This qualitative study concerns the notion of being 'heard’, with a focus on the counselling relationship. The term ‘hearing’ is used as a metaphorical concept and its definition forms part of the investigation. The study initially focuses on the hard of hearing client and their position between the Deaf and hearing worlds. Hard of hearing people are viewed as an important client group whose needs are frequently overlooked. There is a review of the literature relevant to the hard of hearing individual and disability in the counselling relationship. This is followed by a broader consideration of the meaning of ‘hearing’. Included in this literature is ‘hearing’ from the perspective of developmental psychology relating to non-verbal communication, ‘hearing’ through language and ‘hearing’ the other. Following a methodological discussion, an adapted Foucauldian discourse analysis is applied to interview data from nine hard of hearing participants. The findings illustrate dominant discourses in action and also discourses of resistance. The dominant discourses suggest the power and politics involved in the counselling venture and the resistance shows the alternative subject positions the participants created and their agency in the process of being ‘heard’. Following this analysis, a discussion develops, which involves ideas around embodied and ethical 'hearing' in both the research process and within counselling. The study does not aim to provide any stability to the notion of ‘hearing’ in the counselling relationship, but contributes to the field of counselling psychology in creatively exploring the ambiguous term.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:570414 |
Date | January 2011 |
Creators | Knight, Sarah |
Contributors | Greenwood, Dennis ; Allegranti, Beatrice |
Publisher | University of Roehampton |
Source Sets | Ethos UK |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
Source | https://pure.roehampton.ac.uk/portal/en/studentthesis/being-heard-in-the-counselling-relationship-an-investigation-into-the-experience-of-hard-of-hearing-clients(3c8767fd-d29e-4190-ab29-bb9564635944).html |
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