Relationship Counselling - Sons and Their Mothers: A Person-Centred Dialogue (Living Therapies Series)

Young men trying to resolve traumatic experiences and relationship issues with their mothers is not an area that has attracted a great deal of attention, and yet it is not uncommon. Peter is 28, still living at home and feeling ‘like I just don't have a life I can call my own.'As he tries to remedy this, the reaction he gets is''So, where have you been?';'What time do you call this?';'I've been worrying about you';'You said you'd be back before now.'Any pleasure from his evening melts away and he wonders why on earth is he still in the same house as her. This book uses fictitious dialogue to enable readers to experience the struggle of a young man trying to break free from the damaging and dominating influence of his mother. It contains both counselling sessions and supervision sessions, inviting the reader to step into the therapeutic process and experience Peter (the client) as he struggles to create a life for himself, Michael (his counsellor) seeking to offer and maintain the therapeutic conditions of congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard, and Suzy (Michael's supervisor). Practical advice, reflections on the counselling process, helpful summaries and points for discussion are highlighted throughout. Counsellors, trainees, supervisors and other health and social care professionals dealing with relationships will find this book valuable reading. Men who have encountered difficult relationships with their mothers are also likely to gain greater insight and find support through reading this book. Young men trying to resolve traumatic experiences and relationship issues with their mothers is not an area that has attracted a great deal of attention, and yet it is not uncommon. Peter is 28, still living at home and feeling like I just dont have a life I can call my own. As he tries to remedy this, the reaction he gets is ""So, where have you been?"; "What time do you call this?"; "Ive been worrying about you" ;"You said youd be back before now." Any pleasure from his evening melts away and he wonders why on earth is he still in the same house as her. This book uses fictitious dialogue to enable readers to experience the struggle of a young man trying to break free from the damaging and dominating influence of his mother. It contains both counselling sessions and supervision sessions, inviting the reader to step into the therapeutic process and experience Peter (the client) as he struggles to create a life for himself, Michael (his counsellor) seeking to offer and maintain the therapeutic conditions of congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard, and Suzy (Michaels supervisor). Practical advice, reflections on the counselling process, helpful summaries and points for discussion are highlighted throughout. Counsellors, trainees, supervisors and other health and social care professionals dealing with relationships will find this book valuable reading. Men who have encountered difficult relationships with their mothers are also likely to gain greater insight and find support through reading this book. Content: Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Foreword Preface About the author Acknowledgements Introduction The person-centred approach Chapter 1 Counselling session 1: beginnings and introductions Counselling session 2: 'Seen and not heard' Chapter 2 Counselling session 3: 'I'm wondering if counselling is really right for me? ' Counselling session 4: reactions to Peter's father's death Chapter 3 Supervision session 1 Chapter 4 Counselling session 5: discomfort within the therapeutic relationship Counselling session 6: cancelled appointment Chapter 5 Counselling session 7: a memory surfaces, 'Can I have a drink of water?'Supervision session 2 Chapter 6 Counselling session 8: 'Why didn't she love me?', a cathartic release Counselling session 9: 'What is love?', the client reacts to questioning Chapter 7 Counselling session 10: learning to feel loved Supervision session 3 Chapter 8 Counselling session 11: a night in the cells, time to move on Counselling session 12: the truth revealed, Peter is left confused Chapter 9 Peter reflects on his experience so far Michael reflects on his experience as Peter's counsellor Epilogue Bryant-Jefferies (National Health Service, UK) uses fictitious dialogues in counseling and supervision sessions to demonstrate a person-centered approach in counseling a young man trying to break free from the damaging influence of his mother. Practical advice, reflections on the counseling process, summaries, and points for discussion are included, along with an introduction to the person- centered approach. The book is for counselors, trainees, and other heath and social care professionals. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)