What do clients have to say about therapy?

Abstract

AimsThis research explored the experience of therapy from the perspective of the client. It was felt that hearing clients’ stories may inform the work of counselling psychologists by increasing awareness of what matters to clients in therapy.MethodNarrative methodologies were used which enable the rich meaning of an individual’s experience to be co-created. Four co-researchers were invited to participate in research conversations to share their experience of being a client in therapy.FindingsClient’s concerns such as congruence, pacing, power, boundaries and ethics emerge from the individual stories. Client ambivalence and power emerge as themes and these are consistent with the literature (McLeod, 1990). The relevance of narrative methodologies to counselling psychology research is identified as well as the importance of giving an opportunity for the voice of the client to be heard (Etherington, 2008).Implications for practiceThis research connects to the larger stories about power, boundaries, therapist training, political drives towards time-limited therapy and evidence-based practice. Most importantly, the necessity of a counselling psychologist working ethically is highlighted and the enduring damage caused by unethical practice is made visible within the very personal stories.