Ecosystemic Counselling with Children and Young People - Rick Murphy, Claire Harrison-Breed

A unified integrative model for counselling children and young people Practitioners working with children and young people often draw from multiple therapeutic modalities without a coherent framework for integration. Ecosystemic Counselling with Children and Young People presents a single model that synthesises systemic, person-centred, cognitive-behavioural, and psychodynamic theories into one unified approach. Each chapter applies ecosystemic theory to practice through case vignettes and practical examples. The book addresses specific presenting issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, self-harm, suicidality, anger, and behaviour difficulties. It examines how family dynamics, school environments, and social identity shape mental health outcomes, offering strategies for working with these factors. Coverage extends to neurodiversity, collaboration with partner agencies, and counsellor self-awareness within the ecosystemic framework. Readers will also find: A unified theory of change that combines humanistic, cognitive, phenomenological, and psychodynamic principles into one integrative clinical frameworkPractical strategies for working with the interconnectedness of a child's psychological health and their wider social and environmental contextGuidance on adapting ecosystemic interventions for neurodiverse clients, accounting for individual developmental profiles and cognitive processing differencesApproaches for multi-agency collaboration that support holistic wellbeing across therapeutic, educational, and community settings for young clientsContent grounded in three master's-level modules in children and young people's counselling, connecting academic rigour directly to clinical application Designed for qualified therapists, mental health professionals, and trainee counsellors and psychotherapists, this book provides a structured integrative model applicable directly in clinical settings. By unifying established counselling modalities into a single ecosystemic framework, it equips practitioners to deliver holistic, theoretically grounded support to children and young people.