Working with Couples: avoiding the complaining being about us

FREE ONLINE CPD EVENT

Being the subject of a complaint in your professional practice can be a deeply stressful and distressing experience. We are becoming a more litigious society and the concept of the ‘customer is always right’ has crept into all areas of life. It is something we need to prepare for as counsellors and therapists, and the area of couple work is where we see an increase in complaints.  

This session is an opportunity to reflect on your practice with couples and build your preventative approach to minimising complaints. 

It is a facilitated session in the company of other practitioners to identify some of the factors that need to be taken account of –

1. At the start of the work – Context: Why people come to couple counselling including –

• ‘Last chance saloon’
• A way to announce its over 
• Looking for a fix
• They are in terrible pain

2. In session – Own preparedness: acknowledging to self that complaints may arise 

• Contracting – your role, way of working, what you offer
• Setting out clients’ hopes and expectations of couple work

3. Should a complaint be made  – Stop and review: dealing with the emotional impact on self as well as the process 

• Supervision 
• Review of records
• Addressing the complaint itself

This session will include looking at a model of ‘prevention to repair’ that could be adapted for use within your own work with couples.   

About the Presenter

Claire Edwards is a qualified individual counsellor (Strathclyde,1992) and couple counsellor (postgraduate certificate, 2023). She is currently the Counselling Practice Manager of a charitable counselling service in Edinburgh (Bright Light Relationship Counselling) and has a small private practice. 

Claire worked in private practice and in a number of settings including a Health Centre in Glasgow’s East End and the Beatson Cancer Service at the Royal Infirmary. With the birth of her son who is disabled, in 2000, she stepped back from counselling but her therapeutic training informed her work as the Director of an advocacy service supporting families of disabled children and the Manager of a Guided Self Help service in Edinburgh. As a freelance trainer and consultant for over 15 years she has used the therapeutic lens when supporting the personal and professional development of individuals and staff teams. Claire returned to counselling in 2020 and joined Bright Light in 2021.