Introduction

Harris, M ORCID: 0000-0003-3124-4158 (2026) 'Introduction.' In: Harris, M, ed. How to become a counsellor: a practical guide. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp. 1-9. ISBN 9783032351401

Abstract

This chapter introduces counselling as a disciplined, ethical and relational profession whose significance has grown in response to the pressures of contemporary life. Against unhelpful views of counselling as advice-giving, crisis management or a fashionable language of wellbeing, this introductory chapter presents it as a reflective practice grounded in therapeutic relationship, professional responsibility and sustained attention to human experience. Written for prospective counsellors, students, practitioners and allied professionals, the chapter offers an accessible but serious account of what counselling is, what it asks of those who practise it and why it matters in the United Kingdom and beyond. It situates counselling within a social world marked by uncertainty, inequality, digital change and increasing public attention to mental health, while emphasising that visibility does not resolve questions of access, ethics or inclusion. The chapter also outlines the structure of the book, tracing a journey from foundational definitions through training, ethics, practitioner development and the changing professional landscape. Across these themes, counselling is presented not as a fixed body of knowledge but as an evolving, humane discipline shaped by theory, values, social context and the enduring importance of the therapeutic relationship. This book invites readers into that complexity with clarity, care and critical reflection.

Item Type:	Book Chapter or Section
Divisions:	School of Sciences
Related URLs:	https://link.springer.com/book/978303235...
Date Deposited:	02 Nov 2026 12:43
Last Modified:	02 Nov 2026 12:43
URN:	https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/18032

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