Transformative journeys: Psychotherapists' reflections on being changed by their clients' stories

Abstract

Research in counselling and psychotherapy over the past twenty years has reflected a major focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the client's experience and worldview, and on understanding the role of the therapeutic relationship. Studies on therapists' experience of therapy have focussed predominantly on the negative impact of working with particular clients, usually with a trauma history, and the consequential experience for the therapist of burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatisation. Much less common has been a research focus on therapists' experience of positive change from their work. ... This study, in exploring new understandings of the meaning of the therapy experience and in considering how the therapist makes sense of and integrates this experience, also highlighted the importance of reflective practice, both for the therapist as an individual practice and in supervision. How to integrate these I shared understandings' of transformation into counsellor training and development, and into practice, is reflected upon and discussed in the context of the experience of empathic connection in the therapeutic relationship.