Counselling and Psychotherapy Research is dedicated to linking research with practice. Pluralist in orientation, we recognise the value of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods strategies of inquiry and aim to promote quality, ethical research that informs and develops counselling and psychotherapy practice.

We are a journal of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, promoting reflexive research strongly linked to practice, ensuring research remains relevant to practice, and for practice to continue to inform research development.

Journal Metrics

  • 5.6CiteScore
  • 1.3Journal Impact Factor
  • 48%Acceptance rate
  • 56 days Submission to first decision
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Calls for Papers

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Special Section on "Artificial Intelligence and Therapy"

This Special CPR journal section aims to bring together a series of papers that highlight some of the range of ways that AI, machine learning and deep learning are being utilised in the counselling professions. We welcome submissions that address this broad topic and reflect ways that these new technologies are being applied to support therapy services, offer therapeutic interventions or contribute to therapist training. 

Deadlines:
Abstract submissions: 29th September 2023
Manuscript submissions: 26th January 2024

Read the full call for papers here

Special Section on "Research Supervision for Counsellors and Therapists"

This CPR journal Special Section aims for a broader understanding of critical factors that impact on research supervision in therapy-related research for both research supervisors and research students. We welcome submissions addressing how research supervision can contribute on counselling, psychotherapy, and counselling psychology research programmes.

Deadlines:
Abstract submissions: 29th September 2023
Manuscript submissions: 26th January 2024

Read the full call for papers here

News

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Counselling in Challenging Times and Sociocultural Contexts

Joint Special Virtual Issue between
Counselling & Psychotherapy Research, Journal of Counseling & Development, and Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development

In principle, the practice of counselling pertains to the support of people who are experiencing personal or social struggle. The clients we serve are often pushed from behind by forces found in intersecting social structures, not limited to economic inequality, racial injustices, and various other social determinants of mental health. Therefore, it is important that professional counsellors adopt practice behaviours that are responsive to client needs and social circumstances as codeterminants of experience.

The editors hope that the quality and exciting findings of this small sample of selected articles from various parts of the world indicates that counselling in challenging contexts will be the norm rather than the exception in the near future.

All articles in the special issue are available free to read through the end of July 2023 here!

New Virtual Issue - Embracing the Art and Science of Counselling and Psychotherapy in Research

This virtual Research Methods edition of Counselling and Psychotherapy Research invites readers to consider and discuss the issue of therapist-researchers’ ‘epistemological home(s)’. What do we hold as ‘true’ and how do we generate knowledge about that? Therapy research has evolved in a multitude of directions since Freud’s case study research. It is multifaceted and an ever-developing field, frequently positioned between art and science. As such, right from its conception, the CPR journal has adopted a broad view on research. It supports therapists to develop as researchers in a space between art and science where embodied, emotional and socio-cultural sources of knowledge are combined with evidence-based, scientific interests.

Read the issue here


Joint Special Virtual Issue between Journal of Multicultural Counseling & Development and Counselling & Psychotherapy Research

The Core Role and Responsibility of Counselling Practice and Research in Addressing Race and Ethnicity Issues

Enjoy a collection of papers specially selected by the editors of Journal of Multicultural Counseling & Development and Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, chosen as a message of solidarity in sharing global knowledge from studies that position counselling and psychotherapy within a broad social justice framework. Articles such as those included in our joint virtual issue can provide direction to culturally responsive interventions and their application in multicultural community settings, improve training, and influence policy.

All articles in the special issue are available here

Why Should You Publish With CPR?

  • Quick – on average we complete reviews in 24 days and over 1/3 of our articles are published in 23 days or less. 
  • Constructive - the iterative, open and responsive approach taken by the editorial team to explore potential submissions helps facilitate publication and support authors from all backgrounds.
  • Innovative – articles published in CPR contain new frameworks because we welcome different methodological approaches and therapeutic methods as well as their application in different service and sociocultural contexts.
  • Impactful – our readers include practitioners and researchers, our articles have shown an increase in citations and have been used in policy documents.
  • Wide-reaching – CPR articles are seen by a truly international readership - UK & Ireland 36%, US & Canada 21%, Europe & Scandinavia 15%, Australasia 13%, Asia 10%, Africa 3%, South & Central America 1%, Middle East 1%.

Articles

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Open access

Emotional Skills Groups: A Qualitative Study Exploring Client Experiences of Online Emotional Skills Groups Interventions in an NHS Talking Therapies Service

Emma Bonnin, Emma Dures, Eva Fragkiadaki, Jasmine Childs-Fegredo, 
  •  19 July 2025
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

An Exploration of the Experiences of Therapists When They Involve Parents in Their Young Person's Therapy Session

Thelma Kuria, Philip James, 
  •  13 July 2025
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

‘You're Obviously Not Trying Hard Enough’: A Qualitative Exploration of the Construct of Overcontrol

Claire O'Sullivan, Richard Booth, Rachel Egan, Suzanne Guerin, 
  •  9 July 2025
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Open access

They Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk: Psychotherapists' Experiences of Psychotherapy While Walking in Nature

M. Pischel, A. L. Wüster, K. Metz, H. Wulf, C. Lahmann, E. Pfeifer, 
  •  9 July 2025
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Open access

Being Religious or Spiritual on Therapeutic Training Courses in the UK: A Nationwide Survey

Jane Hunt, 
  •  7 July 2025
More articles

The following is a list of the most cited articles based on citations published in the last three years, according to CrossRef.

Can I use TA? Should I use TA? Should I not use TA? Comparing reflexive thematic analysis and other pattern-based qualitative analytic approaches

Virginia Braun, Victoria Clarke, 
  •  37-47
  •  18 October 2020

Using thematic analysis in counselling and psychotherapy research: A critical reflection

Victoria Clarke, Virginia Braun, 
  •  107-110
  •  1 March 2018

The CORE‐10: A short measure of psychological distress for routine use in the psychological therapies

Michael Barkham, Bridgette Bewick, Tracy Mullin, Simon Gilbody, Janice Connell, Jane Cahill, John Mellor-Clark, David Richards, Gisela Unsworth, Chris Evans, 
  •  3-13
  •  26 February 2013

Towards an evidence‐base for student wellbeing and mental health: Definitions, developmental transitions and data sets

Michael Barkham, Emma Broglia, Géraldine Dufour, Mark Fudge, Louise Knowles, Alan Percy, Afra Turner, Charlotte Williams, the SCORE Consortium, 
  •  351-357
  •  11 July 2019

A client‐generated psychometric instrument: The development of ‘PSYCHLOPS’

Mark Ashworth, Melanie Shepherd, Jeremy Christey, Veronica Matthews, Kevin Wright, Henk Parmentier, Susan Robinson, Emma Godfrey, 
  •  27-31
  •  18 August 2006
More articles

News and Announcements

CPR Editor’s Inaugural Editorial

This inaugural editorial by the editor of CPR, ‘Making a difference to people's lives: The impact of evidence on practice’ outlines his hopes and aspirations for the future of the journal and offers advice on submitting to the journal.

Special Section Call For Papers

CPRinvites submissions for a special section entitled Counselling and Psychotherapy Training
Guest Editors:Dr David Murphy and Professor Stephen Joseph, School of Education, University of Nottingham
Please click here for more details of the Special Section and the submission process
Submission Deadline: 1st March 2018:

CPR invites submissions for a special section entitled Working with Psychological Trauma
Guest Editor: Dr Nikki Kiyimba, University of Chester
Please click here for more details of the Special Section and the submission process.
Submission Deadline: 31st October 2017

CPR Invites submissions for a special section entitled 'What core skills are needed to be an effective therapist?'
Guest Editors: Dr Sofie Bager-Charleson, Dr Alistair McBeath and Professor Simon du Plock, Metanoia Institute London
Please click here for more details of the Special Section and the submission process.
Submission Deadline: 1st November 2017

New Editor and Managing Editor for CPR

The BACP and Wiley are delighted to introduce the new Editor for CPR, Professor Panos Vostanis, and the new Managing Editor, Liddy Carver, who took up their posts on 1st January 2017.
We would also like to thank the outgoing Editor, Dr. Clare Symons, for her hard work, enthusiasm and dedication to the journal.

General Call for Papers

CPR is an international, peer-reviewed journal, dedicated to linking research with practice in counselling and psychotherapy. The journal aims to promote high-quality, ethical research that influences, informs and develops counselling and psychotherapy practice and would like to welcome UK and international submissions from counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, or other related professional groups.

Further information about making a submission to the journal can be found here, or via the journal’s Author Guidelines.



Can I use TA? Should I use TA? Should I not use TA? Comparing reflexive thematic analysis and other pattern-based qualitative analytic approaches

Virginia Braun, Victoria Clarke, 

Using thematic analysis in counselling and psychotherapy research: A critical reflection

Victoria Clarke, Virginia Braun, 

The CORE‐10: A short measure of psychological distress for routine use in the psychological therapies

Michael Barkham, Bridgette Bewick, Tracy Mullin, Simon Gilbody, Janice Connell, Jane Cahill, John Mellor-Clark, David Richards, Gisela Unsworth, Chris Evans, 

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