Ep. 24 | Does Metaphoric imagery have a place in the Therapist’s Toolbox

05/01/24 • 58 min

Welcome to our PCI Graduate Investigates episode where we explore the 2023 Martin Kitterick Award second place thesis by Joan Kelly. The title of Joan’s thesis is ‘Does metaphoric imagery have a place in the therapist’s toolbox?’. We discuss how she came to pick this topic for her thesis, in tandem with her own exploration of the use of metaphor in her client work. She describes how metaphoric imagery needs to be a collaborative piece of work which helps to add depth to the therapeutic relationship as the therapist and client work to a shared understanding of the image. The image can also evolve along with the client’s process and can help to move past the narrative of what happened and connect to the associated feelings. We tend to use metaphors and images in everyday life so it is important for therapists to be aware of how they present in the client room to make sure they are being harnessed for their great potential.

This is a recording of a live webinar we held in March, attended by students across PCI College. I, Margaret O Connor, BSc Programme leader, am delighted to host these events as we want to highlight the high-quality research being produced by our fourth year students. The panel for this discussion includes Gael Kilduff, Head of Counselling and Psychotherapy and Colm Early, second year head and faculty lecturer. Please see this link to read Joan’s thesis - https://www.pcicollege.ie/pcicollegemartinkitterickawardwinner2023

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Ep. 23 | Spirituality in Counselling & Psychotherapy

Today we are discussing the topic of spirituality. This is a broad topic and one that can sometimes be hard to put into words, so I am delighted to be joined by returning guests, Gael Kilduff and Colm Early who share their perspectives. We discuss some definitions of what spirituality is and explore how it can inform your work as a therapist even if you don’t regard yourself as spiritual or ever sue the work with your clients. We discuss what it means to be truly present with your clients, to hold and provide the sacred space of therapy and to meet each client as a holistic person in their own world. We also explore what is needed by the therapist so that they can get out of their own way for these things to happen. Gael Kilduff is head of Counselling and Psychotherapy with PCI College and is an experienced supervisor and therapist. Colm Early is also an experienced supervisor and therapist, as well as a faculty lecturer and year two head with PCI College. This is an inspiring and grounding conversation and I hope you find something that resonates with you in it.

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Ep. 25 | Counsellors with Attention Deficit: The Impact of Differences

Welcome to the second episode of the PCI Graduate Investigates series. This is with the winner of the Martin Kitterick Award, Rebecca Bourke and we discuss her thesis titled ‘Therapists with Attention Deficit: The Impact of Differences’. We did hold this as a live event for PCI students to attend in April. Unfortunately, we had a glitch with the recording so I’m very grateful for Rebecca for giving her time to re-record our conversation. I really wanted to share it on this wider platform as it is so interesting. We discuss how having ADHD can be a challenge but also a strength for therapists. We talk about some points to keep in mind when working with neurodiverse clients and ways to support yourself as a therapist with ADHD around working memory. We also explore the need to be open to the possibility of accommodations to support neurodiverse people in wider organisations.

Rebecca Bourke graduated from the BSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy with PCI College in 2023. She is working towards pre-accreditation in private practice. Please use this link to read her thesis - https://www.pcicollege.ie/pcicollegemartinkitterickawardwinner2023