We've put together some links that we hope will be useful for you. Some of the sites in the General Counselling and Critical Psychology sections are radical or left-of-centre. If you know of other helpful sites, do get in touch. They're organised in 7 sections below (scroll down, or click on the heading below to jump straight to the section there's lots):
Psychotherapy and Politics: Realising the Potential
Friday 8th & Saturday 9th May 2009, Pearce Institute, Glasgow
An opportunity for counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists of all orientations - as well as users and commissioners of psychological services to meet and explore the interface between psychological therapies and progressive socio-political-environmental perspectives.
Key panel speakers include: Andrew Samuels, Mick Cooper, Gillian Proctor, Nick Totton, Khatidja Chantler, Martin Milton
BAPCA 20th Birthday Conference
Changes in Consciousness: The PCA and a World in Transition
10th 13th September 2009, University of Reading
National & International Keynote Speakers
Wide range of workshops
Ongoing community
Space to ad hoc workshops and meetings
Lovely green campus
The full programme and application form will be made available in the beginning of 2009
World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counseling. This organisation represents person-centred therpaies in a number of international arenas and publishes the International peer-reviewed journal Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies. Membership is reasonable and although you don't get much hard material for your money, subscriptions will help build the approach internationally.
The British Association for the Person-Centred Approach was founded in 1989, and in 1996 was granted charitable status with the aim of advancing education in Person-Centred counselling and psychotherapy and the Person-Centred Approach. It brings together people who practice and support the Person-Centred Approach in all areas of life, not just in the 'helping professions'.
The Association for Person Centred Therapy Scotland is an organisation of person-centred counsellors and psychotherapists based throughout Scotland. Our focus is to support the person-centred approach in general and the membership in particular in pursuing their interests related to the approach, including the provision of their counselling services to the wider public. The association has a small coordinating group which looks after day to day administration and supports the membership in organising various special interest groups and events.
The Association for the Development of the Person-Centered Approach is an international network of individuals who support the development and application of the person-centered approach. In an endeavor to practice the person-centered approach within the Association, members share the responsibilities and privileges of leadership.
A brilliant site (a project of Saybrook University, San Fracncisco) with lots of information and streaming video clips of Rogers. Many of them quite long. Variable quality, but free. A Great resource for trainers and students.
Those who have been internet regulars for many years will know this to be 'the original' and still one of the best for links and information.
Jerold Bozarth
Jerold is currently researching working with individuals who have been considered 'impossible' by other helping organizations. More details can be found at
www.personcentered.com/bozarth.htm
CSP was founded by Carl Rogers and colleagues in 1968 and is based in La Jolla, California. The site includes links to several contemporary pc papers, inviting discussion with the authors. Also available are online selections of articles and transcripts from the center's library.
All things concerned with the work of Gene Gendlin.
Howard Kirschenbaum
Dave Mearns
Professor Dave Mearns, recently retired from University of Strathclyde, Scotland, should need no introduction. He may have retired from university life but is still very active in the person-centred community nationally and internationally. Periodic visits to his website to see what he is up to are highly recommended.
Network of the European Associations for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counseling
Pat Patterson
Details of the late Pat Patterson and his work can be found on
www.sage of ashville. Pat was one or our authors and more details can be found in our Author Section.
The Person-Centred Approach Network (PCAN) exists to provide opportunities for people to experience temporary Person-Centred Communities. The gatherings are not led or facilitated and have no formal structure except for conditions required by the venue e.g. meals. There is a commitment to creating an environment of the Core Conditions: where individuals are accepted and valued, where we each strive for empathy and authenticity. Since there is no-one 'in charge', each member of the group is able to take personal responsibility. It is an opportunity for self-exploration of, for example, your relationship with personal power. The gatherings can be challenging, exciting and deeply moving.
The Pre-Therapy International Network is the website for members working with Prouty's pre-therapy. It is an international site with bibliography.
A site for Counsellors, carers, users of mental health services and anyone wanting to know more about Pre-Therapy. More user-friendly and in our opinion more informative than the above site.
'Aimed at practitioners and anyone interested in PCA in Yorkshire and the Humber' but lots of stuff for anyone interested in PCA regardless of location.
For more information about Natalie, her work and links to Carl Rogers' sites.
Peter F. Schmid is the founder of person-centred training in Austria (1969). His home page has an English translation (amongst others), contains a wealth of information, including a very useful bibliography section and is well worth a visit.
Library archives including all the written work of Rogers and many other writers relevant to the PCA.
More person-centred practitioners should get involved in opposing the medical model and here is the place to start. The Social Perspectives Network is an independent organisation which is open to anyone interested in looking at mental distress in terms of people's social experience - how social factors may both contribute to people becoming distressed, and play a crucial part in promoting people's recovery. Social Perspectives Network is open to practitioners of all disciplines, service users / survivors, carers, policy makers, academics, educators, service managers and others who may be interested in these issues. Join up and add your voice now.
Run by Steve Vincent: from the homepage 'Much of the current provision is around disseminating resources such as Carl Rogers DVDs, videos, and writing (articles, books, and booklets) from within the client/person-centred tradition.'
The Social Perspectives Network is an independent organisation which is open to anyone interested in looking at mental distress in terms of people's social experience - how social factors may both contribute to people becoming distressed, and play a crucial part in promoting people's recovery. Social Perspectives Network is open to practitioners of all disciplines, service users / survivors, carers, policy makers, academics, educators, service managers and others who may be interested in these issues. Join up and add your voice now.
European Network for Positive Psychology (ENPP)
www.www.enpp.org The European Network for Positive Psychology is a collective of European researchers with shared interests in the science and practice of positive psychology. The activities of the Network are co-ordinated by Dr. Felicia Huppert at the University of Cambridge. The website is co-ordinated by Dr. Alex Linley at the University of Leicester.
Independent Practitioners' Network
www.ipnet.org.uk The Independent Practitioners Network (previously the Independent Therapists Network) is an alternative structure for validating and monitoring therapists, counsellors, facilitators, and others in the field. It was founded in November 1994. Its central concept is that membership is by peer group: the members of each peer group (of at least five practitioners) stand by each others' work, and also by the work of at least two other member groups to which they are linked. In this way a web of self and mutual responsibility is woven.
ipnosis - a journal for freethinking practitioners
www.ipnosis.com The Alexander Group, PO Box 19, Llandysul, Ceredigion, SA44 4YE This independent journal is co-edited by Yvonne Bates, one of our authors and is fantastic. Do take a look, and if you are fed up with professionalisation and regulation,
subscribe now!
Online ipnosis - maintained by Denis Postle
www.ipnosis.postle.net Different content to the paper journal ipnosis, above, and a real focal point online for the IPN (see link) and anyone wanting to challenge regulation and professionalisation of therapy. Visit now, it's well worth the click.
g.o.r.i.l.l.a - another site maintained by Denis Postle
www.g.o.r.i.l.l.a.postle.net The tireless Denis Postle has another site worth visiting for more material dedicated to challenging regulation and professionalisation in therapy. And another site well worth a visit.
Denis Postle
Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility
www.pcsr.org.uk A forum for psychotherapists and counsellors who wish to locate psychotherapy and counselling in a social context, and influence and broaden the political process. Join up now.
Network for Research on Experiential Psychotherapies (NREP)
www.experiential-researchers.org/index.html NREP is a website devoted to the purpose of stimulating research on experiential/humanistic psychotherapies. It has been founded to provide an overview of the whole range of experiential therapy research, including research on: Client-Centered/Person-Centered Therapy Gestalt Therapy Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy Process-Experiential Psychotherapy Psychodrama Existential Psychotherapy Emotion-Focused Therapy Expressive/Arts Therapies Basic experiential/phenomenological research on particular problems of living (e.g., depression, trauma) which might help experiential therapists better understand their clients.
Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness (CORE) www.psychol.ucl.ac.uk/core/index.html A good source of information on the British Psychological Society project. If you work in primary care you may well have been asked to submit CORE data. This site explains it.
Why not go straight to the heart of the matter and find out what their idea of good research is and their recommendations for mental health treatment (so far)?
Excellent, not-to-be-missed webpages on research Our favourites include:
The wonderful 160-odd page book available free online called
Quality in Qualitative Evaluation: A framework for assessing research evidence. Its a MUST for all masters students. It describes the Government's guidelines for what is good qualitative research. So if we want our qualitative research to pass muster, this is the document to read. Its an excellent how to do it guide anyway.
http://www.policyhub.gov.uk/docs/qqe_rep.pdf
'Join the last great civil rights movement fight psychophobia and end the barbarism done in the name of psychiatry'. Asylum Magazine (going since 1986) has been re-launched and is worth looking at if you are at all interested in mental health/distress.
The Soteria website is back and better than ever with details of a one-day meeting at UCE in Birmingham on July 19th 11.30-3.30. This really is a great group to meet and associate with. Join now. The UK network is an organisation inspired by the work of the late and wonderful Loren Mosher:
>>We are a network of mental health users, carers and professionals seeking to make a change to current medically-based approaches to mental health.
>>We seek to enable people to make sense of, and come through distress in a non-coercive and non-oppressive way.
>>We support alternatives to the current models used in psychiatric services.
>>We actively engage with the expertise found in communities affected by mental health issues.
Phil Thomas, Joanna Moncrieff, Duncan Double et al have a website describing their work, critical psychiatry in general, follow the slightly confusing links to find papers, etc. Its a growing resource for anyone wanting to criticise the psychiatric system and biological psychiatry.
The Social Perspectives Network is an independent organisation which is open to anyone interested in looking at mental distress in terms of people's social experience - how social factors may both contribute to people becoming distressed, and play a crucial part in promoting people's recovery. Social Perspectives Network is open to practitioners of all disciplines, service users / survivors, carers, policy makers, academics, educators, service managers and others who may be interested in these issues. Join up and add your voice now.
American site for a network of radical psychologists. Interesting information. Looks good.
His site is entitled 'Social Power and Psychological Distress' and contains useful information and links.
If you are not familiar with HVN take a look . . . and join. They have a very informative set of leaflets (all counsellors and psychologists should have them available for clients) and publications (plus interesting events). Visit now.
Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales which works to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress. The emphasis is for and on behalf of users, but it is more mainstream than critical.
MAD PRIDE is committed to ending discrimination against psychiatric patients, promoting survivor equality and celebrating Mad culture
To promote positive images of mental health
To counteract discrimination and prejudice towards people who have experienced mental distress.
To educate the public in mental health issues
To campaign for better mental health provision
To campaign for less oppressive and more enabling legislation and practice guidelines.
To promote economic, social, environmental and cultural integration of user/survivors into mainstream society and our active participation and integration into community life.
SANE was established in 1986 following the overwhelming public response to a series of articles featured in 'The Times' newspaper entitled 'The Forgotten Illness'. Written by Marjorie Wallace, now SANE's Chief Executive, the articles underscored the neglect of people suffering from schizophrenia and the poverty of services and treatments. From its initial focus on schizophrenia, SANE developed and is now concerned with all mental illnesses. This is another organisation which is organised for and on behalf of users, but is more mainstream than critical.
Self explanatory title. Information, bulletin board etc for users, psychologists, counsellors.
There is a Critical Psychology and Psychiatry page which includes the aims of the department and links to articles of interest. The department head is Craig Newnes, who edits JCPCP (The Journal of Critical Psychology , Counselling and Psychotherapy), see our Journals section.
This site is called 'Cybercenter for Liberty and Responsibility' and is well worth a visit. His 6-point Summary Statement and Manifesto begins with 'Myth of mental illness' and becomes increasingly political. Great man, great site.
For general information on mental health and/or mental illness and related resources, there are several sites to choose from, here are a few to get you going:
Together: Working for Wellbeing is a leading national charity working for wellbeing: that means we support people with mental health needs to get what they want from life and to feel happier.
Psychminded.co.uk is the the leading UK-based online publisher providing independent news, features, comment and other online services - including job vacancies - for psychology, psychiatry and mental health professionals.
The online version of the compendium of prescription drug information.
This site does just what it says.
This is a general psychology website, with lots of mental health information, for example, a complete list of DSM-IV and an A-Z list of mental disorders with information sheets.
Mental health information from the Institute of Psychiatry, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust. This is an uncritical traditional psychiatric view of mental health which may be of use to clients.
A middle-of-the-road site for users and a little misinformed as far as counselling is concerned. It takes a traditional medical-model view.
A site for Counsellors, carers, users of mental health services and anyone wanting to know more about Pre-Therapy. It's essential reading for carers and anyone interested in humane drug-free interventions.
The Social Perspectives Network is an independent organisation which is open to anyone interested in looking at mental distress in terms of people's social experience - how social factors may both contribute to people becoming distressed, and play a crucial part in promoting people's recovery. Social Perspectives Network is open to practitioners of all disciplines, service users / survivors, carers, policy makers, academics, educators, service managers and others who may be interested in these issues. Join up and add your voice now.
Charity offering psychotherapeutic services to refugees, asylum seekers and their families. This work began in 2002 and in 2005 they expanded the scope of their services and now deliver them from a dedicated Person Centred Therapy Centre in Nottingham. Take a look and make a contribution if you feel able.
Charity for peace activism: Peace Direct recognises that the personal is political. How we behave in undertaking our work must reflect our core values, namely: Non-violence, Respect, Transparency and Working together for peace.
Seven (!) people making a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights on the grounds that their rights are violated by a tax system which makes us pay for the deliberate killings of other human beings. They regard this as a form of conscription, and believe all tax paying UK citizens should have the right to conscientious objection to paying tax for the military. They are asking to have the military part placed in a ring-fenced fund solely for peaceful purposes such as health care, education and non-violent conflict resolution. They are trying to raise money for their legal challenge.
A magazine for those interested in sustainable living.
Positive News (magazine/newspaper/organisation) http://www.positivenews.org.uk Another magazine for sustainable/ethical living. Does what it says on the tin reporting on the people, events and influences that are helping to create a more positive future for the world and its people.
Site for Adbusters magazine. If youre sick of consumerism, take a look at what the culture jammers are doing.
New Internationalist magazine. Subscribe now!
All about fair-trade, policies, products, if you want to buy ethically. Also, Adbusters (above) have a full-cost economics manifesto, which seeks to get us consumers to pay the true cost of our lifestyle.
Excellent site for everyone wanting to live a less environmentally damaging life. Lots of information and advice. Also has calculators to help you work out your environmental footprint, and other things including the effect of flying here there and everywhere. If you want to skip straight to the flight calculator click here
If you want to work out your routine travel impact, heres the East Sussex County Council emissions calculator.
More links are added periodically.
Pamela J Burry
Brian Thorne
Howard Kirschenbaum