In this volume, academics and researchers across disciplines including education, psychology and health studies come together to discuss personal, political and professional narratives of struggle, resilience and hope. Contributors draw from a rich body of auto/biographical research to examine the role of narrative and how it can be constructed to compose a life story, considering the roles of significant others, inspirational, educational and fictional characters, and those in myth and legend. The book discusses how personal narrative, often neglected in social and psychological enquiry, can be a valuable resource across a range of settings. Reference is made to the evolving role of narrative in education and health care, medicine and psychotherapy. This includes how particular narratives are hardwired into culture in ways that stifle personal and social understanding. Rather than providing a 'how to' guide, the book illustrates the range and power of narrative, including poetry, to re-awaken senses of self and agency in extremis. Each chapter draws on specific research, describing the context, explaining the methodology, and illuminating important findings. Discussing implications for research and practice, this book will be key reading for postgraduate and doctoral students in auto/biographical and narrative studies, and across a range of disciplines, including education, health and social care, politics, counselling and psychotherapy. It will be of interest to academics teaching research methods, and those developing biographical and auto/biographical narrative research.

In this volume academic and researchers from across disciplines including education, psychology and health studies come together to discuss personal, political and professional narratives of struggle, resilience and hope. Contributors draw from a rich body of auto-biographical research examining the role of narrative and how it can be constructed, considering the roles of significant others, inspirational, educational and fiction characters, as well as myth and legend, to compose a life story. The book discusses how personal narrative, often neglected in social and psychological enquiry, can be a valuable resource across a range of settings. Reference is made to the evolving role of narrative in studies of educational process, in health and other forms of professional practice, and in psychotherapy. The book also includes examples that go beyond words, demonstrating other ways of representing lives through research, using art, fiction and poetry. Rather than providing a 'how to' guide, this book illustrates the range of work possible using narrative.Each chapter outlines a specific study, describes the context, explains the methodology and illuminates important findings with examples from the research. Further implication for research and practice are also discussed making this book important reading for postgraduate and doctoral students, those teaching research methods, as well as academics and researchers developing biographical and auto/biographical narrative research. The text will appeal to those from a range of disciplines including education, health and social care, counselling and psychotherapy.

A practical introduction for those training in the field of career development, career counselling and career coaching, this book will take your students through established and emerging theory and the different contexts in which career work takes place introducing the key skills, techniques and models they'll need. Professional issues such as the use of digital technologies highlight the contemporary context of careers work and all of this is brought to life through engaging case studies and reflective questions, highlighting the practical applications of what is being learnt.

Supervision is an essential part of counselling training and ensuring you get the very best supervision is important to all students, at all levels. This book introduces both 'new' and 'in-training' supervisors and counsellors to the concept of supervision and its purpose within counselling. The focus is on key elements of supervision, including methods, processes, skills and policy and the authors examine, in depth, the development of the supervision relationship. Also explored are notions of creativity and flexibility in supervision, as well as key concepts such as multi-cultural and anti-oppressive practice. Full of practical activities that link theory to everyday practice, this essential textbook will develop your skills as a counsellor in an interactive and engaging way. Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice is a new series written specifically to support students on Counselling and Psychotherapy courses. These books are practical in focus, concentrate on linking theory to everyday practice, and include practical activities to aid learning.

A practical introduction for those training in the field of career development, career counselling and career coaching, this book will take your students through established and emerging theory and the different contexts in which career work takes place introducing the key skills, techniques and models they'll need. Professional issues such as the use of digital technologies highlight the contemporary context of careers work and all of this is brought to life through engaging case studies and reflective questions, highlighting the practical applications of what is being learnt.

Supervision is an essential part of counselling training and ensuring you get the very best supervision is important to all students, at all levels. This book introduces both 'new' and 'in-training' supervisors and counsellors to the concept of supervision and its purpose within counselling. The focus is on key elements of supervision, including methods, processes, skills and policy and the authors examine, in depth, the development of the supervision relationship. Also explored are notions of creativity and flexibility in supervision, as well as key concepts such as multi-cultural and anti-oppressive practice. Full of practical activities that link theory to everyday practice, this essential textbook will develop your skills as a counsellor in an interactive and engaging way. Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice is a new series written specifically to support students on Counselling and Psychotherapy courses. These books are practical in focus, concentrate on linking theory to everyday practice, and include practical activities to aid learning.