ABSTRACT
The Affective Disorders service provides assessment and treatment for adults presenting with significant mental health problems associated with disorders of mood, emotion, behaviour and personality. There are services in other parts of the country that have similar delivery aims and are organised between psychosis and non-psychosis pathways; however, the current service structure is not commonplace in other mental health trusts, with a tendency towards more general community mental health teams. The multidisciplinary service allows for a rich amalgamation of skills and understandings brought together to develop detailed collaborative care plans. The role of a counselling psychologist within this service can be as diverse and interesting as the population it works with. The chapter reflects upon the emotional, ethical and legal challenges of this role. The chapter is illustrated by a case study in order to contextualise the reflections and illuminate them.
