Personal and Professional Development for Counsellors, Psychotherapists and Mental Health Practitioners

Acknowledgements
Introduction

Part 1: Making sense of personal and professional development
What is personal development? Why is it important?
Methods for facilitating personal development
Theoretical and research perspectives
Professional development: maintaining and enhancing practical competence and career progression
Criteria for assessing the adequacy of personal and professional development

Part 2: Learning tasks for personal development
Reflecting on life experience
Personal development through participation in a learning group
Making sense: constructing a framework for understanding
Building a relationship repertoire
Developing a professional identity: putting it all together

References
Index

This book provides a comprehensive, accessible and research-informed approach to personal development issues associated with the role of a counsellor, therapist or mental health practitioner. Written by leading authors in the field, the book is designed to help both trainees and experienced therapists to be more effective in their work with clients by:

• Deepening and consolidating their understanding of all aspects of personal and professional development
• Making use of their personal strengths, resources and life experience
• Drawing on colleagues, mentors and the wider professional community as sources of learning, support and inspiration.

The first part of the book explains the nature of the personal and professional development issues that are experienced by therapists. The second part provides a set of learning tasks that invite reflection on all aspects of therapist development.

"This engaging and accessible book reminds us that, like our clients, counsellors are works in progress. Although written primarily for trainee counsellors, there is much here for the experienced therapist, supervisor, group leader or counselling course trainer to admire and to learn from."
Therapy Today, July 2014

"John and Julia McLeod have written a superb text that is a rich personal development resource for students, practitioners and lecturers."
Mark Widdowson, Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy, University of Salford, UK

"The book offers an excellent resource for counselling, psychotherapy and mental health trainers, with rich resources to inform student and tutor work. I highly recommend this valuable addition to the resource and knowledge base."
Lynne Gabriel, Associate Professor, York St John University, UK

"A fantastic book! This is a comprehensive, engaging and valuable resource that integrates theory and research in an accessible and relevant way."

Steff Revell, Lecturer, Counselling and Psychotherapy, University of Cumbria, UK

"This book offers an invaluable resource for counselling trainers and students alike. It succinctly maps out the terrain of personal and professional development and the importance of these concepts for practice."
Brian Rodgers, Lecturer in Counselling, The University of Queensland, Australia