Learning and Being in Person-Centred Counselling

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The late Tony Merry wrote in plain English, so it's an easier way to get one's head around the theory, rather than getting caught-up in scientific psychobabble. British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (2018) Ethical framework for the counselling professions.

Students will find in this book a thorough grounding in person-centred theory and practice; for experienced practitioners, it will enhance their understanding and their abilities. Despite being first published more than 20 years ago, this book remains relevant to contemporary person-centred counselling practice.Tony Merry died in 2004, and this third edition has been updated, with a new chapter on recent developments, by Sheila Haugh, a long-time colleague who knew him and his work well.

It might also de-mystify what Counselling is about and therefore help you to make the most of counselling sessions. Learning and Being in Person-Centred Counselling is a classic textbook that provides essential reading for all person-centred counselling students and experienced practitioners alike. He (with Sheila Haugh’s sympathetic updating) makes reference to the many theorists and practitioners who have influenced the approach, giving the reader an insight into the strands that make up the tapestry of person-centred therapy. She is a UK Council for Psychotherapy Registered Psychotherapist and teaches a Masters level programme in Contemporary Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Applications.In the second edition of this hugely popular book, Tony Merry reorganised and updated the text to include the latest initiatives in the world of counselling and psychotherapy. I particularly enjoyed the theory sections in [Learning and Being] - and I valued the inclusion of cultural, political, professional and social issues at an early stage . Learning and Being in Person-Centred Counselling has inspired and guided thousands of counselling students since it was first published in 1999. If I could only have one book on PCT this would be it, Merry has distilled down all of the important texts into one, modern, relatively easy read here.

It is highly accessible to students at any level of study and contains numerous practical exercises to help the reader gain a deeper understanding of person-centred theory. Students who want to understand how to practise person-centred counselling will find useful suggestions and insight into how to accompany a client on their individual journey. He was author of several books and articles on counselling, including Learning and Being in Person-Centred Counselling.The book invites readers to engage deeply with how they might honestly ‘live the theory’ of the person-centred approach. Tony Merry’s book is both a comprehensive introduction to the practice of person-centred counselling and a useful start point for understanding the development of the approach. I would recommend Learning and Being as an essential read for all students of the person-centred approach. Merry grounds person-centred counselling in its ontological foundations and shows how theory informs our practice and how the counsellor’s attitudes are essential to their practice. It brings theory to life with its suggestions for exploring and developing person-centred values, qualities, attitudes and skills.