Alex Howard studied Arabic and Islamic History at Oxford, and has worked in adult education. He lives in London with his wife and two children.

Questions relating to personal identity are of central importance within counselling, which is often seen as an essentially (and perhaps excessively) 'me-focussed' activity. People often come to counsellors to find, reclaim, come to terms with, or control (aspects of) 'themselves.' They want to see how they have been shaped, helped or damaged by their circumstances. Yet there has been surprisingly little systematic examination of the conceptions of 'self' that are, could be, or should be available to counsellors.
This accessible book meets this need and more deeply than most other texts into the foundations and underlying presuppositions of the subject. Alex Howard takes a fresh look at counselling and psychotherapy and advocates greater philosophical and sociological awareness for trainees.

Introduction: Identity and Why it Matters
In Search of Self Counselling and Identity
Telling What's Wrong Narratives and Metaphors of Sickness and Health
Truth Telling Identity and Reality
Honoured and Esteemed? Identity and Happiness
Feeling Good and Being Good: Identity and Ethics
What Was it Like for You? Measuring and Assessing Change in Identity
Transcending Self: Identity, Society and the Transpersonal
Conclusion: Identities, Past, Present and Future.