Resiliency in the Practicing Marriage and Family Therapist

Abstract

Although burnout in the helping professions is well documented, few studies have examined the phenomenon of the resilient therapist. This study used a grounded theory methodology to construct a theory of therapist resilience. The participants were eight licensed marital and family therapists: five females, three males, all Caucasian, with an average age of 58.9 and an average of 22.6 years of experience who reported feeling energized by the practice of therapy. The theory that was constructed included a central category (Integration of Self with Practice), a paradigm (Trust in Self), and two main categories (Career Development and Practice of Therapy). The process involved an initial calling, a positive agency experience, career corrections, the influence of relationships, and a move to a more flexible environment.