Overview

Counselling Ideologies draws our attention to the dilemmas inherent within the therapeutic ideologies commonly subscribed to by psychotherapists and counsellors working with those who challenge heteronormative models and approaches. Identifying the modernist, heteronormative understandings of the world implicit in the more popular models, this book employs queer theory to challenge these ideologies, drawing on disciplines both within and outside of counselling and psychology, as well as sociology, cultural studies and various ethnographic accounts. It highlights the dilemmas faced by those who may wish to practise as 'queer therapists', addressing not only therapeutic dilemmas, but also issues such as: identity, race, coming-out experiences, 'internalised homophobia', 'empathy', 'ethical issues', bisexuality and pathologisation. Comprising contributions from both academic experts and practitioners from the UK, USA and Australia, this book represents a new approach to counselling and psychotherapy that will appeal not only to sociologists and those working in the field of mental health, but also to scholars of race and ethnicity, gender, queer studies and queer theory.

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9780754676836

Table of Contents

Reviews

'It is easy to accept the heteronormative consciousness that informs and influences all aspects of psychotherapy. But it does not make it right. Queer theory offers radical insights into therapeutic logic and this book provides new and challenging perspectives on sex, gender and sexualities while giving language, communication, text and practice careful consideration. Questioning the process of therapy, this book offers ideas on reflection for practice and the development of theory in these areas.' Stephen Palmer, City University London, UK 'Counselling Ideologies: Queer Challenges to Heteronormativity offers a timely and significant interrogation of the transforming terrains of sexuality and psychology. The authors in this collection take up a number of critical questions concerning the constraints of heteronormative counselling ideologies on counselling practice and explore the expansive terrains of queer politics and queer theory to rethink both. The collection bridges theory and practice, drawing together insights from cultural studies of sexuality to refresh and reinvigorate the applied, professional dimensions of counselling and psychology. An excellent text.' Deborah Lynn Steinberg, University of Warwick, UK 'These searching and critical essays provide a much needed challenge to the mainstream languages and practices of counselling whose imageries of heterosexuality, family life and monogamy are here under fire. This book will be a significant challenge to counsellors and a call to arms for queer theorists.' Ken Plummer, University of Essex, UK 'This book engages mostly professionals from the field of psychotherapy and deploys the practical dimension of operationalized de-historicizing of the underlying heteronormative templates within the scientific establishments of psychic care. The two ambitions - enacting deheterosexualization of therapy and showing resisting therapeutic practices - reveal substantial chunks of the heterosexualist paradigm in present

'It is easy to accept the heteronormative consciousness that informs and influences all aspects of psychotherapy. But it does not make it right. Queer theory offers radical insights into therapeutic logic and this book provides new and challenging perspectives on sex, gender and sexualities while giving language, communication, text and practice careful consideration. Questioning the process of therapy, this book offers ideas on reflection for practice and the development of theory in these areas.' Stephen Palmer, City University London, UK 'Counselling Ideologies: Queer Challenges to Heteronormativity offers a timely and significant interrogation of the transforming terrains of sexuality and psychology. The authors in this collection take up a number of critical questions concerning the constraints of heteronormative counselling ideologies on counselling practice and explore the expansive terrains of queer politics and queer theory to rethink both. The collection bridges theory and practice, drawing together insights from cultural studies of sexuality to refresh and reinvigorate the applied, professional dimensions of counselling and psychology. An excellent text.' Deborah Lynn Steinberg, University of Warwick, UK 'These searching and critical essays provide a much needed challenge to the mainstream languages and practices of counselling whose imageries of heterosexuality, family life and monogamy are here under fire. This book will be a significant challenge to counsellors and a call to arms for queer theorists.' Ken Plummer, University of Essex, UK 'This book engages mostly professionals from the field of psychotherapy and deploys the practical dimension of operationalized de-historicizing of the underlying heteronormative templates within the scientific establishments of psychic care. The two ambitions - enacting deheterosexualization of therapy and showing resisting therapeutic practices - reveal substantial chunks of the heterosexualist paradigm in present day care of the soul...' Sextures

Author Information

Lyndsey Moon is an ESRC Senior Research Officer based at Warwick University Lyndsey Moon, Tina Livingstone, Ian Hodges, Alex Iantaffi, Julie Tilsen, David Nylund, Catherine Butler, Roshan das Nair, Sonya Thomas, Christian Klesse, Mark Casey, Y. Gavriel Ansara, Sekneh Beckett, Dossie Easton.

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