Therapist Feelings of Incompetence and Suboptimal Processes in Psychotherapy

Abstract

This study focused on novice therapists’ feelings of incompetence (FOI). FOI are moments where therapists’ beliefs in their abilities, judgment, and/or effectiveness is diminished, reduced, or challenged internally. In order to get at the subtleties of this internal and subjective process, ten novice therapists were interviewed for approximately 90 min using a semi-structured interview protocol. The interviews were analyzed by two researchers using procedures adapted from grounded theory methodology with the aim of developing thick descriptions and a conceptual structure. Findings indicate that novice therapists struggle with FOI, which vary in nature and intensity, and that FOI are multiply determined and complex. Implications for supervision and for psychotherapy process are discussed.