Processes and outcomes of psychotherapists' personal therapy: Replication and extension 20 years later.

In this replication and extension of a national survey of psychotherapists conducted in 1987, American psychologists (n = 219), counselors (n = 191), and social workers (n = 192) reported in 2007 on the processes and outcomes of their personal therapy experiences. Of the 85% who sought therapy at least once, women, men, and members of all three professions were equally as likely to have received personal treatment. Their top reasons for seeking therapy were marital–couple distress (20%), depression (13%), need for self-understanding (12%), and anxiety–stress (10%). Approximately 24% used psychotropic medication in combination with personal therapy. More than 90% of therapists reported positive outcomes across multiple domains. The modal lasting lessons from personal treatment related to therapist reliability, skill, and empathy. The results are tentatively compared with those obtained in 1987, thus chronicling the evolution of personal therapy among psychologists and social workers during the past 20 years. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The personal life of the psychotherapist.

Reviews the book, The personal life of the psychotherapist by James D. Guy (see record 1987-97783-000). This book is a broad-ranging discussion of the psychotherapist as a person. It is a book about the development of the psychotherapist from the time he or she enters the field through his or her life stages and significant events, including burnout, therapist impairment, and death. Guy's book is a thoroughly researched and annotated work. He certainly has done a comprehensive review of the literature. His last two sections on career satisfaction and future trends are interesting. The book has one problem which is inherent in any attempt to encompass all of the theoretical orientations in the field. That is, at times it seems too encompassing and not definitive enough. All in all, however, this is a fine book which should be of interest to beginning psychotherapists as well as therapists in the field for some time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Representations of the supervisory dialogue and the development of psychotherapists.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the ways in which therapists-in-training construct and use mental representations of their relationships with their supervisors in the service of their own professional development. A total of 115 trainees (75% of whom were psychodynamically oriented) completed The Supervisory Representation Inventory, a network of measures designed to assess the forms, functions, and phenomenological properties of internalized representations of that relationship. Results indicate that supervisees tend to evoke representations of their supervisors' spoken words, vocal qualities, and the settings in which they have met; that they evoke these representations to better formulate clinical interventions, especially those perceived as painful or difficult for patients to hear; and that these representations are especially likely to occur when patients behave in ways consistent with a supervisor's view or, when the supervisee is alone and thinking about a patient that has been discussed in supervision. Findings support the hypothesis that representations of the verbal and nonverbal aspects of the supervisory dialogue play an integral role in the acquisition of the skills and professional identity of a psychotherapist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal integration: An N of 1 study.

The term 'integration' deliberately embraces a dual meaning: the integration of the major systems of psychotherapy and the integration of the clinician. In this article, I address the origins of my integrative orientation and explicate several ways in which I embody that orientation in my personal life and professional career. My ordinal position and family of origin predisposed me to integration from the "get go." My integrative leanings were crystallized by formal training, which modeled the transtheoretical spirit and were subsequently strengthened by early research and friendships in the integration movement. I sketch how my ongoing research and practice continue in the integrative tradition, though not always invoking that term, and advance several directions for rejuvenating the movement. Pluralism, pragmatism, and customizing to the individual circumstance characterize not only my theoretical orientation but also my personal life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Psychotherapist's Own Psychotherapy: Educating and Developing Psychologists.

In this article, the author synthesizes 25 years of his research on the personal therapy of mental health professionals. The author summarizes the high prevalence of personal treatment, its use by seasoned practitioners, its personal and professional goals, its typically positive outcomes, and its lasting lessons concerning the practice of psychotherapy. Particular attention is devoted to the therapist's selection of a personal therapist and the conduct of treatment with patients who are themselves psychotherapists in comparison with patients who are laypersons. The cumulative results indicate that personal therapy is an emotionally vital, interpersonally dense, and professionally formative experience that should be central to the development of health care psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychotherapists in South Korea: Professional and Practice Characteristics.

Using data collected as part of a collaborative international study of the development of psychotherapists (D. E. Orlinsky et al., 1999), the authors of this study describe a sample of 538 Korean psychotherapists in various mental health professions and also provide information about the cultural and historical background of psychotherapy in South Korea. The study delineates the professional identifications, training, theoretical orientations, career status, personal therapy, and demographic characteristics of this little-known group of psychotherapists and describes their treatment settings, clients, and typical treatment modalities. The use of Western therapeutic approaches in a non-Western cultural context is discussed with respect to the potential conflicts for practitioners between imported methods that embody individualistic values and the traditionally collectivist orientations of their societies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The therapist's therapist: A replication and extension 20 years later.

How do mental health professionals choose their own psychotherapists? This study replicates and extends a 1987 national survey of psychotherapists regarding the selection criteria and sociodemographic characteristics of their personal therapists; 608 psychologists, counselors, and social workers participated. Therapists' therapists tended to be middle aged and White (94%) but equally female and male. Their most frequent theoretical orientations were integrative, eclectic, cognitive, and psychodynamic (but rarely behavioral or systemic). Psychology was their most prevalent profession, followed by social work, counseling, and psychiatry. Topping the list of therapist selection criteria were competence, warmth, experience, openness, and reputation. The prototypical positive features of personal treatment that therapists repeated with their own patients all concerned cultivation of the therapeutic relationship. The 2007 results are tentatively compared with those obtained in 1987, thus chronicling the evolution of therapists' therapists over the years. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The self narrative therapy: Thoughts from a humanistic/extential perspective.

This article briefly reviews the narrative and humanistic/existential approaches to conceptualizing self. In it, the author explores the possibility of a theoretical integration of these 2 positions on the basis of E. T. Gendlin's (1962, 1968, 1981, 1996, 1997) work on experiencing and its role in the development of meaning, particularly as it relates to the distinction between the I and the Me used in narrative theory. The implications of this integration for (a) development of the landscape of consciousness and particularly of the idea of I as narrator/agent and (b) the potential value of examining the manner of making choices in narrative treatment are examined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Integrating play and family therapy methods: A survey of play therapists' attitudes in the field.

The researchers surveyed 295 members of the Association for Play Therapy on their attitudes related to working with families when treating children. The results indicated the majority of play therapists held attitudes conducive to involving families in their approaches with children. However, mixed findings were found in specific areas related to the implementation of play therapy with families, suggesting barriers may exist. These mixed findings included a decreased percentage of play therapists that felt like play therapy was effective in family therapy when compared with the high level who felt that play and family therapy approaches could be integrated. Moreover, the respondents were divided on issues such as parents' willingness to be involved in therapy with their children and if parents were actually resistant to being included in sessions with their children. These mixed findings suggest that a wide range of attitudes and experiences about parental involvement exist among play therapists in the field. The authors raise key questions for the play therapy field to consider in more depth and suggest improvements that may be needed in play therapy education to increase the efficacy of play therapists' skills in working with families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Dialogues on difference: Studies of diversity in the therapeutic relationship.

Reviews the book, Studies of diversity in the therapeutic relationship by J. Christopher Muran (see record 2006-11731-000). This book has taken the opportunity to begin with dialogue among clinicians with different theoretical perspectives on issues of diversity, including psychoanalytic, cognitive– behavioral, and humanistic viewpoints. In introducing the book, Muran sets the stage for the dialogues with an open discussion of his own culturally diverse background. He also describes the diversity characterizing his professional training in cognitive– behavioral psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, which in part contributed to his recognition of a need for this dialogue across perspectives. The book is divided into eight dialogues consisting of one psychoanalytically oriented writer or set of writers, followed by comments on this essay by two theorists from different and overlapping theoretical points of view. The final component of each dialogue consists of the author’s reply to the comments. The dialogues address eight separate topics including race, social privilege and multiple identities, homosexuality, intersection of race and gender in psychotherapy with African American men, identity in psychotherapy with Latino clients, role of stereotypes in psychotherapy with Asian Americans, Middle Eastern identity and psychotherapy, and communication and metacommunication in psychotherapy. One of the intriguing features of this book is that the dialogue is in written form, giving the reader the advantage of reading it several times to better engage with each author’s point of view. Because the format resembles that of an oral presentation of a single paper followed by discussions of the paper, I found myself wanting to ask questions of each of the authors. Several of the authors appear to have been enriched through this dialogue,because the very nature of this exchange parallels the concept of mutual influence that lies at the heart of relational psychoanalysis. The quality of dialogue across the different sections of this book is rich and complex and highlights the critical need for ongoing dialogue on cultural difference and similarity in the discipline of psychology, not to mention our broader society. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Animal abuse issues in therapy: A survey of therapists' attitudes.

Animal abuse issues can have implications for therapy as a possible predictor of future violence toward humans, as a diagnostic indicator, and sometimes as a feature of a client's abuse history. The authors used a survey to examine the experiences and attitudes of 174 therapists dealing with animal abuse issues in therapy. The authors found that 28% encountered animal abuse issues in the past 5 years and 87% viewed animal abuse as a mental health issue. Attitudes about changing mandated abuse reporting laws to include animal abuse were assessed. Dilemmas therapists face are discussed and suggestions for addressing animal abuse issues are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychotherapists in clinical practice: Cognitive and behavioral perspectives.

Reviews the book, Psychotherapists in clinical practice: Cognitive and behavioral perspectives by Neil S. Jacobson (see record 1987-98176-000). Behavior therapy is known for, indeed in some circles notorious for, its commitment to procedural specificity. It is thus ironic how little has been written about the concrete, session-to-session work of outpatient behavior therapists. Neil Jacobson, a behavioral marital therapist and a veteran editor of clinical compendiums, has stepped into the breach with this most recent volume. As he notes in his introduction, "The impetus for this book is the belief that there is not enough material in behavior therapy literature to support a practicing clinician working in settings where outpatients must be treated." (p. 4). It is Jacobson's intent to help remedy this deficit. Altogether, Jacobson's latest collection is a worthwhile addition to any clinician's library, whether or not the practictioner is of a behavioral bent. The usefulness of the contributions may vary, but the volume as a whole is likely to serve as a valuable reference for the outpatient therapist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The practice of self-compassion in counseling: A narrative inquiry.

As counselors we often offer compassion to our clients and support them in cultivating it for themselves; however, this aspect of counselor development may be absent in our own self-care practices. How do counselors cultivate self-compassion given the myriad of challenges that arise in their practice? Although there is a wealth of research on counselor self-care, very little of this research addresses the construct of self-compassion as a means of enhancing counselors' well-being and mitigating the effects of job-related stress. A narrative research design was used to investigate how 15 experienced counselors practice self-compassion in counseling. Themes that emerged in this study, based on the experiences of the participants, provide important information for training and educating practitioners in the areas of self-care and burnout prevention, and enhance our understanding of the role of self-compassion in the practice of counseling and psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving vocabulary and pre-literacy skills of at-risk preschoolers through teacher professional development.

In a randomized control study, Head Start teachers were assigned to either an intervention group that received intensive, ongoing professional development (PD) or to a comparison group that received the “business as usual” PD provided by Head Start. The PD intervention provided teachers with conceptual knowledge and instructional strategies that support young children's development of vocabulary, alphabet knowledge, and phonological sensitivity. Results indicated that, after 1 academic year, teachers in the intervention group created higher quality classroom environments, as measured by the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (M. W. Smith, D. K. Dickinson, A. Sangeorge, & L. Anastasopoulos, 2002) and Classroom Assessment Scoring System (R. C. Pianta, K. M. La Paro, & B. K. Hamre, 2007), and by videotapes of their classroom book readings. Further, children in the intervention group performed significantly better than comparison-group peers on measures of receptive vocabulary and phonological sensitivity but showed equivalent alphabet learning. Moreover, variation in classroom quality and fidelity to the intervention were linked to child outcomes, illuminating which particular aspects of teachers' improved practices were linked to children's gains. Findings provide new details about the mechanisms through which intensive and intentional PD can enhance Head Start teachers' classroom practices and, by extension, improve Head Start children's language and preliteracy outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A narrative and meta-analytic review of helping skills training: Time to revive a dormant area of inquiry.

The authors review previous narrative and meta-analytic reviews on the effectiveness of overall helping skills training programs. The authors then review narrative reviews and conduct a new meta-analysis of specific methods used to teach helping skills within these programs. Our meta-analysis found that, in the aggregate, training methods substantially outperformed no training conditions, and that effect sizes did not vary as a function of trainee educational level (graduate vs. undergraduate students) or the type of criterion measure (interview-based vs. analogue-based empathy measures). Direct comparison of the training methods revealed that modeling outperformed instruction and feedback, and multimethod outperformed single-method training. The authors critique the literature and suggest that the studies in the helping skills literature generally fail to meet contemporary methodological standards, thereby limiting the conclusions that can be drawn. The authors appeal for better research on helping skills training, especially as it is currently practiced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of an early literacy professional development intervention on head start teachers and children.

Effects of a 1-semester professional development (PD) intervention that included expert coaching with Head Start teachers were investigated in a randomized controlled trial with 88 teachers and 759 children. Differential effects of technologically mediated (remote) versus in-person (on-site) delivery of individualized coaching with teachers also were examined in a random assignment design. Hierarchical linear model analyses revealed positive PD intervention effects on general classroom environment (d = 0.99) and classroom supports for early literacy and language development (d = 0.92), and on children's letter knowledge (d = 0.29), blending skills (d = 0.18), writing (d = 0.17), and concepts about print (d = 0.22). No significant intervention effects on teaching practices and children's outcomes related to oral language were found. There were no differential effects of remote versus on-site delivery of literacy coaching. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Harmful effects of posttermination sexual romantic relationships between therapists and their former clients": Erratum.

Reports an error in "Harmful effects of posttermination sexual and romantic relationships between therapists and their former clients" by Laura S. Brown (Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 1988[Sum], Vol 25[2], 249-255). Reference was made to the Minnesota law regarding reporting of "any sexual or romantic relationship in which the parties were once therapist and client" (p. 250). Upon further review by the author, it was determined that the law is more complicated than conveyed in the article. A detailed explanation of the law is provided in the erratum, although legal counsel is suggested for further interpretation. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1989-02991-001.) Examines anecdotal evidence regarding the harmful effects of posttermination sexual or romantic relationships between therapists and clients, focusing on relationships between female therapists and former clients who are also women. The question of equality of power between therapists and former clients is addressed. The impact of these relationships on the community in which they occur is considered. It is concluded that posttermination relationships between therapists and clients have the potential to do as much harm as relationships initiated during therapy and that such relationships should be defined as unethical. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do the opportunities for learning and personal development lead to happiness? It depends on work-family conciliation.

The study shows how the perceptions of opportunities for learning and personal development predict five dimensions of affective well-being (AWB: pleasure, comfort, placidity, enthusiasm, and vigor), and how this relationship is moderated by the perceptions of work-family conciliation. A sample comprising 404 individuals was collected. The findings show the following: (1) both the perceptions of opportunities for learning and personal development and perceptions of work-family conciliation predict AWB, the happier individuals being those who have high perceptions on both variables; (2) both variables interact in predicting AWB, in such a way that perceptions of high opportunities for learning and personal development may not lead to higher AWB if work-family conciliation is low. Post hoc analysis also suggests that the relationship between the perceptions of opportunities for learning and personal development and AWB tends to be nonlinear for individuals with perceptions of low work-family conciliation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)