Designed for psychotherapists and counsellors in training, An Introduction to the Therapeutic Frame clarifies the concept of the frame - the way of working set out in the first meeting between therapist and client. The author, an experienced psychotherapist and teacher, uses lively and extensive case material to show how the frame can both contain feelings and further understanding within the therapeutic relationship. She takes the reader through each stage of therapeutic work, from the first meeting to the final contact, and looks at those aspects of management that beginners often find difficult, such as fee payment, letters and telephone calls, supervision and evaluation. Her practical advice on how to handle these situations will be invaluable to trainees, as well as to those involved in their training.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements. Introduction. The Frame. Transference, Countertransference and Interpretation. The First Contact. First Meetings. Letters and Telephone Calls. Third-party Communications. Ongoing Work. Money Matters. A Brief Intervention. Supervision. Ending and Evaluation. Afterword. Glossary of Terms. Select Bibliography. Suggested Reading. Index.

Author Biography

Anne Gray is a psychotherapist in private practice and a lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire.