Plot Badis

[Ashley]

Hi Alix,
Being a Masters of Counselling student I was intrigued by the plot of Inside, and the counselling scenarios the characters faced. I am wondering how you developed the background and techniques shared in the book especially during Grace's sessions?
Thank you!!!

[Alix, Author of Inside]

Hi Ashley,

Thanks for your question. I did a fair amount of research into therapeutic techniques, by reading a number of textbooks used by graduate students such as yourself, and by conducting interviews with working therapists. To be fair, I paid special attention to the sections in books that mentioned possible "pitfalls" or "mistakes"--which is to say that a lot of the things that happen in the counseling sessions in INSIDE don't represent ideal therapeutic practice. I was interested in the idea of an generally competent therapist like Grace failing to respect appropriate boundaries but doing it out of the best possible intentions, desire to help people, and her own emotional needs.

Also, even though I did a fair amount of research, when writing a novel I find the characters take over and the scenes become more about furthering the story and its ideas than anything else.

Thanks for reading!

[Ashley]

Thanks for your response Alix. I have recommended your book to lots of friends (and counselling ones!). It presents a lot of the scenarios we have to consider in our field and you presented them in a real, genuine way!

Will you be writing anymore?

Thanks again - oh and the title of my question was to be "plot basis" ha!

[Margo]

Please post all questions in the Ask Kim, Alix and Nell thread. Thanks!