The importance of developing a ‘culture of belief’ amongst counselling psychologists working with asylum seekers

Abstract

This article seeks to explore issues of belief in relation to counselling work with adult asylum seeking clients. It argues that counselling psychologists are uniquely placed to engage in such work because they combine a scientific knowledge of human functioning with a humanistic and holistic approach towards understanding others. As Woolfe (2001) notes: ‘what matters is the approach or attitude or intentionality that any psychologist or any helper brings to the helping relationship’. It will be argued here that the stance taken by counselling psychologists and their liberty to choose particular attitudes towards clients frees them to work very effectively. More specifically, it will be suggested that adopting a believing stance towards those who are often disbelieved can make for a very powerful therapeutic encounter.