Search

Counselling psychology in Australia has developed and matured since its emergence in the 1970s. This article provides a brief historical overview and situates counselling psychology (CP) in relation to other applied areas of psychology in Australia. A review of registration, professional organisations, work and role settings and core features is provided. Australian counselling psychologists work predominantly in private practice, as well as hospitals, counselling agencies, universities, medical practices, prisons and government departments. They provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment for mental health disorders and psychological problems related to adverse life events. In addition, they provide couple, family and group therapies. Challenges facing CP in Australia are explored, including a reduction in training programmes, inequities in funding for psychological services and tensions with the definition and description of the scopes of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the usefulness of core principles from transactional analysis in short-term counseling. Counseling is defined, and links are provided to person-centered therapy and Egan’s three-stage model of counseling. Examples from the author’s clinical experience are used to illustrate concepts, and a brief therapy quiz is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study examined perceptions of a community-based treatment program for intrafamilial adolescent sexual offenders, from the perspective of the adolescent clients. The post-treatment interviews of 12 adolescents generated information regarding the participants' experiences of treatment and the effect of treatment on individual and family functioning. Greatest improvements occurred in the areas of communication with family and friends, anger management, and impulsivity. All participants agreed that group therapy was the most beneficial component of the program. The space to express feelings about the inappropriate sexual behaviours, as well as other personal and family issues was regarded as key to positive change. Greater improvements in family functioning were reported when at least one parent also attended therapy. There were fewer indications of change in the expression of empathy and construction of relapse prevention plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the importance of the 'good-enough' development of the core self in the couple relationship. It argues that difficulties in the development of the self lie behind a significant number of troubled couple relationships. Part 1 focuses on individual psychotherapy and how changes to the core self are often attended by shifts in the marital relationship. It traces how this occurs through clinical material and analyses what kinds of changes to the self are needed for the couple relationship to function well. Psychodynamic theory is used to understand the core changes over time and how these are related to significant second-order change in the couple relationship. The construct of the 'transitional space' is used to theorize the couple relationship. Implications for the practice of individual psychotherapy are discussed. In Part 2, the significance of change in the experience of the self of one or both partners for a successful outcome of couples therapy is discussed, along with the place of work with individual partner(s) in the course of conjoint couples therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part 1 of this paper examined some of the ways in which individual therapy, by assisting in the development of a more cohesive sense of self in the individual, inevitably has an impact on the individual's relationships, especially their relationship with a partner. This paper approaches the topic of the significance of 'the self' in the couple relationship from an alternative direction. It focuses on the significance of 'the self' for couples therapy, and argues that couples therapy may sometimes need to include therapeutic work with one partner to facilitate change in the relationship. In both parts of the paper, a conceptualization of the couple relationship as 'a transitional space' is central. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the families of intrafamilial adolescent sex offenders attending a community- based treatment program. Qualitative and quantitative data were used to measure family functioning before and after 12 months of treatment. Families were characterised as disorganised, uncommunicative and adversarial. Most of the young offenders, many of whom were themselves victims of abuse, came from step, blended or foster families. Seventy-four percent had no, or minimal, contact with at least one biological parent. Conflicts between family members were rarely resolved satisfactorily. After treatment, interviewees reported better family communication and fewer conflicts; there were also significant improvements on a measure of family functioning. Adolescents and their parents reported improvements in self-control, social skills and emotional regulation. Improvements were more likely when at least one parent was engaged in treatment. These findings emphasise the need for treatment to target parents as well as the adolescent offender when intrafamilial sexual abuse occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Counseling psychologists in eight countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) responded to survey questions that focused on their demographics as well as their professional identities, roles, settings, and activities. As well, they were asked about satisfaction with the specialty and the extent to which they endorsed 10 core counseling psychology values. This article reports those results, focusing both on areas in which there were between-country similarities as well as on those for which there were differences. These data provide a snapshot of counseling psychology globally and establish a foundation for the other articles in this special issue of the journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]