Personal therapy as a mandatory requirement for counselling psychologists in training: A qualitative study of the impact of therapy on trainees’ personal and professional development

Abstract

The British Psychological Society's Division of Counselling Psychology currently requires trainees who undertake professional training in counselling psychology to complete 40 hours of personal therapy, in order to achieve chartered status (British Psychological Society Board of Examiners in Counselling Psychology (2006). Regulations and syllabus for the qualification in counselling psychology. The BPS Division of Counselling Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.bps.org.uk/careers/society_qual/counselling.cfm). Although there are several reasons commonly cited in the literature regarding the possible benefits of personal treatment for therapists, the research to date has been inconclusive. The aim of the present study was to explore trainee counselling psychologists’ experiences of personal therapy, and the impact it has on their personal and professional development. Eight trainees from the University of Teesside participated in a series of semi-structured interviews. The data was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) which produced four themes. Although the findings suggest that personal therapy can be a valuable experience for the personal and professional development of counselling psychologists in training, it also contributes to an increase in their levels of stress, something which the British Psychological Society and individual training courses need to consider. Although the participants believed that personal therapy should be a mandatory part of counselling psychologists’ training, they also thought that certain changes to the current requirements would ease the intense pressure there is on trainees at present.