Written for counsellors working in healthcare settings who want to develop their knowledge and undertake research, this book explores the range of benefits that can be generated by undertaking reflexive research.

Focusing on the condition of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which she has herself, Gillian Thomas demonstrates how this approach can develop knowledge of a condition, but also offer therapeutic benefits to clients by increasing understanding of their condition and the interaction between the physical and emotional aspects of living with a long term disease. She outlines how to develop ethically appropriate research methods, how to carry out reflexive research and reflects on the knowledge that she has gained from her own research, teasing out its benefits for those working with a range of diseases in healthcare settings.

This book will be valued by counsellors and other professionals working in healthcare settings, particularly those working with ongoing medical conditions.