"It's led me astray": How Cognitive Behavioural Therapists experience personal therapy in clinical practice

Personal therapy is considered to be an essential component of most psychotherapeutic training programmes. However, it remains peripheral to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) training courses. We present a subsection of results from a qualitative study that examines how CBT therapists use personal therapy in their clinical practice. Seven CBT therapists who have undergone personal therapy were interviewed. Participants were asked about how they used personal therapy in their clinical practice and their accounts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to identify common themes. This article presents the results of the first master theme, “Personal therapy creates conflict”, which explores a paradox that arises between personal therapy and CBT clinical practice; participants suggest that personal therapy equips them with therapeutic tools that paradoxically hinder their capacity to practice a standardised protocol‐led CBT. Results show that participants found personal therapy created considerable internal conflict, where their use of technical evidence‐based treatment protocols as practitioners was experienced in tension with the relationally oriented therapy they had received as clients. We discuss results in the context of Gabriel Marcel's philosophical insights on the dehumanising effects of technology on human relationships. We conclude with a brief consideration of the current political climate that increasingly privileges short‐term technical solutions to psychological distress.     

Tips to make research teaching and learning enjoyable and productive for counsellors,psychotherapists and their tutors

This article identifies the learning expectations and experiences of qualified counsellors and psychotherapists undertaking higher education awards with specific regard to research activity. Drawing on the current literature and some early findings from focus group research with students, combined with our personal and professional experiences, we identify what contributes to a productive research experience. This is used as a basis to provide tips for both teachers and those new to research to make counselling and psychotherapy research enjoyable and productive. A full research paper is in preparation.     

Cultural Dimensions of Early Pregnancy Loss: Spiritual and Religious Issues

Nearly one in five clinically confirmed pregnancies ends in a loss before 20 weeks (Bardos et al., 2015). Despite the prevalence of miscarriage, many women and partners experience a lack of acknowledgment and support while also encountering complicated concerns related to the intersection of perinatal loss, culture, religious and spiritual issues, medical treatment, their reproductive stories, and grief (Randolph et al., 2015). Counselors working with these clients must address complex cultural considerations. As such, we review key cultural and religious/spiritual issues related to early pregnancy loss and offer recommendations for practice based on the current literature in the context of the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (2009) counseling competencies.     

Understanding and addressing pseudoscientific practices in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders: Considerations for applied behavior analysis practitioners

Pseudoscientific practices are commonly used and promoted in the field of developmental disabilities. Behavior analysts should anticipate encountering such treatments in practice and understand their ethical obligations with regard to these practices. Thoughts on why pseudoscientific practices are frequently sought are presented for context in understanding this complex issue. This discussion will serve to prepare behavior analysts for how to address situations in which clients may ask behavior analysts to use pseudoscientific practices. Additionally, this discussion covers arguments for the dangers of using pseudoscientific practices, a guide to resources for information on evidence‐based practice and ethics, and ideas on how to handle a situation in which a parent or caregiver asks the behavior analyst to integrate a pseudoscientific approach into the treatment of a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder.     

Effects of feedback and test practice on recollection and retrieval monitoring: comparing first graders,third graders,and adults*

We tested the effects of repeated testing and feedback on recollection accuracy in first graders, third graders, and adults. All participants studied a list of words and pictures, and then took three recollection tests, with each test probing different words and pictures from the earlier study phase. On the first and third tests no feedback was given, whereas on the second test, some subjects received item-level feedback throughout the recollection test. Recollection confusion scores declined across successive tests in all age groups. However, explicit feedback did not improve recollection accuracy or reduce recollection confusions in any age group. We also found that all age groups were able to use picture recollections in a disqualifying monitoring strategy without task experience or feedback. As a whole, these findings suggest that children and adults can use some aspects of retrieval monitoring without feedback or practice, whereas other aspects of retrieval monitoring can benefit from test practice in children and adults. We discuss the potential roles of metacognitive learning and unintended social feedback on these test practice effects.     

Event-related Desynchronization of Mu Rhythms During Concentric and Eccentric Contractions

The purpose of this study was to compare the electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns and reaction times (RTs) of muscle activation between concentric and eccentric biceps brachii contractions under the RT paradigm and to evaluate how the EEG patterns and RTs changed with practice. Sixteen subjects performed 3 sets of 30 repetitions of submaximal voluntary concentric and eccentric biceps contractions. RT, event-related desynchronization (ERD) patterns of mu rhythm onset, and ERD amplitudes were selectively analyzed. Mental demand decreased as familiarity with the motor action increased due to practice regardless of contraction type. However, the 2 types of muscle contractions still have differences in brain activity regardless of decreased mental demand: eccentric contractions require earlier preparation than concentric contractions.