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Henton, Isabel (2015) An interpretative phenomenological analysis of counselling psychology trainees experiences of practice-based research training. Doctoral thesis, London Metropolitan University.
This study explores counselling psychology trainees' experiences of practice-based research training (PBRT). Its introduction asks about the possible aims of counselling psychology research in the United Kingdom (UK). Controversies surrounding evidence-based practice(s) contextualise this question; practice-based research (PBR) is offered as one possible direction for UK counselling psychology research. A critical literature review explores forms of PBR, and their fit with counselling psychology's research discourses and engagements. I ask about whether increased engagement with PBR might be apposite and beneficial to counselling psychology, and if so, what trainings might do to encourage such engagement. One UK counselling psychology course recently developed PBRT within its programme. With little research about PBRT, it seemed useful to ask trainees about their experiences, using an interpretative, phenomenological methodology. Findings from interviews with five second year trainees were that: (1) participants' PBR experiences were contextualised by their converging but unique routes into, and within, training; (2) PBRT may have been experienced as something 'in-between'; and (3) complex training dynamics generated questions about who or what PBR was for, mixing of research-related, and theory-related, experiences, and multi-layered, sometimes anxious, experiences in the therapy room . Links to and disconnections from wider contexts, and the possible implications of these findings are discussed. In particular, I explore whether a future framework involving practice-based research as the doctoral thesis might be appropriate to consider in the context of counselling psychology training. I also consider the potential need for further engagement with, and research in relation to, ethical issues in support of this possibility.
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