Developing ecosystems of support and learning

This chapter reflects upon the way that counselling psychologists are involved in developing ecosystems of support and learning. For instance, counselling psychologists might proactively support individuals to engage in other supported activities in-between therapy sessions (e.g. sports, gardening, online forums, self-help apps). By helping individuals to tailor the resources they access, counselling psychologists continue to challenge the one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. Whilst this attitude is not necessarily new to all psychological therapists and might be seen as echoing perspectives of other professions and more collectivist thinking about growth and well-being, it reflects a growing recognition that meaningful change often takes place across multiple contexts – not just within the therapy room. This aligns with ecological and culturally grounded approaches that value relationships, community resources, and the broader environment as part of psychological healing. Further, the advent of new technologies that can help to bridge the work within the therapy room and the activities outside of it has great potential. This chapter reflects upon the idea of ecosystems of support and describes a framework for understanding the different elements that make up these systems. It then goes on to describe the role that counselling psychologists might have within these systems and how they might be involved in orchestrating them for the best interests of those seeking support.