Reflective Practice

Reflective practice is one of the most important skills a psychologist can have, according to our professional bodies.  We are encouraged to reflect on the work that we do and in turn encourage others to participate in reflective practice and to reflect on their own work.

Reflective practice has been shown in the literature to improve staff working relationships with patients and to reduce staff burnout.  It is also an evidenced based method of teaching and learning from experience.

For the Stage 2, the emphasis is on reflection rather than on evidencing practice, although this also has to happen.  Trainees are expected to reflect on everything that they have done but, importantly, also to discuss what they would do in the future based on the literature.  It is not enough to be aware of your emotional feelings and to reflect on your responses, you must understand your responses and others' responses by using psychological theory and psychological literature.  You must then discuss what you have learnt and how you move forward using best practice guidelines and the literature.  To not finish this step or to  not adequately use theory and research is to be seen by the assessors to not be reflecting adequately.

Reflective practice is a way of studying your own experiences to improve the way you work. The act of reflection is a great way to increase confidence and improve your interactions with colleagues, clients and patients.  Reflective practice such as writing can be a cathartic process after an interaction to help you to understand how and why something happened and discover appropriate ways to act in the future.  This means that feelings about this interaction can then be contained within the reflective process rather than directed towards the client or patient through counter-transference and in this way unconditional positive regard can be maintained (Bolton 2010).  This suggests that reflective practice has an ethical impetus, as it offers a balance between emotional release and respect for the patient as well as between learning from literature reading and learning from experiences. 

There have been a number of theories of reflective practice such as Rogers’ consciousness raising (Rogers 1969).  He stated that education should “pose problems about our lives in the here and now”.  Similarly to his client-centred therapy, he proposed that learning should be learner-centred whereby a person cannot be taught by another but that learning can be facilitated by others.  This included using reflection as a means of learning through experiences whereby the self and preconceptions are challenged by gently encouraging open mindedness.  More recently, Action Research has emerged as a model of reflective practice and has structured the model as a cycle of planning, acting, observing and reflecting (Bolton 2010).  Action research has been widely used in the psychotherapy community however research into its effectiveness as a teaching and learning tool has not been conducted. 

Different models of reflective practice do not go into the same emotional depth as the models above but do still encourage people to examine alternative reasons for an incident occurring or the outcome of an interaction.  Gibbs’ (1988) Reflective Cycle is one such model where it offers a process of six steps.

The steps are presented as a cycle because the action one takes in the final stage will feed back into the first stage.  This cycle is fairly straightforward and encourages a clear description of the situation, analysis of feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis to make sense of the experience, conclusion where other options are considered and reflection upon experience to examine what you would do if the situation arose again.  It is possible to use this model for individual reflection. 

In contrast, Johns’ (2000) model for structured reflection supports the need for the learner to work with a supervisor throughout their learning experience. He refers to this as “guided reflection”, and recommends that students use a structured diary such as a practice diary.  Johns inferred that sharing reflections on learning experiences encourages greater understanding of those experiences than what could be achieved by reflection as a lone exercise.  John’s Model for Structured Reflection:

1. Commitment - accept responsibility and be open to change
2. Contradiction - note tension between actual and desired practice
3. Conflict - harness this energy to take appropriate action
4. Challenge - confront your own typical actions, beliefs and attitudes in a non-threatening way
5. Catharsis - work through negative feelings
6. Creation - move beyond old self to novel alternatives
7. Connection - connect new insights in the world of practice
8. Caring  - realise desirable practice
9. Congruence - reflection as a mirror for caring
10. Constructing - building personal knowledge in practice

Rolfe (2001) however, criticises this as it only responds to a situation which has been resolved and does not make provision for the question of how one can take forward learning to the next interaction or incident.  Rolfe’s framework uses three questions to reflect on a situation.

1. What ...is the problem? ...was my role? ...happened? ...were the consequences?
2. So what ...was going through my mind? ...should I have done? ...do I know about what happened now?
3. Now what ...do I need to do? ...broader issues have been raised? ...might happen now?

The questions “What? So what? And now what?” can stimulate reflection from all levels of training and experience.  Firstly the practitioner reflects on the situation in order to describe it. The second phase encourages the practitioner to construct personal theory and knowledge about the situation in order to learn from it. At the third level the practitioner reflects on action and considers ways of improving the situation and reflects on the consequences of his/her actions.

Although this review is by no means an exhaustive list of the models of reflective practice, I have examined a range of models from different psychological approaches.  I have chosen to demonstrate Gibb’s and Rolfe’s models in the training.  This is because they have a simple and concrete structure for those beginning their learning in reflective practice.  The staff who will be taking part are not psychotherapists and although they should be able to understand the concepts within action research and Rogers’ consciousness raising, these are not necessarily the most practical or relevant to their daily tasks and interactions.  Within these models there are methods of reflective practice such as the Through the Mirror technique, practice diaries, Personal Development Plans and Portfolios, Problem Based Learning, (Leitch & Day 2006) that could be useful for the individual.  However the time constraints of the service means that simpler models that can also be used in groups would be more beneficial.  

Group reflective practice has same set up as group interventions but also has the benefit of shared experience and learning such as Rowland’s (2000 in Bolton 2010) 'shared context'.  Both Gibbs and Rolfe’s model allow for easy facilitation in groups as well as individual reflective practice sessions.

As a trainee, you will need to choose an appropriate model of reflection and base all your writing: practice diaries, exemplar reports, reflective reports in this way and have these supported by evidence.

What you cannot guarantee is whether you will reflect on something that the assessors feel needs reflecting on. For example, the assessor may feel that you described an incident that required more reflection than you gave or that you made a decision but did not base how you got to your decision in best practice and the literature.

Searching for a supervisor

At an early stage in the training process you are set a challenge:  finding a supervisor.

You might be one of the more fortunate trainees in that your post in your workplace as a trainee forensic psychologist means that you will automatically have a supervisor to take you through Stage 2.  Not everyone is going to find the process this straight forward, so you may need to negotiate through your organisation for a chartered forensic psychologist to provide you with professional supervision.  But there are difficulties involved with this, such as the capacity of the psychologist, the cost to your department for their time and their availability.  

In all job posts you will need to be receiving clinical supervision from a manager, you may also arrange to have peer supervision which has many benefits for you and other trainees including sharing practice and learning without the appraisal aspects that may be part of clinical supervision.  Clinical supervision is about your work and can be undertaken by a manager but in order to charter you need a coordinating supervisor who is a chartered forensic psychologist.  Managers or clinical supervisor can be named as your designated supervisor for particular pieces of work and this counts towards your 4 hours of supervision a month but you need to have at least 2 hours supervision a month with your coordinating supervisor who will need to be a chartered forensic psychologist.

 If you decide to find an independent supervisor to be your coordinating supervisor you will need to contact Alex Johnson, the Qualifications Officer at the DFP.  Alex has a list of current supervisors and their contact details so that you can start canvassing for supervision. The only thing the list doesn't provide is information on whether the supervisors have any current availability. Whilst some chartered forensic psychologists do not take on independent trainees as they feel we are unable to get the experience, many others see the benefits of having independent trainees not just as an extra source of income but as essential to the development of the wider forensic psychology arena.

I also made sure to note what areas they had experience in and where they worked as it helps to have a supervisor who holds the same interests in forensic psychology as you do, for example, if you do not agree with the prison system and do not want to work in that setting, you want to look for a supervisor who perhaps has experience of secure units, police or community work. Furthermore, if your interest is in the courts and eye witness testimony etc, you may find a supervisor who has only worked with offending behaviour and mental health more difficult to work with. On the other hand, a good supervisor may be able to support you despite your differences in interests.

Trying to secure a supervisor is very similar to sending your CV out for a job. You have to sell yourself. It can take some time between finishing your masters and securing a supervisor.  Supervisors will then want to know what you have been doing in the mean time to keep your skills sharp, to gain experience and to continue your professional development. 

This is where volunteering and placements can come in handy and if you need help in organising and logging your continued professional development (CPD) then the BPS have a great CPD site on their main website which allows you to keep a record of your CPD, your learning and your reflections. 

British Psychological Society



It can be hard to know what it is supervisors are looking for in order to sell yourself to them, SO, I asked my supervisor what she looks for and what she thinks other supervisors look for in a trainee. 

Essentially she feels supervisors are looking for people who are motivated and able to work independently; supervisors are there to advise and guide and it is made very clear that you will be doing the work for yourself. You will need to demonstrate a high degreel of organisation so that a supervisor can be certain that you are capable of working at this level. She agreed that a variety of experience is also helpful even if it is voluntary work. 

She did add another useful point.  As with any job or placement, demonstrating that you are mature and professional in your approach to securing a supervisor can make the difference between being accepted and not, so a strong CV and cover letter stating your intention for supervision, what stage your are at with your CPD and training and where you want to go in the future are a must.  

The independent route to chartership does have one special difficulty and this is associated with supervision, and that is finance.  Unless your workplace will fund this training, you will have to fund supervision yourself. 

Supervisors costs vary but are usually between £50 - £100 an hour, and half again for marking work that you send to them. Ouch.

Ok, deep breath, don't panic. You only need to see your supervisor for 4 hours a month once you are enrolled on Stage 2.  Furthermore, it can take up to a year to do all the preparation and have your application completed and approved and you won't need to see your supervisor for 4 hours a month during that time. It is once you are enrolled that you must see a supervisor for 4 hours a month.  However, this can include a designated supervisor who is overseeing your examplar work at your placement or in your workplace. S

For example, if you are doing a placement with a college for one of your exemplars then someone has to be named your designated supervisor and you can see this person for 3 out of the 4 supervision hours a month, saving you a bit of money. A word of caution, your coordinating supervisor is there to make sure that your work is up to standard and to ensure that you are practising appropriately, therefore if they feel at any point that you are struggling then you will need to see them more often. This isn't a bad thing and can only help to improve your practice and the likelihood of passing your exemplars first time.  For some ideas and tips about funding, see my blog post of:

Money Matters for Training Success

Publication - perils, pitfalls and pleasures

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Publishing is a tough challenge in any field, not least in a specialist area such as forensic psychology, and peers will describe it as a minefield to be negotiated with lashings of skill, a peppering of caution and a large helping of courage.

On the surface it can seem as if only certain types of paper are published. To a degree there is some truth in this; you are more likely to be published if you are aligned to a recognised organisation or institution, for example., or equally if the research on which the paper is based has been funded by a well-recognised and respected body. Publishers are very aware that what they publish needs to be read and respected by their readership if they are to retain both their finance and their reputation, so they will more readily gravitate towards papers produced with this type of backing. They are also very sensitive towards the current trends in terms of research and thinking around a field of expertise. For example, these days, a randomised control trial study is more likely to be accepted for publication than a naturalistic study for assessing effectiveness and efficacy in therapy.

Publication as an end result of a research project should form an essential part of the research planning and development process. Success in navigating the minefield that is publishing starts before the research. If it is left as an afterthought or as a consideration towards the end of the project, it is going to be much tougher to find a publisher willing to take on your paper. 

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When planning a project, it is well worth the effort to spend time considering which publishers may be interested in your work, why they might be interested and what it is about this research that is most likely to appeal to them. As a researcher, you may be passionate about a particular project, but you will need to prove to a publisher that there are compelling reasons to publish. Your paper will also have to show a degree of quality that enables the publisher to feel confident that their reputation in the field will be enhanced at best and maintained at the very least. Publishing an article is a risk not just financially for the publisher, but if the work is not of an appropriate standard or the research has any weaknesses, the publisher's reputation as well as your own will be adversely affected. Publication is a state of exposure for both the writer and the publisher. Having this worked out before you launch into the nuts and bolts of your research will help you to devise research that will feed a publishable paper.

For example, you might want to consider the following:

• Is your project essentially small and perhaps requires a follow up so that the results are more robust, strong enough to carry academic criticism which is what publication will raise from experts in your field?
• If you need the results to be robust and stand up to challenge, what type of data will you need?
• How will you analyse that data in order to come to definitive and clear conclusions?
• What research methods will you apply? Are these current and relevant?
• How will you account for bias?
• How will you be able to demonstrate that the study is valid and reliable?

A particularly important aspect to consider at this early planning stage is to identify which journals are most likely to publish your work. This form of research will mean a close study of the journals, analysing what they typically publish, which areas of research they seem to particularly focus on, and the style of writing they employ. For example, is the language particularly complex and academic or is the style more easily accessible and plain? You will also need to be aware of the style of referencing and of the abstract: getting this right at the submission stage will help make your paper that much more attractive for selection by the publisher. This close analysis will also help you to identify current research interests and gaps in the research that your study can look to address.

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There are, of course, thousands of journals, but what at first can seem a dizzyingly high cliff to climb can usually be whittled down by selecting only those journals which specialise in your particular area of research and which publish articles most relevant to your area of study. You can then work out from these, but only as far as you need to.

Once you have completed your research, painstakingly drafted your paper, checked it, revised it and prepared it, you gather up the courage and submit to your chosen publisher. There is no avoiding the wait that will then ensue as the publisher gets round to reading your submission and decides whether they will accept it and if so, when it is to be published. This process could take months, and when you do receive a response, it may be a rejection, whereupon you will need to seek an alternative publication to submit it to. Thorough research in the early stages will mean you have a list of publishers in the order in which you want to submit, so it may mean moving down that list several times over the course of many months.

Inevitably this process can be frustrating and it can be disheartening. The longer a period of time that ensues between drafting the paper and publication, the older and less relevant the results of your research becomes. Alternatively, you find that another article with similar theme is published instead - it is very difficult to come up with original research, as an earlier blog post points out.

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Feedback from the publisher can be harsh, or hard to take - after all, this paper is the results of months and months of planning, research, analysis, overcoming all sorts of challenges and the sheer graft of writing. However, it is important to look on the positive. If your paper is not quite to publishable standards, you have this opportunity to learn your shortcomings and improve. Sometimes it is a matter of presentation needing improvement and since this is different for each publisher, a rejection can teach you to ensure that you follow each publisher's guidelines closely. For example, a rejection could be triggered by not having enough theoretical basis in the literature review, leading to the results not being sufficiently guided by theory. This might result in a full re-write of the literature review, as well as alterations to the results section and discussion section of your paper as you endeavour to improve the theoretical basis for the results.

As with the research project itself, planning and preparation is essential to achieve success in publication of your paper. You can, of course, publish on-line either yourself or through various on-line publications. However, to achieve the recognition that your work deserves and your career requires, you need to achieve recognition by journals or magazines with the gravitas of publications such as the Oxford, Sage or Wiley journals. Publication in any of these journals is a gratifying reward for the effort of researching and writing a fitting paper. Practice makes perfect when learning how to submit for publication.

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Essential Ethics

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You have a keen interest in a particular area of study and you're chomping at the bit to get going with some original research - it's hard enough as it is to come up with an original idea to follow up and you know that the more time you spend getting geared up for the research, the greater the risk of someone else getting to publication first.  At this point, before you go any further, you have to pause and think - does this project fall within ethical guidelines?

Ethical approval is essential in any sort of research.  The coulds, shoulds and woulds of research must fall within the boundaries of scientific investigation and ethical norms in order to carry validity.

With Stage 2 training, as with any advanced degree such as a Masters, students have to go that extra mile in order to demonstrate impeccable ethical practice; arranging for an ethics committee to sign off a project alone is not enough.

There are guidelines for trainees to follow, including the BPS Code of Ethics and Guidance, and the DFP Resources pages, which provide ethical guidelines specific to Forensic Psychology.  These are the rule books which should provide the background to whatever work you carry out on any aspects of competence in the Stage 2 training.

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It helps to extend your thinking when planning your research in order to ensure that it falls within the guidelines. With technological advancements moving at lightning speed and within the easy grasp of trainees, the ethical guidelines agreed by committees may very quickly be left behind or fall short.  Trainees should demonstrate that they have applied the principles of ethical research to each situation and taken ethical issues into account regardless of whether committee guidelines have allowed for innovation.

For example, if using online survey tools, you should be checking what the survey providers do with the data submitted, how long this is kept, how secure it is and is the data sold on to third parties.  Their policies on the use of cookies or privacy will have to be looked into, always with a view on how these might affect the participants.

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The best way to cover as many of the ethical issues as possible is to associate the research with an organisation that has an ethical board who will consider and agree the project.  Without this, you and your supervisor will need to demonstrate thoroughly that all ethical issues have been considered and that they have been managed within overall guidelines.  In addition to this, I would recommend that you obtain permission or a statement from your particular governing body, such as the DFP or BPS before proceeding with the research project as this can be submitted as evidence that you have applied ethical consideration to your work and that you have been permitted to proceed.

Although I have focused on ethics in research, it is wise to remember that ethics permeates every core role in the Forensic Psychology Stage 2 training, and your approach and consideration to the principles of ethics will apply to training, assessment, intervention and consultation.  Ethics, in other words, is essential.

Readiness to Research and Publish

Research is a hot topic for trainees in this discipline.  It is also important for academics and professionals throughout their career, so it is essential for trainees to master the art of carrying out research and, equally important these days, having it published.  

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There is a current, rather heated debate on issues around publication of research.  There are those who voice concerns that there is a distinct lack of replicable studies, while others state that many published studies may replicate others but that this serves to confirm outcomes and push forward political or policy agendas rather than theory.  Critics of the latter focus on their belief that there currently exists too great an emphasis on novel research, or randomised control trials and that there is not enough theoretical development emerging from each study. 

Added to this discursive mayhem are the voices of those who point out that only particular types of research appear to be popular in terms of receiving funding, and there are those who complain of receiving unnecessarily caustic, even personal, criticisms from peer reviewers.  When faced with all this, as well as the ever-present possibility of rejections from editors, it is unsurprising that trainees will feel disheartened at entering this apparent academic minefield.

However, there are ways of achieving publication and recognition for your research.  A good starting point would be to ensure that if you are replicating a research study that you have a very strong case to do so - ideally you will show that you are addressing any recognised flaws in the original study, or you are developing a strand of theory that emerged from the original. If your rationale for replicating  a study is not solid,then it would be best to develop a novel research study.

Trainees in the prison service find themselves with an additional challenge to overcome since they generally have no options as to the research that they carry out: they usually will receive instruction on this as part of their duties.  Independent trainees are fortunate to have greater freedom, but their particular challenges are difficulties in obtaining both funding and access to participants. Research can sometimes be affected by the issue of access to participants since independents sometimes have to resort to researching with willing members of the public rather than a specific sample.

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The discussion must then be had on whether the first step for research is the theory or idea to be tested, or whether the research should be developed from the feasibility of certain areas of study.  When searching for research ideas either or both of these issues may be hugely influential.  

Ideas for research often do emerge from the participants that trainees can access.  To a much lesser extent, however, there are still possibilities to have an original idea by exploring the literature and the current research base and be able to create a successful proposal and gather relevant participants - so trainees do need to hold on to that thought.

Research does need to have a sound rationale based on existing academic literature, theory and  relevance in the current socio-political climate. Although, as scientists we might all wish we could easily research on subjects we feel are of pure scientific interest.  There is a two-fold purpose to this: firstly, the rationale will support at an ethical level why the researcher wishes to test participants; secondly, the rationale will provide a firm foundation with which to approach funding and supporting organisations, groups of participants, and, eventually, publications.

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With some creativity, trainees can develop a successful research proposal where they explore a field of study in which they have an interest, without funding, with access participants even if this might be time limited, and can find theoretical support or gaps in the current literature.  Trainees ought to consider these questions when contemplating developing a research project: Is this research going to be useful to the wider community and if so, why? Does this research open up the pathways to further study, and does it have implications for policy? Does it have current cultural and societal relevance and form a useful addition to the field?

I think most trainees have some great and creative ideas for research, but it is important to pare these down to those which have the attributes of relevance, feasibility and uniqueness in the field.  The research projects that can clearly show these attributes will be the successful projects.

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Trainee research projects do not have to be vast, however, trainees should be aware that though small,concise and thorough may be effective and achieve interesting results, they may be limited in terms of being attractive to publishers.  For example, pilot studies are rarely published unless part of a much wider piece of research.  It is much easier to achieve publication if the initial results are followed up and this work forms part of the paper presented.  Trainees looking to publish research may need to consider adding this dimension of time as a factor required in the research preparation and proposal.

The preparation of research studies is important to trainees and should be neither forgotten or underestimated.  With your supervisor and aided by your review of the literature, your initial ideas will be developed so that you can refine a hypothesis, define your aims, prepare your research questions, decide on the type of data you need and develop your methodology and analysis.  Working through all this with your supervisor will help you to move from an initial research idea into developing a working and feasible proposal and then creating a working project.

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A final, essential issue that must play a part in your preparation to research, is that of ethics.  In many ways, this should be obvious to trainees: research, in its idea and proposed execution, must be ethical, and wherever possible be approved by an ethical board.  Independent trainees who do not have access to an ethical board would be well advised to obtain confirmation of the acceptability of their research from the DFP or BPS in order to cover themselves and also their supervisor.  Furthermore, trainees should always demonstrate strong management of ethics by checking data protection usage and data storage, for example, if using online surveys with the general public.

The labyrinth that needs to be negotiated in order to achieve publication will be addressed in my post later in the month, but for now, happy researching.

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Time for training

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No-one expects advanced training in any profession to be a walk in the park, not least those of us who embarked on the training for chartership as forensic psychologists. When we set off down that particular road, we know that there will be huge demands on us.  We will be applying our academic abilities, our abilities to analyse and interpret research, apply this in a practical setting and much more.  We know that the training will be demanding and involve a great deal of hard work. 

One of the difficulties I encountered was that of managing my time so that I could fit all this additional challenge into my daily life.  Like most trainees, I needed a day job, but there is a vast amount of work to get through to achieve chartership. How people manage their time is very much up to their individual circumstances and to their personal priorities.  For example, I chose to go straight onto a three-hour placement as soon as my day at work had finished, usually twice a week,sometimes more often.  Then, also after work throughout the rest of the week, I had to find the time to write up all the notes and also make sure that a supervision session was squeezed in. I also had to find pockets of time to shop for food, cook and eat it, do the chores and - he is a remarkably patient and supportive partner - give my relationship with my partner, my family and  my friends some attention. Not everyone will chose to do it this way, nor will be able to because of their personal circumstances.

It is important to be realistic as to what you can achieve in any given timescale.  If your day job is particularly demanding, for example, how much time outside of this you can dedicate to your training requirements may be more limited.  That does not mean giving up, but just setting goals that can be achieved in small chunks, and accepting that the qualification will take longer to achieve. 

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It is also helpful to plan meticulously.  For example, if your job is such that you cannot guarantee leaving at a specific time on a specific day, you may not be able to schedule your placements or your supervision that easily.  The stress that this sort of situation can cause you will result in your being disheartened and will certainly not be any good for the organisations you are volunteering in or their service users.  While planning, it is worth taking into account just how much a particular placement will suit you and your personal circumstances and balance this against the core roles that you can achieve in that placement.  Instead of evening placements, then, perhaps a weekend placement may be more suitable.

An important aspect of managing time for training, is also to not neglect health.  The feeling of constantly working and striving can be stressful. Add to that the usual anxieties of trying to meet the standards required for submission and meeting the exemplars, and your immune system can feel under attack.  I know that I had to make sure I dedicated regular pockets of time to exercise and leisure activities by taking short breaks, occasional holidays and making sure I carried out some form of fitness activity every week - I went swimming, cycling, running, for example, and for a while I played in a ladies rugby team, which did wonders for my fitness, my resilience, my resolve, and my social life.  All of which somehow supported the dedication I was making to my training.

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The general rule of thumb is that the more active you are, the more energy you have to expend on more activities.  You may find that working a couple of evenings a week will enthuse and energise you and the progress you see yourself making all enhances the motivation that you feel to continue.  Having said that, it is very important to be self - aware, to look for those clues to low energy levels, to be open to those thoughts about being too tired to be bothered.  At this point, it is always worth taking a brief break - properly managed, of course, to suit the placement service users in particular.  This in itself is a key part of learning for your qualification and preparing for professional life.

If you are extremely fortunate, of course, you may well be able to negotiate a short sabbatical from work in order to take your placement, or in fact your work provides you with a particularly relevant placement.  Most of us are not that fortunate, however, so we must make ourselves familiar with the mantra of: plan, schedule, negotiate, balance.  In fact, we will become so good at it, that it will provide a tremendously strong base for us as professionals and in all aspects of our lives.

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