The following principles, the 6-Es, guide my practice. These apply primarily to the client and secondarily to others concerned with the therapy:
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Ethical
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To do good
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Not to harm
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To respect the right to make one's own decisions
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To be fair
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Effective
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To achieve the desired outcome
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Efficient
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To use no more time or resources than necessary
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Essential
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To keep to what really matters
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Evidenced
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To be guided by the current best knowledge from research
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Educational
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To extend knowledge and skills
My approach to therapy is evidence-based and aims to activate the common factors which have been proven to underlie all successful psychotherapies. This is achieved by:
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Establishing a confidential, good working relationship with the client
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Collaborating to achieve what the client wants from therapy
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Respecting the client's readiness or reluctance to change
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Helping therapy evolve from the client's ideas about what might help their situation
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Fostering hope and finding practical ways to change for the better
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Building on the client's own existing abilities and resources
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Respecting other sources of help which the client finds beneficial
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Regularly evaluating and discussing the client's progress and satisfaction with therapy
The therapeutic approach and number of sessions required are guided by the feedback or agreed measurements obtained from the client. Any therapeutic method used aims to be supportive to the client, not prescriptive. There is no requirement to attend a certain number of sessions; even a single session may be sufficient.
Generically, I describe myself as a brief therapist, which simply means that I aim to help the client achieve lasting benefit as soon as possible.
On a less formal note, look at the Mind Map® of the different roles which I think a therapist may adopt during a therapy session. Humour can help us to see things very differently!
The following workshops and course are examples of the types of training which I provide. Most existing training events can be customized for your organization, or original presentations can be devised to fit a particular need (also see consultancy services). For further information on these events or to discuss your training needs in more detail, please contact me.
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Title
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Description
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What Really Matters:
The essence of effective therapy
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Psychotherapy and counselling services are increasingly being subjected to clinical and financial scrutiny. The modern practitioner needs to know that their work is both effective and efficient. This day workshop focuses on what has been proven to really matter to the client, and dispels many of the myths which have held back the development of true evidence-based practice.
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Facing Fears and Phobias
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Fear is one of our most primitive emotions and manifests itself in many forms, including phobias. This half-day workshop provides a lively introduction to how swiftly fears and phobias can be made to lose their grip on us. With much trainee involvement and diverse demonstrations, this workshop proves that a serious topic can be turned into learning and fun!
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Harnessing the Placebo Effect
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The Placebo Effect is one of the most powerful influences on the outcome of almost any healthcare intervention. Yet we often discount it or fail to maximize its potential. With various practical illustrations and exercises, this half-day workshop helps anyone (clinical or administrative) who deals directly with clients or patients to harness the power of the Placebo Effect more successfully in their work.
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Therapeutic Alchemy: Turning heartsinks into heroes
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Every psychotherapist and counsellor working in primary care encounters patients who remain unmoved by the best efforts of the medical and therapeutic professions. What causes therapy cases to become intractable? What can we do to overcome impossibility and achieve successful outcomes for these patients? Evidence-based, this half-day workshop explores these issues and suggests practical ways of turning heartsink patients into the heroes of their own recovery.
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You are now entering ...
The Twilight Zone
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Effective therapists have always appreciated the importance of accommodating the client's worldview in therapy. Conversely, we know that the successful client participates actively, enthused by the relationship, rationale and rituals offered by the therapist. But in their search for common ground that will lead to progress, both may be drawn far from their usual comfort zones into a Twilight Zone. Using research findings and real case studies from both the presenter and trainees, this half-day workshop raises trainees' confidence and effectiveness working in the Twilight Zone.
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The Trances We Live
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Trance phenomena and the imagination play vital roles in each of our lives every day. They can provide our greatest pleasures or trap us in the greatest distress. With numerous illustrations, this half-day workshop explains why and how we go into trance states and their connection to emotions, dreams, pleasure and culture. The emphasis is on providing practical therapeutic ideas to "tranceform" clients' lives.
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Bereavement Counsellors' Training Course
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A bereavement can be one of the most distressing and significant life events that a person ever experiences. Counselling can play an important role in the recovery process. This 65 hour course provides a complete core training for bereavement counsellors. The content is evidence-based to focus on "what really matters" and helps trainees develop their natural aptitude for counselling. Counselling practice is extensive with progressive real life situations.
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Douglas McFadzean BSc PhD CEng MBCS CITP
Contact me