Life Space Mapping

In 2010 I completed a PhD investigating the development of a new visual method for examining the outcomes of counselling and psychotherapy from the client's perspective. This study was a follow on from my MSc research into "The Client at the Heart of Therapy". One of the main results of my MSc was the finding that the process of ‘restructuring’ seemed to be a key outcome for clients. This was reported as “coming to see things from a different perspective, of things ‘fitting’ better and feeling more integrated, of being able to let go of things and of being more in control and content. It was as if things become restructured for the person such that problems and issues were resolved in one way or another” (Rodgers, 2002 p. 190).

It was this aspect of change that provided an initial focus for my PhD. I wanted to see if this dimension of change could be explored more fully, and could actually be captured in a way that made sense to participants. This led to the idea of asking clients to create a ‘snap shot’ or ‘picture’ of their life before therapy began, so as this could be compared to their post therapy perspective to see what changes had occurred. This initially simple idea expanded into the development of the Life Space Map (LSM). The basic concept of taking a ‘snap shot’ remains, but the LSM incorporates a shift in emphasis away from the individual in isolation, towards seeing the individual as intimately connected and situated in a complex social world.

The following articles provide a theoretical context for the study:

The following conference presentations report on some of the findings of the study:

Further articles and papers will be posted as they are written, including a manual for anyone interested in utilising the Life Space Mapping approach in either their practice or their research.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like any further information.