Introduction to Practice Based Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy

When?

7 October 2025, 13:00 to 17:00 (BST)

Where?

University of Strathclyde, Level 3 - Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC), 99 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RD

What is involved?

We would like to invite you to our first collaborative workshop, which will focus on practice-based research in counselling and psychotherapy. This is the first in a series of four workshops in which we hope to de-mystify the process and realities of practice-based research in our field and bring together people with all sorts of experience levels.

Whether you have lots of prior experience or are completely new to research - we would love for you to come along and share your experiences, insights, ideas, concerns, and questions.

In the first workshop we will introduce you to the Strathclyde Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Clinic and share some of our experiences of carrying out practice-based research. We look forward to exploring these with you and exchanging our experiences. Together, we will come up with some basic 'principles for practice' around practice-based research and how it can be integrated into our work as counsellors and psychotherapists. 

There will be plenty of time for questions and discussions. We hope to create a space that allows you to think more concretely about how you might go about introducing a research element into your practice, if that is something you are interested in. This workshop will also provide a foundation for the three workshops that follow.

The workshop will be held on the University of Strathclyde campus in the heart of Glasgow city centre. We will be providing a light lunch and refreshments.

If you attend any of our workshops, we will invite you to take part in a follow-up study. The intent is to measure the impact the workshops have had on your practice and what you have taken away from them. Participation in the follow-up research is entirely voluntary. Read more about the research aspect of the project. 

Please note that registrations will close one week before the workshop date.

Principles for Good Practice

  • Ethics – Consideration of ethical implications is the foundation of good practice. ​
  • Transparency - Clear and transparent information about each step of practice-based research and expectations to ensure consent is fully informed. ​
  • Client-focused - Comprehensive risk-assessment for all research, clear communication between researcher and participant, feedback focused throughout to ensure voluntary participation, prioritisation of client wellbeing and the therapeutic relationship. ​
  • Self-awareness - active reflection and recognition of motives, limitations, bias and impact. ​
  • Accountability - ensure that each step of research is well documented, identify a suitable research support network and seek guidance if uncertain.​

Principles collaboratively agreed upon by participants of first workshop (Practice-Based Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy on 07/10/25).