Abstract
This is a portfolio of academic, therapeutic practice and research work. The portfolio consists of three dossiers that demonstrate my personal and professional development during the course of my three years in training. The academic dossier contains three selected essays that were compiled through the course of my training. The first essay explores postpartum - depression within the context of psychodynamic theory and practice. It highlights women’s experience of post-partum depression with links to therapeutic practice. The second essay draws on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) theory and practice. This essay attempts to highlight the usefulness of idiosyncratic case formulations in facilitating understanding of client distress. The third essay evolves from my work with Jane within the Early Intervention Service. This essay illustrates how a counselling psychologist can engage therapeutically through various therapeutic modalities with a client who presents with psychosis. The therapeutic practice dossier focuses on my clinical experience. It contains a description of my three clinical placements and includes my ‘Final Clinical Paper’. This paper provides a personal account of my journey towards becoming a counselling psychologist, explaining how theory and practice have shaped the practitioner and individual that I am today. Finally, the research dossier is comprised of a literature review and two qualitative research reports. The literature review explores women’s experience of love and attachment within intimate abusive relationships. The first research report is a Narrative Analysis that explores how women narrate the story of their relationship experiences to abusive partners. The second research report uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore how therapists conceptualize and understand women’s relationship experiences with abusive partners.