Prof Andrew Reeves

Professor of Counselling Professions & Mental Health

School of Humanities and Social Sciences
a.reeves@chester.ac.uk
Prof Andrew Reeves

Andrew has been a counsellor/psychotherapist for over 30 years and has worked across a full range of working contexts, including health, social care, education (secondary and tertiary) and third sector, as well as an independent practitioner.  He has additionally supervised practitioners for their work with clients across a full range of settings.  He is a Professor in the Counselling Professions and Mental Health at the University, as well as Director, Colleges and Universities for the Charlie Waller Trust.

Prior to becoming a counsellor/psychotherapist Andrew qualified as a social worker and worked in a Social Services setting.  Initially with vulnerable adults, he then specialised in working with children and families and with young people, both therapeutically and also as a child protection social worker.  He remains a Registered Social Worker with Social Work England.  He was Lead Author on the development of the curriculum and content for the MindEd and Counselling MindEd e-learning resource.  He was Approved under the Mental Health Act (1983) to undertake statutory Mental Health Act assessments and working for several years in an out-of-hours emergency mental health crisis team.

His specialist area of practice is with young people, men, with people who present with suicide risk and those who self-injure and self-harm.  He has written extensively on these subjects, and was the Editor-in-Chief of Counselling and Psychotherapy Research journal for six years.  He is Immediate past-Chair of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, which he headed up for 5 years.  As such, Andrew is leading a number of national and international initiatives in the development of counselling and psychotherapy, including in the developments of pluralistic therapy and single-session therapy.  He is author of the highly successful Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy: From Theory to Practice, 2 Edition with Sage, and the forthcoming text, Standards and Ethics for Counselling in Action, 5th Edition with Professor Tim Bond (Sage) – amongst other books, chapters and professional articles.

At the University of Chester Andrew teaches on the DProf (Counselling and Psychotherapy/Psychological Trauma). He additionally supervises MA, DProf and PhD students. 

  • Therapeutic interventions with suicidal clients
  • Practitioner experiences of working with risk in therapy
  • Working with self-injury and self-harm
  • Supervisory tasks and supervisor anxieties when supervising risk in therapy
  • Clinical interventions with students
  • Counselling and psychotherapy with children and young people
  • Men’s mental health and their access to and use of therapy

Consultancy

Andrew offers individual and institutional consultancy on the development of procedures, guidance and policy on working with risk (of harm to self and others) in education, statutory and third sector organisations.  Additionally, Andrew has offered post-vention support to individuals and institutions following the suicide of a client(s), providing an opportunity to review actions, processes as well as individual and team debrief.

Key Professional Roles

  • BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist
  • Fellow, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
  • Chair, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
  • Member of the International Editorial Board, SAGE video content
  • Trustee, Compass Counselling, Liverpool
  • Vice Chair of Governors, comprehensive cschool
  • Chair of the Welfare and Safeguarding Committee and Safeguarding Governor Lead in a comprehensive school

Books

Reeves, A.  (2015). Working with Risk in Counselling and Psychotherapy. London: Sage.

Dryden, W. & Reeves, A. (eds) (2014). Handbook of Individual Therapy: Sixth Edition   London: SAGE.

 Reeves, A. (2013). Challenges in Counselling: Self-Harm London. London: Hodder Education.

Reeves, A. (Series Editor). Essential Issues for Counselling and Psychotherapy (a series of 6 books – first three published January 2015).

Reeves, A. (2013). An Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy: From Theory to Practice.  London: SAGE.

Reeves, A. (2010). Counselling Suicidal Clients. London: Sage.

Dryden, W and Reeves, A. (2008). Key Issues for Counselling in Action (Second Edition). London: SAGE.

Chapters

Reeves, A.  (in press)  Working Pluralistically with Suicide and Self-Injury. In  Mick Cooper and Windy Dryden (Eds).  The SAGE Handbook of Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy. London: Sage.

Bowl, R. and Reeves, A.  (in press)  Discourse Analysis and Working with the Risk of Suicide  in  Michelle  O’Reilly and Jessica Lester. The Palgrave Handbook of Adult Mental Health. London: Palgrave McMillan.

Reeves, A. Disseminating Research. In N Moller and A Vossler (eds) (2015). The Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Handbook. London: Sage.

Reeves, A.  Working with Suicide and Self-Harm in Counselling and Psychotherapy. In C Feltham and I Horton  (eds)  (2012). The SAGE Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy: (Third Edition). London: SAGE.

Reeves, A. Counselling and Psychotherapy with Students.  In C Feltham & I Horton (eds) (2012). The SAGE Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy (Third Edition). London: Sage.

Peer Reviewed Papers

Terry, N & Reeves, A. (in press). The impact of diet on mental health distress: Counsellor understanding and training implications Counselling and Psychotherapy Research.

Cooper, M. & Reeves, A. (2012). The role of randomised controlled trials in developing an evidence-base for counselling and psychotherapy. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research  iFirst  DOI:10.1080/14733145.2012.687388.

 Howdin J and Reeves A (2009). In the fragility of contact: working with suicide in the dialogic relationship. British Gestalt Journal, 18 (1): 10-17.

 Reeves, A & Coldridge E (2007). A Question of Balance: Using CORE-OM to Assess Suicide Risk. Journal of the Association for University and College Counsellors  May 2007.

 Reeves, A., Bowl, R. and Wheeler, S. (2004). The Hardest Words: Exploring the Dialogue of Suicide in the Counselling Process - A Discourse Analysis. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research. 4(1): 62-71.

Reeves, A., Wheeler, S. and Bowl, R (2004). Assessing Risk: Confrontation or Avoidance - What is Taught on Counsellor Training Courses. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling.  32(2): 235-247.

Reeves, A (2001). Assessing Risk. Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal, 12 (8): 36-37.

Reeves, A & Mintz R (2001). The Experience of Counsellors Who Work with Suicidal Clients: An Exploratory Study. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research. 2: 37-42.

Practitioner Papers and Articles

Reeves, A.  From the Chair (monthly column)(2015 onwards).

Reeves, A.  (2014).  Walking a Fine Line: Working with Suicidal Clients.  Healthcare Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal  14 (1): 14-17.

Reeves, A.  (2014).  Tightropes and Safety Nets: Working with Suicide Risk.  Private Practice Journal  Summer 2014.

Reeves, A.  Ethical Dilemmas (monthly column) - Editor (2010-2011).

Reeves, A. and Howdin, J.  (2010)  Considerations for Working with Clients Who Self-Harm  Lutterworth: BACP Information Sheet.

Reeves, A.  (2010)  Counselling Suicidal Clients  London: SAGE.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  On chance and change.  Therapy Today. 20 (1) p 7.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  Log on, drop out.  Therapy Today.  20 (2)  p 6.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  The pursuit of happiness.  Therapy Today 20 (3) p 5.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  Regulatory whispers.  Therapy Today 20 (4) p 7.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  Why Research Matters  Therapy Today 20 (5) p 7.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  The journey, not the destination  Therapy Today 20 (6) p 7.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  Boys don’t cry?  Therapy Today 20 (7) p 7.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  The Limits of Training  Therapy Today  20 (8)  p 7.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  About Cats and Dogs  Therapy Today 20 (9)  p 7.

Reeves, A.  (2009)  Life Beyond the iPhone  Therapy Today 20 (10) p 7.

McMinn, B and Reeves, A (2009) Slugs and Snails and Puppy Dogs' Tails: Male Mental Health. Association for University and College Counsellors Journal pp 16-19.

Mitchels, B and Reeves, A (2009) Is It Right to Let Someone Die? Therapy Today vol 20 issue 10.

Reeves, A (2006) Supporting Staff Dealing with Suicide. Journal of the Association for College and University Counsellors pp 8-12.

Reeves, A & Nelson S (2006) Tight Ropes and Safety Nets: Taking Care of the Practitioner When Facing the Reality of Suicide. Therapy Today.

Reeves, A (2004) The Ethical Framework and the Suicidal Client. Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal  May 2004  pp 25-28.

Reeves, A & Seber P (2004) When a Client is Suicidal. Healthcare Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal vol 4 issue 4 pp 27.

Reeves, A and Seber, P. (2004) Working with the Suicidal Client: Practice Guidelines. Information Sheet: British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Reeves, A and Chuah, K (2002) Working in the Shadow: Counselling and the Suicidal Client. Healthcare Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal vol 2 issue 2 pp 11-14.

  • Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW)(Oxford Brookes University)
  • Professional Diploma in Social Work (Oxford Brookes University)
  • Diploma in Counselling (Wirral)
  • MA in Counselling Studies (Distinction)(Chester College/Liverpool University)
  • MSc in Counselling (Salford University)
  • PhD in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Birmingham University)
  • Social Work Practice Teacher Award (CCETSW)(Liverpool John Moore’s University)
  • Approved Social Worker Status (Liverpool John Moore’s University)
  • PG Certificate in Supervision (Salford University)