ABSTRACT
Consultation is primarily concerned with the establishment of a collaborative relationship. Its context is predominantly that of information exchange, clari®cation and the achievement of a shared understanding. Consultation is not analogous to counselling or therapy; it is a separate, discrete activity which in itself may be suf®cient for the task in hand. However, the process of consultation is potentially therapeutic. For instance, bene®cial outcomes may derive at its completion. It can also be a helpful preliminary to assessment and to ongoing therapeutic treatment.
