Revisiting a meta-analysis of helpful aspects of therapy in a community counselling service

ABSTRACT

This small scale mixed methods study examines helpful events in a community counselling setting, categorising impacts of events according to Timulak’s [(2007). Identifying core categories of client-identified impact of helpful events in psychotherapy: A qualitative meta-analysis. Psychotherapy Research, 17, 305–314] meta-synthesis of significant events research. Comparisons were made between the types of impacts reported as helpful by clients receiving cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or relational integrative counselling. Seventy-five clients identified 291 significant events on 216 Helpful Aspects of Therapy (HAT) forms. The findings broadly reflect all nine impacts identified by Timulak (2007). The study also suggests that a potential new category, ‘voicing’ may exist. Differences between the types of impacts reported as helpful by clients in CBT and integrative therapy showed a higher percentage of CBT clients reporting ‘behavioural change/problem solution’, ‘reassurance’ and ‘client involvement’ as helpful. Differences in other categories were not statistically significant.

KEYWORDS:

• Helpful Aspects of Therapy
• significant events
• helpful events
• cognitive behavioural therapy
• relational integrative counselling

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Hayley Bartlett, Paul Jarvis, Davron Hodson, Liz Miller-Royal, Judith Mulcahy, Patrick Round, Lesley Spencer, Rachel Waters and all the counsellors and clients at NCCS for their contributions.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no financial interest or benefit arising from the application of this research.

Notes on contributors

Dr Emma Quick was a researcher at the University of South Wales (UWS) within Newport Community Counselling Service. Emma is a qualified BACP-registered counsellor working within the private sector in conjunction with various organisations and charities. Her PhD and previous research experience were in genetic toxicology and cancer.

Claire Dowd is Senior Lecturer in Counselling at the UWS. Claire is an Accredited and Registered BACP Member and works as a counsellor and supervisor. Previous research includes the School-based Counselling Strategy Evaluation for the Welsh Government.

Dr Sheila Spong is Deputy Head of the School of Psychology and Therapeutic Studies at the UWS. She is a BACP Accredited Counsellor with research interests in school-based counselling, discourse analysis and community participatory research in counselling.

ORCID

Emma L Quick http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9844-6788

Additional information

Funding

This project was partly funded by the Big Lottery People and Places Fund under grant No. 10255985.