Routledge What You Really Need to Know about Counselling and Psychotherapy Training: An essential guide

Becoming a counsellor or psychotherapist is a transformative and life-changing experience. Some trainees manage this process well, while others struggle to come to terms with the personal impact of their training. In What You Really Need to Know about Counselling and Psychotherapy Training, Cathy McQuaid provides an in-depth but accessible guide to the processes of understanding individual motivations for wanting to undertake training and choosing the most appropriate course. Backed by extensive research, the book explains the training process from beginning to end, covering topics including: entry requirements, course curriculum and terms and conditions of training; the training relationship and group process; the challenges of training; the outcomes of counselling and psychotherapy training. McQuaid leads the reader through the process of choosing a course, working with the course leader and with a group of peers and considering potential employment prospects upon completion. Prompting the reader to consider their own personal, professional and educational needs within the framework of training, this is essential reading for anyone thinking of training as a counsellor or psychotherapist and for trainers and training course providers. Review ‘…in my experience, too many potential trainees or students enter therapy training with very little and, in some cases, no knowledge of the field and these aspects or elements of the whole training experience. This book addresses this lack of knowledge and brings together in one volume a thorough consideration of all the components of such training …’ – Keith Tudor, from the foreword. 'If you are seriously considering training for a career in counselling or psychotherapy, and if you are looking for a reliable, accurate and unbiased guide through the sometimes bewildering choice of modalities, training providers and accreditation systems, then Cathy McQuaid’s book should be your first port of call. The author has researched the views and responses of real-life students to their experiences during training, as well as collecting information directly from training providers and professional organisations. McQuaid not only describes the factual detail of training, but also (and I think uniquely) invites the reader to explore the personal preferences, abilities and attitudes that may help determine her or his choice of training course.' - Ian Stewart, PhD, Co-Director of The Berne Institute, Nottingham. About the Author Cathy McQuaid is a UKCP registered transactional analysis psychotherapist and integrative psychotherapist in private practice. She is an EATA accredited trainer and supervisor and has a passion for training, training standards and research. She is also a freelance trainer and external examiner for a number of counselling and psychotherapy training organizations and higher education establishments.