Therapists’ perceptions of their use of self-disclosure (and nondisclosure) during cross-cultural exchanges

Abstract

ABSTRACT Current research on therapist self-disclosure suggests that not all therapy skills have been successfully adapted when working with clients from diverse backgrounds. Using semi-structured interviews, nine therapists were asked about the ways in which they use self-disclosure with their clients and the ways in which they refrain from revealing personal information to their clients. We identified three core subthemes subsumed under each of the two broader themes (i.e. disclosure and nondisclosure). The major theme Disclosure contained three subthemes: client curiosity, shared difficult or traumatic experiences, and cultural similarities. The major theme Nondisclosure subsumed the three subthemes: boundary concerns, awareness of overidentification, and cultural differences. We discuss the results by interweaving critical multicultural frameworks, social-psychological theories and intersubjective psychoanalytic approaches.