Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
The past two decades have seen a surge of interest in the impact of working with trauma survivors on therapists’ psychological well-being. Existing literature assumes that therapists’ strong subjective responses to traumatic material adversely influence the therapeutic process. However, this has not...
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis
2016
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39419/ |
| _version_ | 1848795832715837440 |
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| author | Merriman, Olivia Joseph, Stephen |
| author_facet | Merriman, Olivia Joseph, Stephen |
| author_sort | Merriman, Olivia |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The past two decades have seen a surge of interest in the impact of working with trauma survivors on therapists’ psychological well-being. Existing literature assumes that therapists’ strong subjective responses to traumatic material adversely influence the therapeutic process. However, this has not yet been directly researched. Nine counselling psychologists were interviewed regarding the clinical impact of their responses to the disclosure of traumatic material. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis showed that significant challenges are experienced in the use of self in therapy with trauma survivors, including making sense of horrific human actions, negotiating complex interpersonal dynamics, and responding to ethical dilemmas in therapy. Results emphasised the importance that therapists attached to the development of their therapeutic use of self in therapy with trauma survivors, the value of learning from others and reaching a place of acceptance and hope when working with trauma survivors. Finally, specific training and development implications are proposed. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:38:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-39419 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:38:21Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-394192020-05-04T18:24:28Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39419/ Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis Merriman, Olivia Joseph, Stephen The past two decades have seen a surge of interest in the impact of working with trauma survivors on therapists’ psychological well-being. Existing literature assumes that therapists’ strong subjective responses to traumatic material adversely influence the therapeutic process. However, this has not yet been directly researched. Nine counselling psychologists were interviewed regarding the clinical impact of their responses to the disclosure of traumatic material. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis showed that significant challenges are experienced in the use of self in therapy with trauma survivors, including making sense of horrific human actions, negotiating complex interpersonal dynamics, and responding to ethical dilemmas in therapy. Results emphasised the importance that therapists attached to the development of their therapeutic use of self in therapy with trauma survivors, the value of learning from others and reaching a place of acceptance and hope when working with trauma survivors. Finally, specific training and development implications are proposed. Taylor & Francis 2016-12-26 Article PeerReviewed Merriman, Olivia and Joseph, Stephen (2016) Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 31 (1). pp. 117-136. ISSN 1469-3674 Trauma; Vicarious trauma; Counselling psychology; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Intersubjectivity; Development; Training http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09515070.2016.1266601 doi:10.1080/09515070.2016.1266601 doi:10.1080/09515070.2016.1266601 |
| spellingShingle | Trauma; Vicarious trauma; Counselling psychology; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Intersubjectivity; Development; Training Merriman, Olivia Joseph, Stephen Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| title | Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| title_full | Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| title_fullStr | Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| title_short | Therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| title_sort | therapeutic implications of counselling psychologists’ responses to client trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| topic | Trauma; Vicarious trauma; Counselling psychology; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Intersubjectivity; Development; Training |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39419/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39419/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39419/ |