The Psychology of Coaching, Mentoring and Learning, 2nd Edition

Preface to the Second Edition

The engagement in coaching, mentoring and learning is part of life itself. Like life, it continuously evolves and changes. Since the publication of the first edition of this book, a lot has happened in the coaching psychology world. For instance, from 1 July 2009, professionals who are practising psychology in the UK are required by law to register with the Health Professions Council (now Health and Care Professions Council) as practitioner psychologists. While at present coaching and mentoring remain unregulated, the debate on their standards and practices continues. The first edition of this book reported the development of the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) Special Group in Coaching Psychology (SGCP), which was formed in 2004; in 2012 the BPS set up a Register of Coaching Psychologists, in acknowledgement and recognition of those practitioner psychologists who have specialist expertise in coaching psychology.

I was saddened to learn the tragic news that Michael White, my teacher in narrative therapy, died from a heart attack on 4 April 2008 in San Diego, aged 59. We last met only a few months before, at the Narrative Conference in Norway, where we discussed with enthusiasm (as always) how we could transport narrative practice into reinvigorating other people’s lives, hopes and dreams. I hope the second edition of this book serves to honour Michael’s contributions to people’s lived stories, including mine.

As for the three authors of the first ...