Personal and Professional Aspects of Being a Pregnant Therapist

Abstract

The current paper presents a model of pregnancy and positive coping utilizing literature related to the impact of pregnancy on a therapist's inner life and role as a clinician. The author documents her own experiences and presents these in the context of this model. Therapist pregnancy is a complex event and stimulates a variety of reactions, which evolve as the pregnancy progresses. Pregnant therapists often describe conflict between being a competent professional and a nurturing mother. The integration of one's mother and therapist roles may be difficult to negotiate and may relate in part to a lack of cultural and professional role models. Despite this difficulty, there is often consensus that as the therapist deepens her acceptance and understanding of herself and clients, pregnancy and motherhood can be used to enhance treatment and add to the therapist's personal and professional growth.