Valerie Thomas - Using Mental Imagery in Counselling and Psychotherapy: A Guide to More Inclusive Theory and Practice

The therapeutic potential of working with clients mental images is widely acknowledged, yet there is still little in the counselling and psychotherapy literature on more inclusive approaches to the clinical applications of mental imagery. Using Mental Imagery in Counselling and Psychotherapy is a unique, accessible guide for counsellors and psychotherapists who wish to develop their expertise in this important therapeutic practice.

Contemporary practitioners have at their disposal a large repertoire of imagery methods and procedures comprising the contributions from different therapeutic schools and clinical innovators. Valerie Thomas identifies some of the common features in these approaches and offers a transtheoretical framework that supports integrative practitioners in understanding and using mental imagery to enhance therapeutic processes. The book:

• Examines the development of the theory and practice of mental imagery within a wider context of the history of imagination as a healing modality;
• Describes the different ways that mental imagery has been incorporated into therapeutic practice and evaluates recent developments;
• Reviews explanations of the therapeutic efficacy of mental imagery and considers how recent theoretical concepts provide a means of understanding the role that mental images play in processing experience;
• Includes reflections on ways to develop more inclusive theory and proposes a model that can inform integrative practice.

Using a wide range of clinical vignettes to illustrate theory and cutting-edge research, Valerie Thomas proposes a new integrated model of practice. Providing clear and detailed guidance on applying the model to clinical practice, the book will be essential reading for psychotherapists and counsellors, both in practice and training, who wish to harness the therapeutic efficacy of mental imagery.

Valerie Thomas is a counsellor, psychotherapist and supervisor in private practice. Formerly, she was a Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University and Course Leader for Counselling training.

This book is an exciting contribution to the use of mental imagery in counselling and psychotherapy. Grounded in the real-world, practical experience of the author, and developed from her in-depth Doctoral studies, it offers an original, inclusive model, well rooted in the diverse history of mental imagery in therapeutic work. It is presented in terms as vivid, imaginative and, above all, useful as the way of working it describes. It should be an inspiration for practitioners from across the psychological therapies, regardless of their theoretical orientation, and deserves a place on the bookshelf of everyone who seeks to work with the immense fund of creative opportunities the imagery of human minds can offer us.

Dr Stephen Goss, Principal Lecturer, Metanoia Institute, and
Co-Editor, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling

This book is a highly practical and persuasive guide to developing a more inclusive practice with mental imagery. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all psychotherapists and counselors who recognize the importance of imagination in the therapeutic process.

Anees A. Sheikh, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychology,
Marquette University, Editor, Baywoods Imagery and
Human Development Series

A welcome and comprehensive approach to imagery as part of the warp and woof of therapeutic and counselling work. Its wide-ranging approach to theory, and very specific guidelines to practice, makes the vital and much neglected usefulness of imagery accessible to any practitioner. Highly recommended.

Dr. Dina Glouberman, Skyros Holistic Holidays founder,
Imagework pioneer, author of Life Choices, Life Changes,
The Joy of Burnout, and You are what you imagine

First published 2016

by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

and by Routledge

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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2016 Valerie Thomas

The right of Valerie Thomas to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Thomas, Valerie, 1952 author.

Using mental imagery in counselling and psychotherapy : a guide to more inclusive theory and practice / Valerie Thomas.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1.Imagery (Psychology)2.Counseling psychology.3.Psychotherapy.I.Title.

BF367.T495 2016

153.3'2dc23

2015024836

ISBN: 9780415728850 (hbk)

ISBN: 9780415728867 (pbk)

ISBN: 9781315673233 (ebk)

Typeset in Times

by Apex CoVantage, LLC

Part I
Towards more inclusive theory

Part II
Towards more inclusive practice

Many people have helped me in the process of producing this book. However, the single most important group consists of the clients who placed their trust in me as I developed my understanding of how to integrate imagery more deeply into talking therapies. It is to these people that I owe a special debt of gratitude they taught me this practice.

Along the way, my friends and family have been a source of constant support. One person, in particular, deserves a name check: my dear friend and colleague, Mark Neary. Without his endless enthusiasm and encouragement, I doubt that I would have completed this task.

I would also like to acknowledge permission to reprint the explanation of conceptual metaphor theory in ).