Social representations of therapist self-care and well-being: a thematic analysis of peak body media

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ABSTRACT Objective Therapist self-care supports their well-being and ability to support clients, making a culture of self-care driven by peak bodies of paramount importance. Limited research has examined how the issue of therapist self-care and well-being is depicted within these peak bodies. This study explored representations of therapist well-being and self-care in media articles from professional peak bodies to better understand how the issue is discussed. Method Drawing on Social Representation Theory, 53 media articles were selected from the websites of six peak bodies – the organisations providing professional guidance and advocacy for therapists – representing therapists (counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists) across Australia and Aotearoa, New Zealand, and were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Three themes were generated. Therapists in Exceptional Circumstances reflected well-being within broader systemic and environmental issues. Adversity as Commonplace revealed the prevalence of burnout depiction with overwhelming job demands. Client and Therapist Mutually Impacted highlighted the moral distress experienced by therapists reducing client contact as a form of self-care. Conclusions The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the therapy professions shows the need for positive representations of therapist well-being within peak body media. Open dialogues should address therapists’ moral distress while managing self-care, and peak bodies must take a more active role in promoting a culture of self-care.