The Value of Failure

Some years ago my supervisor and mentor wanted to refer me a client whose very successful life was seemingly collapsing around him - his marriage was in tatters and he was in danger of losing his high profile post.

My supervisor, himself a trained psychotherapist, was accustomed to working with high profile and high achieving clients; e.g. politicians, CEOs and those known from the media.
Now, at that time my client base, while being diverse, did not attract this demographic so I said (with some anxiety) to my supervisor - "I'm really not sure that these are the right client's for me".

His immediate riposte? - "Rubbish, you'll be perfect; you know a lot about failure!"

Most of us can handle success; failure is a different kettle of fish.

"We must protect ourselves! We can measure - we will be safe!"

"what measures/procedures there are out there for therapists to get solid feedback from clients on how therapy is going / has gone for them. Efficacy! Can any of you recommend one?"

The above quote is from a request posted on a network site to which I am connected; this is my response. -

Much thanks to Ben James for his broad view on the sad and fearful regulatory corrals that now surround and invade the real work of therapy.

I am not able to be so rigorous in my examination of this state of affairs as Ben; suffice it to say that if I want to know whether I am being helpful, I ask my clients. To use a universal examination is to insult and infantilise each individual. 

And... as Ben so appropriately points out, I only see my client for 1/168th of a week; to assume that I might be responsible for someones' depression lifting, someones' anxiety diminishing is both arrogant and ignorant. If we, as therapists, cannot bear to live with the uncertainty and ultimate immeasurability of being here then we are in the wrong game.

What is it exactly that we seek to measure? Whose story/context/content/culture would you have me use as the measuring stick? This whole issue of regulation is riddled with fear. Who do you trust?

My first therapist gave me a book to read some thirty years ago - "The Wisdom of Insecurity" - (Allan Watts). I am ever grateful.

The slogan of regulation - "We must protect ourselves! We can measure - we will be safe!"

Why do I offer post-graduate training?

 Why do I offer post-graduate training?

My experience running Personal Development groups for trainee counsellors and therapists finds me questioning the depth and rigour of many current training courses. I believe this is not so much due to the tutorship or personal agendas, persuasions and skills of tutors, but rather the burgeoning requirement on training courses to prove ('evidence') that all bases have been covered; politically and correctly learned and assimilated, therefore nullifying any possibility of the training being flawed or inadequate - all boxes ticked!
This obsession with training courses evidencing they have ticked all the boxes, covered all bases, means tutors are constantly preoccupied with 'looking over their shoulders' lest they omit or contravene an edict from their respective governing body or authority. This evokes a level of hyper-vigilance severely limiting the potential to explore, experiment, experience and learn; now the 'evidence' becomes the overarching priority. We thus, in giving diplomas for the ability to evidence all the 'right' boxes are ticked, might say that we give 'diplomatic immunity' to our graduates. Would we want to set this precedent for our clients? Indeed, would we like a CCTV camera in the corner of our consulting room? What part(s) of ourselves must we leave outside the consulting room lest it is spotted by 'big brother'?