Becoming “The Best Possible” Family Counsellor or Family Mediator: What Expertise Research Has to Say

Abstract

The personal and professional desire to do “the best possible” in working with families either as a counsellor or a mediator drives the development of new theories, models of practice, research, and publishing. But what constitutes expertise in family work, and how do family practitioners develop excellence in day-to-day practice families? This article argues for a place for “expertise research”, alongside the development of models and theories in family counselling and family mediation. It draws on the findings on the development of expertise in complex domains of practice (Ericsson & Smith, 1991; Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2003), with particular reference to counselling and family therapy (Holmes, 1998, 2004, 2005) and naturalistic judgment and decision in ambiguous, emotion- charged, and time-limited circumstances (Zsambok, 1997). The nature of expertise is explored and a brief summary of research findings provided. Ideas are advanced as to how expertise research has developed over time, and how it may contribute to quality of practice in family counselling and family mediation.