An Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice

John McLeod’s bestseller provides a comprehensive, research-informed overview of the theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy. This new edition has been expanded to cover emerging aspects of contemporary practice, such as debates around neuroscience and integration; third-wave cognitive–behavioural therapies such as ACT, mindfulness and FAP; the experience of being a client; motivational interviewing; interpersonal psychotherapy; social dimensions of therapy; leaving therapy; gender and sexuality; spirituality; and key counselling and therapeutic skills and techniques.

This sixth edition has been fully updated and revised throughout and is separated into a four-part structure for easy navigation. Each chapter also enhances learning with the following resources:

• Case studies
• Landmark and contemporary research studies
• Topics for reflection and discussion
• Suggested further reading

An Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy has been the book of choice for students and tutors on introductory courses for over 25 years.

“Professor John McLeod’s Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy is a classic text. In providing a comprehensive perspective on the field, it goes well beyond being a mere ‘introduction’. Not only does it deliver an encyclopaedic amount of information, but it also presents this information in an incredibly captivating manner. There is simply no other book on the topic to match it. This new edition, truly faithful to its predecessors, maps new innovations in the context of previous generations’ viewpoints. This is ‘the’ book on counselling and psychotherapy.”
Ladislav Timulak, PhD, Course Director, Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, Trinity College Dublin

“John McLeod has a talent for bringing readers into intimate contact with the experience of another person's experience. Through his evocative descriptions, accessible language, and plentiful examples you will find yourself looking through the eyes of both clients and therapists and developing a depth of understanding about important processes in psychotherapy. His position at the vanguard of psychotherapy research allows him to bring to life the practice of psychotherapy while posing research questions and stimulating curiosity about findings. His valuing of varied approaches to psychotherapy invites the reader to connect with diverse perspectives and consider their own beliefs.”
Heidi M. Levitt, PhD, University of Massachusetts Boston, USA