Inclusion of Working with Neuro-diverse Clients in Counselling Training
The purpose of conducting this research is to find out if core counselling training in the UK, sufficiently equips counsellors to work with neurodivergent clients, or whether they are having to seek CPD for this.
I will also be looking at what neurodivergent clients need from us as therapists for example is clinical experience as important as training?
Diagnoses of various neurodiverse presentations are reportedly increasing, and those experiencing mental health difficulties continues to be a concern. Neurodivergent clients may present to any type of therapy. Yet, not all types of therapy may be suitable, and not all therapists are sufficiently equipped to work with them. Clients may self-diagnose, be awaiting assessment, or have been diagnosed: either way, the therapy we offer needs to meet their specific needs. I want to find out if as therapists we are sufficiently equipped to do so. If not, then we risk harming the client.
I will be asking participants questions such as what was included as part of their core training regards working with neurodiverse clients, as well as what they think these clients need from their therapist.
I hope that the findings will help us to understand if neurodivergent clients’ needs are being considered and met: from training through to CPD and clinical practice.
I will use a quantitative approach for my research, an online questionnaire via Jisc that will be completed anonymously. There will be a mixture of question types, mostly multiple choice but also an opportunity for free text answers to some questions.
The study is open to any counsellor / psychotherapist qualified to level 4 or above, practicing in the UK. All modalities are also invited as neurodivergent clients may present to any type of therapy. I hope to attract participants who have trained in different parts of the UK and attended different training schools to give me more varied data that will make the research more valid and reliable.
Ethical approval has been given by University Centre Peterborough.
Information about the research will be given at the beginning of the online survey so that informed consent can be given before beginning.
The questionnaire should take no more than ten minutes. Data will be analysed using descriptive statistics such as where training was completed and how long ago they studied. This will be important to compare answers, identify patterns and to ensure validity. For example, being able to identify which training schools do include this training. Inferential statistics will be provided from the responses to questions around neurodiversity.
If you would like to take part in the research, please email me on: 26003351@student.peterborough.ac.uk.
Thank you, Jenna Bolger BA (Hons) Therapeutic Counselling and Psychotherapy