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This paper presents a framework for understanding epistemic injustice in career development theory and practice. It is based on Fricker's philosophical conceptualisation of epistemic injustice and its sub-forms of hermeneutical and testimonial injustice. The intention is to generate insights that direct us to injustices embedded in knowledge production and institutional practices that harm a person's capacity as a knower. Moreover, the intellectual-ethical virtue of mitigating epistemic injustice and how this virtue can be enacted in the context of career guidance are discussed. I argue that epistemic justice approaches contribute to intellectual and ethical dimensions of social justice and there is a need to examine distinct forms of injustices of knowing manifested in the knowledge of career development and career guidance practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attending personal therapy sessions is a requirement in many counselling and psychotherapy trainings worldwide. More research is needed to establish why the requirement is essential and what it is intended to achieve. This study focused on the question, what is the rationale for mandated self-development requirements in therapy trainings? From a selective literature search, 19 highly relevant papers were found which formed a sampling frame. The papers included qualitative studies, mixed method reports, review and opinion papers. Research participants across all reports included therapy and psychiatry trainees (N = 1134), and current therapy practitioners (N = 194) totalling 1328 participants. The papers were analysed using Critical Interpretive Synthesis method to devise a synthesising statement. The analysis resulted in a synthesising statement about the rationale for personal psychotherapy during training, and the stated risks of this requirement as reflected in the materials consulted. A strong coherent rationale exists for the recommendation that trainee therapists undertake personal psychotherapy. However, the risks of mandating this requirement present multiple challenges, and the evidence for the intended outcomes of personal psychotherapy undertaken during training is weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we aim to highlight the characteristics of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and suggest possible directions for future research and study. The majority of NLP studies argue for more rigorous empirical support and standardised regulatory governance, in order to overcome academic biases and general misunderstandings. However, its popular practice for just under half a century and its global usage, suggest there is grounding for NLP to be accepted into the "mainstream" of psychology. We compare NLP with more "accepted" approaches (cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, and coaching), and explore its practice regulations. While its efficiency (thorough analysis and applicability) was identified as its strength, more rigorous research and universal regulations of practice are needed for NLP to move onto the next level of acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores contested notions of the purpose of education and careers work. The research for the paper examines public sector employee reactions to notion of a psychological contract breach, when cuts in funding put their jobs and careers at risk. It argues that, in this environment, the search for career fulfilment can be marked by feelings of cruel optimism, wicked problems and broken expectations. The findings are then used to present the case for further research, firstly, to address the notion of possible selves, as individuals explore alternative identity affirming career opportunities; and secondly, the impact of changes in public policy on the processes of psychological contracting between students and staff in further and higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper we reflect upon inner silence as a path to embrace eudemonia in relation to Dialogical Self Theory. We suggest that the awareness of the dynamics of different I-positions can empower the person to feel more freedom over their thoughts, feelings and actions. Thus, inner silence can promote the capacity to activate meta-positions or de-positioning, which are shifts of attentional foci in the stream of consciousness. The practice of inner silence can also promote the experience of genuine dialogues, by encouraging the flow and flexibility of the self, and by strengthening the connection with the experience of values. We also suggest a number of implications for counselling associated with self-exploration and self-transcendence, such as meditation, contemplation and prayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the theme of multi-voicedness in the search on the path of life is explored. It will be argued that we, as human beings, not only live within an ambiguous world, but also have to deal with an ambiguous self. In the quest for happiness it is the challenge to acknowledge all inner positions, each with their own perspective on reality. The article describes a narrative method based on the archetypal biblical story of the prodigal son. By retelling this three times, as three symbolic stories, namely that of the youngest son, the oldest son and the father, the participants are invited to probe their lives from different sides and accept all inner voices that speak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2007, unprecedented violence erupted in Kenya following the announcement of disputed presidential election results. The electorate was divided along ethnic lines and tribal clashes bordering on ethnic cleansing escalated. Those supporting opposing camps found themselves on the wrong side of the political divide leading to killings, maiming, and arson, destruction of property and displacement of persons both locally and internationally. Children were not spared these skirmishes as they found themselves in the centre of the battlefield. Many of them witnessed or were subjected to torture, while others found themselves orphaned in the twinkling of an eye. This paper highlights the plight of one such survivor who was then taken to live with a relative she hardly knew, and how she struggles to make it despite the obstacles she may be facing. It also discusses, albeit briefly, the improvised methods used by the counsellor in trying to help this girl. The paper contributes to the field of counselling by providing insight on what else could be done for such individuals in the face of adversity by describing some counselling methods used with the client in question. Some challenges faced in working with the client are enumerated alongside a few suggestions on the way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion in this journal about counsellors' experiences of vicarious traumatisation (Sexton, 1999; Dunkley & Whelan, 2006a, b). It builds on my previous paper (Etherington, 2000a) that focused on the role of supervision in moderating the potential impact on helpers, and on the helping relationship, of working with survivors of sexual abuse. It examines the role of unconscious empathy and counter-transference in the development of vicarious traumatisation, and uses psychodynamic, narrative, neuroscience, and resilience literature, woven together with the author's reflexive engagement as a counsellor, supervisor, and researcher. The paper suggests that supervision, at its most useful for people working in this field, might best be focussed on the inter-relationship between the trauma itself, the person of the counsellor, the helping relationship, and the context in which the work is offered. It suggests ways that supervisors might support helpers to sustain themselves whilst working in the difficult field of abuse and trauma [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the therapeutic journey of Leigh (not his real name), a nine-year-old boy who was referred for play therapy due to the death of his 15-year-old brother. The play therapy was offered through a joint project called 'Playing through Loss' and run jointly between a UK university and the local branch of a national bereavement organisation. The project was set up to offer play therapy to bereaved children in the local area. Leigh had eight sessions of therapy and this paper describes the major themes of his play and makes some preliminary explorations of the meaning the play may have had for him. Interestingly some of his play focused on a computer game called 'Zelda' and an exploration of the powerfulness of this as a therapeutic tool is also explored. The therapist's theoretic orientation is described along with her perceived role as 'loyal companion'. Finally, the process by which Leigh worked with his loss is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the continuing expansion of psychotherapeutic training programmes within universities in the UK, very little has been written about the psychological strains which may be experienced by teams working within the context of higher education. This theoretical paper offers a psychoanalytic perspective on the location of such teams, drawing on Kleinian conceptualisations of anxiety and projective identification, as well as Menzies-Lyth's concept of social defence systems. The paper explores the way in which psychotherapeutic teams in general and counselling psychology teams in particular may be at risk of becoming the locus of unconsciously split-off emotional aspects of the institution. The role of such teaching teams within universities is discussed and brief suggestions for future practice outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on a study of how childhood trauma can be experienced in the body and the resources individuals have chosen to deal with that. Ten individuals (including myself) wrote stories showing how they had made sense of those experiences and found ways to heal. In this paper, I tell the story of that research, contextualising myself as researcher and researched, against a changing societal, research and practitioner background to show how social constructionist and poststructuralist ideas have influenced the way I undertook and re-presented my study. This paper also provides me with an opportunity to focus for the first time on aspects of the stories that demonstrate how people created safe enough environments as children and as adults in order to heal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Career decisions are amongst the most important we make. Unsurprisingly, much published research exists on this particular aspect of career behaviour. However, the overwhelming majority of studies have been carried out on young people making initial career decisions. This paper extends our understanding by examining how mid-career adults in three European countries (Denmark, France and Italy) actually make career decisions. Characteristic patterns of behaviour recur when individuals approach points of transition or of crisis; each of these transitioning styles is illustrated by an iconic case. Emergent findings support the growing body of evidence that challenges the dominant policy and practice orthodoxy, which places rationality at the centre of the process, by recognising the importance of emotion and context. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hope has long been identified as an important therapeutic factor in counselling. Further, research evidence for the importance of hope to counselling practice and outcome is abundant. However, the field is only beginning to explicitly consider how hope can be effectively and intentionally practised. One of the most challenging dilemmas encountered by counsellors committed to working with this important therapeutic factor is that of so-called unrealistic hope. In this paper, we outline two real-life counselling vignettes illustrating unrealistic hope, and consider these scenarios alongside relevant scholarship and practice experience. Guiding principles and practices for conceptualising and working with unrealistic hope are offered as a means of beginning the conversation about this complex aspect of working with client hope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the influence of Māori culture upon psychiatric service provision in Aotearoa/New Zealand and the implications of this for career counselling of people with experience of mental illness in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The research explored the experiences of a group of women in Aotearoa/New Zealand who have been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, with the aim of gaining some understanding about how they negotiate issues around diagnosis, recovery and resilience development and employment. The women interviewed for the study ranged in age from 17 to late 60s. They displayed academic ability ranging from literacy issues to postdoctoral experience. Their psychiatric illnesses ranged from single episodes to chronic lifetime conditions and from depression to psychotic bi-polar disorder. Their occupations ranged from unemployed status to an acting CEO. All but one of the women identified as Pākehā/tauiwi. One woman had Māori heritage but had been adopted at birth by Pākehā adoptive parents and had no knowledge of her Māori whakapapa [genealogy; descent lines; ancestry] until later in her adult life. The key idea that emerged was the importance of mentors in vocational settings, and the helpfulness of Māori-focused group and family wellness models for renegotiating vocational identity when suffering from a psychiatric illness. Implications for career practitioners are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents findings from 11 in-depth interviews with Turkish undergraduate students, who were, by the time of data collection, about to spend a semester at a European university under the Erasmus exchange scheme. The students all agreed to be interviewed about their feelings about studying in a foreign culture, and were found to be anxious prior to departure about the quality of accommodation in the new destination, their language ability and the opportunity to form friendships. Fears were expressed about possible misconceptions over Turkey as a Muslim and a developing country. Suggestions are made for HEI interventions to allay student travellers' concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers a number of issues facing those involved in counselling and psychotherapy training within United Kingdom Higher Education Institutes. It is proposed that the increasing professionalisation of counselling and psychotherapy has significant implications for lecturers and trainers. The article will explore the tension between the Higher Education Institute's responsibility to maintain an ethical position when the market driven work place into which trainees enter is calling for greater specification and standardisation in practice. Finally, the paper draws from the work of Paulo Freire and calls for a radical alternative pedagogy in response to the increasing standardisation of counselling and psychotherapy education. The proposed alternative explores the role and position that the lecturer-trainer might adopt when delivering and developing psychotherapy curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an account of, and reflection on, the author's six-month ethnographic study of a residential care home for severely traumatised and abused children in Australia. During the stay she designed and offered a short six-day course for the care staff and foster carers in the use of play for emotional and therapeutic support. Prior to this, the dominant orientation of the staff was to a behaviourist model and the opportunity they had to learn about therapeutic play was positive. Fieldwork of deep cultural immersion took place with the principle method of participant observation. In addition an in-depth interview with a key education staff member and shadow tutor was conducted to further explore the value of a short training course for care staff and foster carers in providing emotional and therapeutic support for children through play. Main findings suggest that raising awareness of play and its therapeutic value was beneficial to carers and children. The unexpected main finding was that spontaneous group play observed and recounted by the shadow tutor revealed to her an in-depth understanding by the young children of the prevailing culture within the setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a widely acknowledged lack of clarity in psychotherapeutic training about the role of personal therapy in developing practitioner competence. This paper presents part of a wider ongoing qualitative study exploring the role that personal therapy plays in the clinical practice and training of experienced counselling psychologists. Results derived from an interpretative phenomenological analysis suggest that personal therapy is valued mainly as a means of enhancing reflectiveness within clinical work. Detailed examination of a subset of the data offers scope for exploring how this process may occur within therapy, and points to the potential significance of early attachment experiences in the development and amplification of participants' reflective capacities. A possible theoretical framework is proposed and implications for future research discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing emphasis being given to the importance of the relationship in counselling, this paper is based on an initial exploration of counsellors' experiences of risk when bringing their own person into play, and the way in which these experiences relate to the quality of psychological contact. Qualitative interviews with eight practising counsellors were conducted using a person-centred approach. Themes emerging included the process of risk-taking for counsellors, the process of reaction and response for clients and the effects on the relationship both in the immediate session and in the long term. Most participants expressed the view that the greatest impact of a critical moment of risk-taking was to facilitate deeper levels of contact, usually described in terms of being more 'authentic', ' real' and 'loving'. In a few cases the risk-taking intervention led to a rupture in the relationship, sometimes precipitating the end of the therapy. The study also highlighted the interdependence of the types of interventions and the quality of contact. The author's reflections are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper profiles the psychological well-being of students in their initial year of university. There were three aims: to measure the impact of arrival at university on the psychological well-being of first year students, to monitor (i.e. profile) the shape of psychological well-being across the first year, and to investigate how students manage their well-being in relation to the use of university counselling services. Data were collected on four occasions, with 84% of all first year students at a UK university (4,699 students) completing the questionnaire on at least one occasion. Psychological well-being was assessed using the GP-CORE, a general population form of the CORE-OM. Results show that greater strain is placed on well-being once students start university compared to levels preceding entry. This strain rises and falls across the year but does not return to pre-university levels. Items tapping depression and anxiety suggest that the first year of university is a time of heightened anxiety but not a particularly depressive time. The findings are discussed in relation to students’ experience of higher education and how to match student needs with university counselling service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the coping strategies characterising self-professed weak copers. In order to do so it examines strategies reported by a subset of a sample of 976 adolescents, as measured by the Adolescent Coping Scale. What is of interest in this investigation are the coping strategies of the most vulnerable adolescent group. Such information would be of great value to those in the helping professions working with adolescents. The results indicate that the least able copers used, at least sometimes, non-productive strategies such as tension reduction, self-blame, ignore, keep to self and, most noticeably, worry and wishful thinking. However, a range of productive strategies was also used at least sometimes, including problem-solving, working hard and focusing on the positive. The implications of these findings for turning poor copers into good copers is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]