ABSTRACT
An inquisitive approach is key to the work outlined in this book. In our view, an effective practitioner needs to draw on current research and to respond to this in terms of the development of their own conceptualizations and their own practice. From this perspective our development as practitioners is ongoing and changing, hopefully in ways that ensure a freshness to our approach with clients. Apart from drawing on current research to inform practice we would support a greater integration of research and practice than has often been the case to date (see also O'Brien and Houston, 2007; Cooper, 2008). In our view, competent psychotherapists and researchers potentially share a number of key skills, notably an attitude of `critical subjectivity' and `creative indifference' through which potential responses to client issues or potential areas of inquiry are ideally assessed and responses identi®ed which offer the best service possible to the client as well as to developing knowledge. In the current political climate clinicians are under increasing pressure to demonstrate that their approach to psychotherapy is both effective and useful. We are currently seeing more effort being invested in ensuring that the potential range of therapeutic activity is re¯ected in research endeavours and we would encourage all clinicians to ensure that they are a part of these developments.
