Abstract
Qualitative research focuses on the experience or representation rather than on a ‘thing-in-itself’. The interest in unique interplays of experiences approaches every person as special and interesting in their own right. In this chapter, we consider how specificity and reflexivity form important aspects of qualitative research instead of aiming for objectivity or replicability. This focus often resonates with therapists and their interest in the unique combination of the contributing factors of each client, ranging from biography, life stage and gender to their socio-economic and cultural contexts. It also resonates with the significance of therapist self-awareness, and the emphasis on considering the practitioner’s positioning, response and input in the interaction and interpretation. The chapter also considers different research areas and interests, suggesting an openness to learning from other perspectives to approach issues in the field of mental health and emotional wellbeing.
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Bager-Charleson, S. (2020). Doing Qualitative Research. In: Bager-Charleson, S., McBeath, A. (eds) Enjoying Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55127-8_2
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