Dr Susan Stephen
Lecturer
Counselling
Personal statement
I am a Lecturer in Counselling and Director of the Strathclyde Counselling & Psychotherapy Research Clinic, a long-term research study investigating the process and outcome of person-centred-experiential therapy in practice.
The main focus of my own research is the concept of congruent functioning: a contemporary redefining of the process of psychological growth at the core of Rogers' person-centred theory. I am interested in the development of congruent functioning for clients in counselling and also counsellors in training.
I developed a model of congruent functioning from my work investigating the validity of the Strathclyde Inventory, a brief self-report instrument, using data collected from clients participating in counselling at the Strathclyde Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Clinic. Currently, I am working with international colleagues to explore the intercultural meaning and relevance of the Strathclyde Inventory.
I have developed expertise in systematic case study research, in particular the Hermeneutic Single Case Efficacy Design method, which is an innovative approach to investigating the outcome and process of psychotherapy within individual cases. Series of case studies using this method can be synthesized to produce insightful learning and improve practice. I am also interested in supporting counselling practitioners and service providers to expand their understanding of the value and limitations of using routine outcome measurement in their practice.
I am a co-editor of the international peer-reviewed journal, Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies (PCEP), and former Chair of the World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies and Counseling (WAPCEPC).
Publications
- The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling : Third Edition
- Di Malta Gina, Cooper Mick, O'Hara Maureen, Stephen Susan, Gololob Yana
- (2024)
- The person-centred approach today and tomorrow : seeds of a peaceful revolution
- Stephen Susan, Di Malta Gina, Cooper Mick, O'Hara Maureen, Gololob Yana
- The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling Third Edition (2024) (2024)
- The non-directive attitude
- Stephen Susan
- The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling (2024) (2024)
- Questioning Psychology: Beyond Theory and Control by Brian E. Levitt by Brian E. Levitt, Ontario, Canada, PCCS Books, 2019, 161 pp., £17.99 (paperback), ISBN: 9781910919484
- Stephen Susan
- Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies Vol 23, pp. 255-258 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2023.2255645
- Congruent functioning : the continuing resonance of Rogers' theory
- Stephen Susan
- Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies Vol 22, pp. 397-416 (2023)
- https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2022.2164334
- The Strathclyde inventory : development of a brief instrument for assessing outcome in counseling according to Rogers' concept of the fully functioning person
- Stephen Susan, Elliott Robert
- Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development Vol 55, pp. 187-206 (2022)
- https://doi.org/10.1080/07481756.2021.1955213
Professional Activities
- PCE Europe Symposium (Glasgow 2025)
- Organiser
- 20/11/2025
- A Longitudinal Investigation into the Relationship between Rogers’ Therapeutic Conditions, Experiencing, and Authenticity
- Examiner
- 15/1/2025
- Presenter: Congruence in Action
- Presenter
- 9/11/2024
- Vision for the future of psychotherapy and counselling in Scotland
- Host
- 2/11/2024
- What it really means to be non-directive
- Contributor
- 1/11/2024
- The Strathclyde Inventory Intercultural Project An investigation of intercultural differences in congruent functioning using three different language versions of the Strathclyde Inventory
- Speaker
- 9/9/2024
Projects
- Mental Health Futures Collaborative
- Cogan, Nicola (Principal Investigator) Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Principal Investigator) Fleming, Leanne (Principal Investigator) Quinn, Neil (Principal Investigator) Tse, Dwight (Principal Investigator) Knifton, Lee (Principal Investigator) McCann, Lisa (Principal Investigator) Maguire, Roma (Principal Investigator) Smith, Matthew (Principal Investigator) Graham, Christopher Darryl (Principal Investigator) Grealy, Madeleine (Principal Investigator) Stephen, Susan (Principal Investigator) Weir, Natalie Mcfadyen (Principal Investigator) Donnachie, Craig (Principal Investigator) Cameron, Julie (Principal Investigator) Kane, Tony (Co-investigator) Lakey, Trevor (Academic) Donovan, Kevin (Fellow)
- This Engage with Strathclyde event is aimed at all those with an interest in mental health including people with lived experience, NHS and social care personnel and staff, occupational health and human resource management staff, student support services, university student and staff, academics, private and public sector and other personnel interested in mental health research and knowledge exchange.
- 12-Jan-2023 - 12-Jan-2023
- A pilot study of the relationship between interaction of the caregivers and the care recipients of dementia and their anxiety in residential aged care
- Stephen, Susan (Co-investigator)
- International Collaborator: Yu, P.; Traynor, V.; Barkus, E.; Li, M.; Qian, S. Carrigan, N. & Stephen, S. (2015) A pilot study of the relationship between interaction of the caregivers and the care recipients of dementia and their anxiety in residential aged care UOW, Global Challenges. AU$10,000.
- 05-Jan-2016 - 20-Jan-2016