Over the years, and even centuries, hope has been a subject of consideration for poets, authors and religious writers. The role, strength and power of hope in the life of the individual are expounded, while anguish and despair are often connected with a loss of hope. For example, the author of the book of Proverbs writes: ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick’ (Proverbs 13:12). Hope has been referred to by Snyder (Reference Snyder2002) as a ‘rainbow of the mind’ (p. 269). As such, hope can be seen in a very positive light as something that has ‘the capacity to encourage a person to focus on possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead’ (Baker, Reference Baker2010 p. 175) — and is therefore something of significant value to be diligently fostered by therapists who seek to enhance the overall wellbeing of their clients.

O’Hara presents this publication in three sections: understanding the nature of hope, the practice of hope, and the research-informed practitioner. The various chapters throughout Section 1 highlight the theoretical perspectives on hope, and the development over time of a deeper understanding of hope within the helping professions, offering an informative commentary regarding the relevant literature and the theories that encourage hope. The loss of hope that accompanies feelings of despair and anxiety, and results ultimately in depression, is also explored. Section 2 considers the hope and expectations of the therapist and also offers a range of useful hope-focused strategies, both implicit and explicit, designed to assist the therapist to intentionally nurture and encourage hope when working with a client, including those clients who are facing significant psychological challenges. Later chapters (Section 3) emphasise the benefits of further research in this field.

Overall, this publication is well presented and easy to follow, containing a range of questions for reflection and discussion, clear summaries at the end of each chapter, diagrams to illustrate key points, and a selection of practical exercises intended to provide the therapist with a deeper understanding of the significance of hope in the life of the individual and its impact as a motivating force. Hope measures, often in the form of rating scales, are also included in an effort to more thoroughly equip the therapist to accurately determine the specific perception of the client regarding the degree of hope currently present in his/her life and his/her ability to effectively manage life events in that point in time.

Hope in Counselling and Psychotherapy offers the reader an interesting and insightful view of the value, and even the necessity, of the presence of hope throughout life. While engendering hope in the client is openly acknowledged as being implicit in therapeutic relationships, developing a selection of appropriate strategies that consciously focus on this particular aspect of the therapist's role could certainly prove advantageous to those in the helping professions.