School-based humanistic counseling (SBHC) is a widely delivered intervention for psychological distress in young people, particularly in the UK. This study piloted a set of procedures for evaluating SBHC and obtaining indications of effect. Psychologically distressed young people (aged 13-16) were randomized to either 12 weeks of SBHC or a waiting list control. The primary outcome was psychological distress at the 12-week endpoint, as measured by the Young Person's CORE. Those allocated to counseling (n=16) showed significantly greater reductions in psychological distress than participants in the control group (n=17), with an effect size (ES) (g) of 1.14 on the primary outcome and a mean ES across all four outcome measures of 0.73 at endpoint. The findings indicate that SBHC may be an effective means of reducing psychological distress in young people.

No abstract

A replication was made of the findings of Bowers et al. (1992), relating involvement of children in bully/victim problems at school with characteristics of family systems as revealed by the Family System Test (FAST), on a central Italian sample. The findings regarding father absence, structural plot characteristics -such as use of corners and no separation of figures -and cohesion scores especially with parents, were consistent across both studies; findings relating to power scores were few and inconsistent. The main findings of the Bowers et al. study appear to be robust and generalizable.

Existential psychotherapy is a recognized and widespread therapeutic paradigm, with almost 100 years of clinical intervention. Despite some evidence of its effectiveness, existential psychotherapists have been criticized for a lack of a coherent framework of practice. Existential authors have been reluctant to make explicit their therapeutic methods, and an encompassing consensual understanding of its core constitutional practices has yet to be reached. To begin to address this, an online international survey was conducted and 971 existential practitioners from 46 countries and different theoretical and cultural backgrounds gave 2,611 responses to the question "which three specific therapeutic methods or practices would you consider most characteristic of existential therapy?". Responses were contentanalyzed and a total of 77 different specific practices were identified and clustered into 17 subcategories and 5 overarching categories of practice. Phenomenological practices, methods associated with specific existential branches, practices informed by existential assumptions, relational practices, and practices of other therapeutic paradigms were found to be considered the most characteristic categories of an existential practice. An empirically based, encompassing, and structured taxonomy of existential practices is now available. New avenues are opened for research concerning the applicability and effectiveness of these fundamental existential practices.

No abstract

No abstract

Background Recent research has indicated that school‐based humanistic counselling (SBHC) is effective for young people in reducing psychological distress and facilitating achievement of personal goals. However, the processes by which this form of counselling brings about change are not yet understood. Aim This study aims to clarify the dynamic processes of change that young people go through when they attend SBHC, in order inform school counselling practice, training and further research. Method This is a qualitative interview study with 14 participants who had recently completed between two and nine sessions of SBHC as part of a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Interviews were transcribed and analysed using a grounded theory approach resulting in the development of five change process models. Results Multiple change processes were evident for individual clients; and were labelled relief, increasing self‐worth, developing insight, enhancing coping strategies and improving relational skills. Implications The data indicate that multiple pathways of change are possible, and that change processes associated with different theories of personality change are not mutually exclusive. The study is limited by a small, selective sample and low testimonial validity, and further qualitative research is needed to understand change processes in SBHC more fully.

We offer a view of the nature and role of client-therapist collaboration in experiential psychotherapy, focusing on Gestalt and emotion-focused therapy (EFT). We distinguish between the necessary condition of mutual trust (the emotional bond between client and therapist) and effective collaboration (regarding the goals and tasks of therapy). Using a case study of experiential therapy for social anxiety, we illustrate how the development of collaboration can be both complex and pivotal for therapeutic success, and how it can involve client and therapist encountering one another through taking risks by openly and nonjudgementally disclosing difficult experiences in order to enrich and advance the work.