Aims and Scope

The British Journal of Psychotherapy is a journal for psychoanalytic and Jungian-analytic thinkers, with a focus on both innovatory and everyday work on the unconscious in individual, group and institutional practice. As an analytic journal, it has long occupied a unique place in the field of psychotherapy journals with an Editorial Board drawn from a wide range of psychoanalytic, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, psychodynamic, and analytical psychology training organizations. As such, its psychoanalytic frame of reference is wide-ranging and includes all schools of analytic practice. Conscious that many clinicians do not work only in the consulting room, the Journal encourages dialogue between private practice and institutionally based practice. Recognizing that structures and dynamics in each environment differ, the Journal provides a forum for an exploration of their differing potentials and constraints. Mindful of significant change in the wider contemporary context for psychotherapy, and within a changing regulatory framework, the Journal seeks to represent current debate about this context. We invite papers on clinical work, whether a single case-study or a general discussion using detailed clinical vignettes from several cases; on intensive and non-intensive work; and based in individual, group or institutional practice. We invite discussions of assessment; clinical confidentiality; standards, training and supervision; and the current context of audit and evaluation. We invite reflective research papers, whether qualitatively or quantitatively based, and with a clinical focus; work on the unconscious dynamics of clinical practice, individual or institutional; and work offering a psychoanalytic and Jungian-analytic perspective on professional, historical, cultural and political issues. As an analytic journal, our primary focus is on the unconscious and on transference/countertransference processes, but the BJP has traditionally sought to make links and critical comparisons with other therapeutic methods. We encourage high-quality work-in-progress reports, submissions from clinicians at an early stage of their careers, and international submissions.

History

The British Journal of Psychotherapy was founded by Dr Bob Hinshelwood in the 1980s, to bring together diverse voices in the field of analytical psychotherapy. It was published for many years under his imprint, Artesian Books. Since 2006 the Journal has been co-owned and published by the British Association of Psychotherapists (now part of the bpf) and Blackwell Publishing Company (now Wiley-Blackwell), and has been actively consolidating and developing the first twenty years’ work. Our Aims and Scope statement has recently been revised. Pep-web has a useful index of all content here: https://pep-web.org/browse/BJP/volumes

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