Abstract
This portfolio comprises work completed over a five year period, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Practitioner Doctorate in Psychotherapeutic and Counselling Psychology. It contains three dossiers: Academic, Therapeutic Practice and Research, all of which are linked by my academic and research interests, clinical work and personal experiences. Each dossier reflects elements of the training which have been most influential in shaping my therapeutic practice and identity as a counselling psychologist. It is hoped that they demonstrate the range of skills and competencies I have acquired throughout the course. The Academic Dossier includes three papers and one report covering three different areas of the course: ‘Advanced Theory and Therapy’, ‘Final Year Options’ and ‘Issues in Counselling Psychology’. From the ‘Advanced Theory and Therapy’ module, I have included two papers, the first of which is entitled: 7/7 cognitive therapy, therapeutic change is not dependent upon the therapeutic system of delivery but on the active components which directly challenge the client’s faulty appraisals. Discuss.' in which I explore the centrality of the therapeutic relationship as the therapeutic system of delivery in cognitive-behavioural therapy. The Therapeutic Practice Dossier consists of a description of five clinical placements, a brief account of other professional activities, therapeutic work and a Final Clinical Paper which discusses my personal approach to integrating psychological theory and research, supervision, personal therapy and contextual factors into my therapeutic practice as a counselling psychologist. The placements described cover my clinical work in the National Health Service including ‘Secondary Care and Community Mental Health’, ‘Psychological Services’ and ‘Child and Adolescent Mental Health’. An account of my work for a ‘Student Counselling Service’ in a further education setting is also included. With respect to socio-economic status, the majority of the clients I worked with across these settings were similar to me in terms of ethnicity and cultural background. However, my other professional and therapeutic activities brought me into direct clinical contact with young homeless people, which presented a different set of challenges to my evolving identity as a counselling psychologist, as the following account of my research illustrates. The Research Dossier contains one literature review and two empirical studies, including appendices. A statement reflecting on the use of self in the research prefaces each study. These personal reflections are designed to alert the reader to my motivations for exploring specific topics, my personal investment in each area of enquiry and my experience of conducting the research itself. Each piece of research is fundamentally concerned with the experiences of individuals who are facing social inclusion versus social exclusion due to their socio-economic/housing status, interpersonal characteristics or position as an occupational newcomer.