Beyond duality: the relationship between the personal and the professional selves of the therapist in the Person-of-the-Therapist Training (POTT)

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of family psychotherapy

Abstract

The Person-of-the-Therapist Training (POTT) model has been developing and evolving since the late seventies. The current study explored the relationship between the personal self-of-the-therapist and the professional self-of-the-therapist within the POTT. A directed content analysis of the 18 trainees’ final reflection papers at the end of a 9-month POTT was conducted. Findings suggest that even though the training’s goal is improving trainees’ ability to use their selves in therapy, changes in the therapist’s self-appear to expand to other areas in the therapist’s life. Thus, the road to becoming a more effective therapist goes through personal changes, specifically self-awareness and the acceptance of one’s own struggles and imperfections. Implications for training and future research are discussed.

First Page

71

Last Page

86

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/08975353.2018.1416244

Publication Date

Winter 12-26-2017

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