'open' for a long period after sharing their intimate thoughts and feelings by message, and partly to reduce the chance of them experiencing the black-hole effect. The latter phenomenon was named by American psychologist John Suler (1997); it refers to the uncomfortable phenomenon of sending an email and not knowing whether or not it was received and read. Ken and Rory talk about the importance of clear contracting for email/text therapy; the skills needed; and how to work safely, ethically and professionally in this way. Professional training in working online is vital, and you may wish to consider taking our Online and Telephone Counselling Certificate course. The course exceeds 80 hours of guided learning, and the learning outcomes are mapped to the BACP's 2021 competencies for telephone and e-counselling. Most of the course is self-directed learning via online lectures and resources; this means that you can work at your own pace, and complete the course with no external time pressure. Walk-and-Talk Therapy (starts at 27.15 mins) Rory talks to Simon Heath, who has recently recorded a lecture on Ecotherapy for our Counsellor CPD library (which offers hundreds of hours of on-demand lectures, training and resources to support the continuing professional development of qualified practitioners). Simon explains that the term 'ecotherapy' encompasses a range of individual and group therapeutic activities, including: walk-and-talk counselling gardening therapy forest bathing Simon's lecture focuses on walk-and-talk therapy and provides an introductory guide to things you need to consider before working with clients via ecotherapy, including: completing risk assessments contracting and other paperwork how to deal with unexpected events outdoors balancing client autonomy with the duty of care Simon touches on the value of the sense of connectedness with nature, the role of the environment as a second therapist, and how the weather affects the nature of the therapeutic relationship. Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

186 – Understanding Your Attachment Style Apr 17, 2021

Show notes

Counselling Training in Australia - Managing Digital Footprints In Episode 186 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes interviews Torrie Hall, a final-year counselling student from Australia. 'Digital Counselling Revolution' then focuses on the importance of managing digital footprints when working online, before - in Practice Matters - the presenters discuss attachment styles, and how important understanding your attachment style is for counsellors. Counselling Training in Australia (starts at 2.00 mins) Rory talks to Torrie Hall, who is a final-year counselling student in Australia, working towards her Diploma of Counselling through TAFE (technical and further education), an Australian government institution. This will enable her to become a registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association. Torrie talks to Rory about: similarities and differences between the Australian and UK systems for training to be a counsellor her experience of remote learning ethical bodies in Australia the role of creative teaching the structure of her course clinical supervision choice of modality counselling placements Managing Digital Footprints (starts at 15.15 mins) The BACP has recently updated its competence framework for online and telephone therapy. The new framework recognises the advances in technology since the original publication and includes a number of new competencies, including the professional competence of 'knowledge of, and ability to work with, issues of confidentiality and consent, including data protection (GDPR) and ability to monitor own digital footprint and that of the clinical work'. Rory and Ken compare digital footprints with physical footprints on the sand but note that the former is far less visible and much harder to remove. When working as online counsellors, we must therefore try to minimise our client's digital footprint, for example relating to: payment arrangements Phone bills technology platforms used in therapy information submitted to you by the client cookies search history. Ken and Rory also talk about the dangers of facial recognition software and how important it is to be very careful with your own social media presence. Understanding Your Attachment Style (starts at 24.05 mins) We may be well aware of the value of knowing our clients' attachment styles, but are you aware of what your own is? Attachment style affects how we relate to others, and so understanding your attachment style is essential knowledge for counsellors - especially when transference and/or countertransference come into play. Drawing on the work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, Rory talks about the four main attachment styles, and Ken equates these to Eric Berne's plain-language versions: secure = 'I'm OK; you're OK' insecure ambivalent = 'I'm not OK; you're OK' insecure disorganised = 'I'm not OK; you're not OK' insecure avoidant-dismissive = 'I'm OK; you're not OK'. Ken and Rory discuss their own attachment styles, their origins, and how understanding your attachment style will advance your counselling practice. Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

Special Edition – National Counselling Society: Autonomy-Centred and Process-Centred Counselling Practice Apr 10, 2021

Show notes

Special Edition - National Counselling Society: Autonomy-Centred and Process-Centred Counselling Practice We broadcast a special edition podcast on the National Counselling Society (NCS) in March 2019. This followed questions posed by members of the Counselling Tutor Facebook group. Rory then revisited the NCS in October 2020, with more questions gathered from the Facebook group, and spoke to NCS Chief Executive Meg Moss. In this third podcast about the NCS's work, Rory and Meg discuss the debate around autonomy-centred and process-centred counselling practice. Meg explains the differences between these two, explaining that a process-centred counselling practice is based on the medical model, while an autonomy-centred counselling practice is based on an organic/holistic model. The two terms - 'process-centred' and 'autonomy-centred' - were used by the NCS in its response to the strategic review by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) of the Accredited Registers Programme. In the podcast, Meg describes the two terms as follows: Autonomy-centred practice Takes a phenomenological approach Views each person as an individual Sees the therapeutic relationship as key Offers autonomy for both parties Supports creativity Is not measurable Provides flexibility Offers a space for wellbeing Centres on equality and diversity Considers the impact of society on wellbeing Is a vocation Process-centred practice Focuses on symptoms Aims to 'diagnose' and 'cure' Looks to stop a specific thing from happening Draws up a treatment plan Involves box-ticking Takes a set approach to dealing with a particular problem, offering a standard solution Is more able to be measured Is a profession Rory and Meg move on to discuss regulating counselling and psychotherapy. Meg explains what the PSA and Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) are and do: The PSA helps to protect the public through its work with organisations that register and regulate people working in health and social care. It is independent and accountable to the UK Parliament. Through its Accredited Registers Programme (set up in 2012), the PSA assesses organisations that register health and social care practitioners (e.g. the NCS) who are not regulated by law so that members of the public can choose a practitioner to meet their needs with confidence. The HCPC protects the public by regulating 15 health and care professions. They set standards for professionals' education, training and practice; maintain a register of professionals who meet these standards; and take action if any registrants don't meet its standards. There were discussions in 2009 about the possibility of counsellors and psychotherapists becoming regulated by the HCPC, but this did not go ahead. Meg believes that the voluntary regulation scheme offered through the Accredited Registers Programme works well. She explains that the NCS is not specifically against regulation - especially if it helps protect and reassure the public - but it does have concerns about some potential consequences of this, including: standardisation leading to homogenous practice difficulties in regulating a role that by nature has a wide range of ways of practising limitations to the scope of practice cumbersome nature of the regulation process people not wanting to train as counsellors, or qualified practitioners leaving due to regulation-related pressures and costs push towards a hierarchical structure for counselling and psychotherapy. Meg describes the basis for the NCS's stance on regulation, which is - as with the rest of its work - based on the results of seeking members' views on this, as well as its investigation and analysis of relevant documentation and actions. Links and Resources Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide Counsellor CPD Counselling Study Resource Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide Counselling Tutor Shop Facebook group Website Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide Online and Telephone Counselling Course

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