Competence and Self-Care in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Competence and Self-Care in Counselling and Psychotherapy explores care and replenishment of the self as an essential requirement for maintaining competence in practice and offers a framework for understanding what being competent means for practitioners, both generally and in work with clients. The book proposes a culture of care for practitioners that begins with the individual, influences the quality of personal and therapeutic relationships created both inside and outside the professional environment, and extends into the frameworks that support and validate professional practice. It goes further, discussing the role of therapy in caring for society and the contribution it can make as humankind faces extraordinary challenges. As well as exploring relevant concepts, the book is fully updated with practical suggestions for addressing the core training requirements of maintaining professional competence, of practising reflectively, ethically and sustainably and of considering the wider social environment, including issues of culture, identity and social justice. This book is an ideal choice for counsellors, psychotherapists, supervisors and trainers who wish to maintain a robust standard of practice, and for those employing them.