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The path towards a professional identity: An IPA study of Greek family therapy trainees
Author(s) -
Fragkiadaki Evangelia,
Triliva Sofia,
Balamoutsou Sophia,
Prokopiou Achilleas
Publication year - 2013
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 - 10.1080/14733145.2013.768287
Subject(s) - acknowledgement , empowerment , interpretative phenomenological analysis , psychology , identity (music) , autonomy , professional development , psychotherapist , personal development , medical education , medicine , pedagogy , qualitative research , sociology , social science , physics , computer security , computer science , political science , acoustics , law
Objective: Contemporary psychotherapy research has focused mainly on practitioners' training and education. The impact of training on professional development and the application of therapeutic skills have been the primary foci of the empirical literature. The aim of this paper is to present the experiences of seven family therapy trainees regarding their personal paths toward the development of professional identity as they underwent training in systemic psychotherapy. Method: In‐depth interviews were conducted and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results & Conclusions: Seven themes were identified: The Quest, Developing by Relating, Learnings, Personification of Training, Use of Self, Self‐Care and Empowerment, and Reflecting on the Role of the Therapist. The findings are discussed with regard to the development of the ‘therapist as a person’, gaining acknowledgement and autonomy, and the development of a community of therapeutic practice.