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“If I Can Grapple With This I Can Truly Be Of Use In The Therapy Room”: Using The Therapist's Own Emotional Struggles To Facilitate Effective Therapy
Author(s) -
Aponte Harry J.,
Kissil Karni
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of marital and family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.868
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1752-0606
pISSN - 0194-472X
DOI - 10.1111/jmft.12011
Subject(s) - perspective (graphical) , psychotherapist , psychology , work (physics) , solution focused brief therapy , key (lock) , computer science , artificial intelligence , mechanical engineering , computer security , engineering
This study premises that self‐of‐the‐therapist work is pivotal in the development of effective therapists. However, therapy models vary in their goals for this work and the means of accomplishing them. This study presents the perspective of the person‐of‐the‐therapist Training ( POTT ) model that prioritizes the ability to consciously and purposefully use the self‐as‐is at the moment of contact with the client over the traditional goal of therapists working to resolve their issues. A key underlying assumption of the model proposes that therapists' core issues (referred to as “signature themes”) are potent resources that can be tapped into to connect, assess and intervene effectively with clients. The study presents the model and illustrates the use of signature themes in clinical work.