The findings suggested that many participants viewed the gift as a way of the client reciprocating something that was given in the therapy. Within a Maussian account, this notion of reciprocity positions the therapeutic contact as the 'first gift'. Few gifts were refused and frequently occasioned pleasure in the participants. Although some givers were understood as needing to give because of ascribed intra-individual characteristics or 'psychopathology', normative gifting practices were commonly held to apply in therapeutic relationships. Further research should explore clients' perspectives on gifting.

This opinion piece considers representations of children and young people’s (CYP) emotional/mental health in the UK, in the context of recent increases in referrals to CAMHS, workforce shortages and views on mental healthcare from young people themselves.