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An exploration of the experiences that counsellors have of taking care of their own mental, emotional and spiritual well‐being
Author(s) -
Barton Heather
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
counselling and psychotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.38
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1746-1405
pISSN - 1473-3145
DOI - 10.1002/capr.12280
Subject(s) - superordinate goals , psychology , interpretative phenomenological analysis , psychological resilience , perception , qualitative research , nursing , psychotherapist , medicine , social psychology , social science , neuroscience , sociology
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of therapists in taking care of their own mental, emotional and spiritual well‐being. This is an under‐researched area that is of vital importance, not only for the well‐being of the therapists themselves, but also for their clients. Aim This qualitative study examined the experiences that counsellors have in taking care of their own mental, emotional and spiritual well‐being. Method Semi‐structured qualitative interviews were conducted with five experienced therapists who had all been qualified for eight years or more. Data were thematically analysed within the overall principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results Four superordinate themes were identified. These concerned: (a) the demands and challenges that therapists face in their work, particularly when dealing with difficult clients and client issues; (b) the perception that the therapists have that their own preparation and training for taking care of themselves was inadequate; (c) growth for the therapists personally and in self‐awareness, learning their own limitations, building resilience and realising the necessity of prioritising self‐care; (d) therapists becoming more compassionate towards themselves, and finding ways of managing their own self‐care. Discussion Results revealed that the process of managing good self‐care is a journey that begins with little or no knowledge of the importance of self‐care, to arriving at a point of realising its importance and making it a priority. Conclusion/Implications Gaps in training were highlighted along with a need to support broader understanding and recognition of the value of therapist self‐care.