Perceptions of therapist responses to shame disclosures by clients: A quasi‐experimental investigation with non‐clinical participants

Background Therapist responses to initial shame disclosure in therapy have received little empirical attention. Aim This study explored different therapeutic responses to shame disclosures in terms of their perceived helpfulness. Responses ranged from complete withdrawal from the feeling (withdrawal) to completely tuning into it (non‐withdrawal). Given the tendency of shame to evoke avoidance, participants higher on shame‐proneness (as measured by The Experience of Shame Scale) were expected to perceive withdrawal responses to shame as more helpful than non‐withdrawal responses. Methodology Fifty‐five non‐clinical participants were assessed for shame‐proneness before viewing videos of mock therapy sessions showing clients either disclosing shame (two videos) or shock (control condition). Participants then rated the helpfulness of different therapist responses. The responses differed in the degree they allowed the client to withdraw from their emotions. Results High shame proneness was associated with rating withdrawal responses to shame as least helpful. Overall, neither the withdrawal response nor the non‐withdrawal response were rated as particularly helpful. The therapeutic response which addressed management strategies when shame is initially experienced in therapy was deemed most helpful. Conclusion Despite the tendency to withdraw from shame feelings, this response is not deemed helpful in therapy.