Stephen Paul and Divine Charura are to be congratulated on producing this almost 'encyclopaedic' work reflecting upon the importance and complexity of the relationship within therapy. Suitable for students and experienced therapists alike, this text is illuminated with 'clips' relating to client and practitioner experiences, theoretical issues and research outcomes. Most importantly, the authors have provided a non-theoretical school/ modality based approach in full recognition of the therapeutic equivalency across therapeutic styles and in pursuit of exploring and  articulating the critically important element of relationship in therapy. A wonderful resource and contribution to current professional literature.

This book is a gem. It is well written, easy to read and underpinned by a deep scholarship.  It clearly draws on its authors’ lengthy experiences of counselling practice, supervision and training.  Rightly, they put the therapeutic relationship at the heart of the successful counselling process and clearly show how techniques from differing approaches to therapy can be appropriately used. This is a book that will appeal to both trainees and experienced practitioners of counselling, psychotherapy and related disciplines.

There is something for almost everyone here. There are twenty-five chapters, divided into five sections, which between them cover almost the whole field of psychotherapy.