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Counsellors' perspectives on self‐harm and the role of the therapeutic relationship for working with clients who self‐harm
Author(s) -
Long Maggie,
Jenkins Mary
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
counselling and psychotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.38
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1746-1405
pISSN - 1473-3145
DOI - 10.1080/14733140903474293
Subject(s) - harm , psychology , confidentiality , qualitative research , grounded theory , social psychology , sociology , political science , social science , law
Aims: To gain insight into counsellors' experiences of and ideas about self‐harm, and to develop understanding of relational depth when working with clients who self‐harm. Method: A qualitative exploration of counsellors' perspectives on working with people who self‐harm. The research proposal gained approval from the University Ethics Committee. Data were collected from a sample of counsellors who have experience of working with people who self‐harm ( n = 8) using tape‐recorded interviews. Grounded Theory was used for analysis. Findings: Two major categories emerged from the findings: (i) the activity of self‐harm; (ii) the therapeutic relationship with people who self‐harm. These categories and sub‐categories were integrated to form the core category. Implications: Counsellors have a valuable role to play in the lives of people who self‐harm, by embodying confidentiality and so facilitating a sense of trust, by opening minds through acceptance, and by expanding knowledge through participation in research. Conclusions: In order to effectively accompany clients from a life of self‐harm to a life of self‐healing, counsellors must be aware of and responsive to the many concepts underpinning the emergent categories of the research.