Focus on Research
The Power of New Research
Since it was launched 10 years ago CPR had always aimed to disseminate high quality research in counselling and psychotherapy, while at the same time promoting the work of new researchers. At the journal we are aware that many counsellors and psychotherapists embark on their research journey, perhaps as part of a course of study, and never publish their findings. In all likelihood there is a plethora of undiscovered research that, if published, could contribute greatly to our understanding of the counselling and psychotherapy process.
In collaboration with BACP and sponsored by Routledge, CPR has given its name to a New Researcher Prize for several years. Current or recently graduated students in counselling and psychotherapy are encouraged to submit their research, in the form of a paper, so help identify emerging researchers or key research. The 2009 New Researcher prize was awarded to Mhairi Thurston, a lecturer at the Tayside Institute for Health Studies at the University of Dundee Abertay UK, for her study titled “An inquiry into the emotional impact of sight loss and the counselling experiences and needs of blind and partially sighted people”. This article in featured in the March issue of CPR 10(1).
Mhairi's research typifies what the CPR New Researcher prize is about: innovative research in an under-researched area with potential impact for visually impaired clients, counsellors and psychotherapists, other health care professionals working with the visually impaired, as well as at a policy level.
Mhairi, with her own experience of having lived through the impact of a diagnosis of visual impairment, asked a number of people about their experiences of being diagnosed as visually impaired and their views about counselling provision. Using qualitative approaches in analysing the data, Mhairi touched on the profound effects such as diagnosis can have. As one participant in her study stated, “I was told 'You've got…a genetic progressive eye disease and I'm sorry there is no cure. Away you go home'”, while another talked of her own trauma, “I went out at nine o'clock in the morning quite hale and hearty and I came back at night unable to drive and registered disabled at my work. Nobody said here's a leaflet or information on anything else. I came back and I didn't know if I was going to be blind in six months and it was really traumatic...”.
In exploring how the participants felt about counselling provision, Mhairi received mixed comments, including one participants who felt that “... counselling is not going to help me… the only thing that is going to make you feel better is getting your eyesight back”. While another stated that “Counselling absolutely helped me. I came out of counselling and I felt happy. I had a different perspective”.
In drawing together her conclusions Mhairi proposes a model from sight to blindness, and makes a number of interesting recommendations for counselling practice. Already her research has provoked interest in policy makers in Scotland, UK with the hope that the implications of her study will gather more of a national momentum. Mhairi herself hopes to continue her research in this area.
Dr Andrew Reeves
Editor, Counselling and Psychotherapy Research
