This introduction to the special section of the Journal of Constructivist Psychology gives an overview of the papers included, which were all originally presented at the XXIIIrd International Congress on Personal Construct Psychology in Cairns (Gimuy), Australia in July 2019. Ancient Wisdom was chosen as the theme for congress because the First Nations People of Australia–despite having lived through a history of invasion and genocide–are members of the oldest continually living culture on our planet. Wishing to utilize this wisdom, the organizers of the conference invited members of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to speak. Keynote speakers from Australia and overseas addressed the topic of Ancient Wisdom and how we can apply that to our anticipations of the future. Other topics included physical and mental health, therapeutic techniques and conflict measurement in repertory grid data, and using Kelly’s self-characterization process in the form of
This book introduces Personal and Relational Construct Psychotherapy, a development by the authors of an approach to psychotherapy originated in the 1950’s by George A. Kelly. Drawing on a lifetime of experience in working with people in mental health settings, Procter and Winter focus on the crucial relationships that form the context of human struggles, and how these can be a fertile resource in problem-resolution. The book provides step-by-step descriptions of assessment and therapeutic methods for working with individuals, families, and groups, as well as exploring the philosophical background of the approach, its application to formulation, supervision, and reflective practice, its relationships to other models of psychotherapy, and its evidence base. The book will be invaluable for psychotherapists, counsellors, and psychologists of all levels and traditions, and useful for students and trainees in health, education, social work, and any field involving helping people with th