The personal development group is a feature of many counselling and psychotherapy trainings. How does it facilitate personal development? Could it be more effective? Looking from the perspective of the student, this book offers an insight into the workings of the group and the communications that take place within it. The complex relationship between group and individual is explored in the wider context of culture and society. Through examples and exercises, readers can learn about themselves as they learn about the group processes that they are experiencing. Chris Rose charts the course of a PD group through various stages, dealing with fundamental themes such as conflict, authority, resistance and difference. The task is always to keep in focus both the individual experience and the group process. This dual perspective provides group members with important resources to understand and make better use of their own PD group. The elusive task of personal development is vital to the formation of competent counsellors and psychotherapists. Any course that has a PD group will benefit from the understandings that the book can offer, irrespective of theoretical model. This book encourages students to engage with their own development in a pro-active and informed manner. It invites them to challenge attitudes and assumptions in a thoughtful self-reflexive style. This book also provides an introduction to group work that will be valuable for those who are no longer students but are curious about what happens in groups. Whatever the stage of development, there is material to engage and stimulate the reader.

Personal development (PD) groups are a key feature of many counsellor training programmes. Personal Development Groups for Trainee Counsellors: An Essential Companion is a comprehensive and accessible study guide written by experienced tutors and lecturers to support students with their PD group work and other personal development activities, helping students to get the most out of these experiences. This essential resource is aimed primarily at those who are new to counsellor training. It will also be useful for anyone who wants to understand more about the nature of PD groups and how these can be used effectively. Case studies, questions and activities encourage readers to reflect on different topics and on themselves, including looking at how to improve self-care and how mindfulness can help. The book looks at the historical background to PD groups; how they can be used effectively, and also real-life experiences from both tutors and recent students. Other chapters invite the reader to develop their self-awareness through gaining an understanding of how ethics, relationships and identity are developed. There is a discussion about the merits or otherwise of mandatory personal therapy for trainees and also a discussion about the use of supervision. Finally, other important aspects of personal development are discussed including personal therapy, supervision, self-care and mindfulness. Personal Development Groups for Trainee Counsellors will be of use to counsellor trainees on undergraduate and postgraduate diplomas to introduce them to PD groups and other essential activities. It will also be highly informative to those who are on counselling certificate courses to introduce them to aspects of personal development, as well as for tutors to support them in their work as PD group facilitators.

Aimed at professionals working with groups that are developing social skills and exploring relationships, this photocopiable handbook is a vital collection of workshops covering specific themes. Each theme is clearly divided into warm-ups, main exercises and closures. Intended to help professionals save on preparation time, the organisation and format of this book reflects its highly practical content.

Write Yourself is the ideal introduction to how to facilitate groups and individuals in finding inspiration for their creative personal writing voices. This book explains how and why writing is such an illuminative and cathartic process, and provides many practical exercises that encourage the exploration of emotions, memories and experiences.

This book provides the answers to that all- important question: what are personal and professional development and why are they necessary for counsellors? This new edition explores: @! the importance of personal development and the core concepts that underpin it @! the aims, commonalities and differences of personal development in different settings and levels of training @! the key differences in theoretical approaches and their implications for personal development @! communication and relationships between counsellors and professional organizations, society, and the ′virtual′ world, with all its demands on identity, privacy and congruence. @! the trainee and trainer and the challenges of personal development. Packed full of vivid accounts of personal experiences, questions and points for reflection, this book will prove an essential companion for anyone wishing to grow personally and professionally as a therapist. Hazel Johns is a Fellow of BACP, and has been for many years a trainer, supervisor and BACP-accredited counsellor.

Personal Development and Clinical Psychology is a vital reference text for all those involved in clinical psychology and related professions. This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the methods, approaches, theories and issues surrounding personal development, incorporating a number of different views from both those practising and training in the field, and includes service usersâ?? perspectives. The importance of personal development is considered and chapters are devoted to presenting a model of the different processes, examining issues of power and identity, and assessing how training courses currently approach and encourage personal development and how it might be evaluated. The book culminates in summarising the major themes, and offers suggestions for future developments. In line with BPS accreditation criteria which identifies personal development as a core learning objective Offers an historical overview of the clinical psychology profession Includes the voices of service users and carers Considers how personal development can be assessed Also of interest to counselors, psychotherapists, and nurse therapists as well as clinical psychologists and related professions outside the UK

Personal development is integral to much counselling and psychotherapy training. Self-awareness and critical reflection are also vital for developing effective therapeutic relationships. This uniquely focused sourcebook offers a fascinating range of approaches to the challenging and sometimes elusive task of self-development and self understanding. This textbook begins by introducing four core ways of seeing the 'self': as multiple, contextual, open to change, and always in relation to the 'other', and finishes by bringing together a range of specialist practitioners to explore different pathways to self understanding. Self Awareness and Personal Development provides hands-on resources for the ongoing project of exploring the self. It is an invaluable text for students, trainees and practitioners in counselling and psychotherapy.