ABSTRACT
In this chapter I discuss some questions about theory and practice in counselling and
psychotherapy,1 outlining three types of relationship between theory and practice and
examining the implications of each for therapy. These relationships are: theory as a
direct representation of practice reality; theory as models or metaphors for practice
and theory as an explanatory framework for clients. In response to the question:
‘What do counsellors need from theory?’, I conclude that an effective relationship-
Pragmatic belief is important to counselling in three main ways: theoretically,
phenomenologically, and professionally. Here, I am predominately discussing
theoretical pragmatic belief, which requires the counsellor to hold in tension the
belief needed for therapy to be effective and the scepticism required to maintain
openness to alternative interpretations. It involves engaging with a given theoretical
perspective as a credible and coherent way of framing the client and his3 world,
whilst at the same time being able to regard this perspective as just one of many
potentially helpful possibilities. Theoretical scepticism is essential to enable
counsellors to resist the temptation to engage in the authoritarian forms of practice
that otherwise can arise from the adoption of expert forms of knowledge.
