Based on the above findings, the researcher has the following suggestions: (1) The use of therapeutic settings and therapeutic relationships in working with clients should be strengthened in education and continuous professional training for Chinese psychotherapists, especially to those who do not have educational background in medical science. Simultaneously, it is important to enhance the reflectivity of Chinese psychotherapists on their work and life experience. (2) To emphasize the legitimacy of psychotherapy in China, we have to regulate the norms of the profession according to the professional Code. Further, the principle of "do no harm" should be given higher priority in psychotherapy, psychotherapist need to cope with the demands from reality using wisdom and reason, pay attention to the affective needs of clients and promote social justice. (3) In the development of psychotherapy in mainland China, special efforts should be made to preserve the positive elements in traditional Chinese culture for the helping professions, keeping a balance between technical rationality and humane concern. We should pay attention to the goals of enhancing individual development, respect for diversity and importance of equality in practice as well as utilize the Chinese tradition and culture in helping clients to develop compassion, having empathetic understanding on the needs of one another. The purpose of doing so is to develop a new culture valuing compassion and reason in relating to one another. / The major findings of this research are as follows. (1) The understanding on the role of the therapeutic settings by the therapists are different. In comparison, those with training in psychoanalysis tend to attach more importance on the role of therapeutic settings than those who do not have such training. (2) The mainland psychotherapists still emphasis the importance of affection in relating with clients, using special rather than standard treatment for particular clients, which may result from the "differential distance in interpersonal relationship" dominant in Chinese culture. (3) Professional ethics for communities of counseling practice is newly introduced into mainland China, and people are beginning to pay attention to its relevant ethics. Its development, however, is still in infancy stage. (4) The mainland Chinese psychotherapists emphasis more on building relationship with people than developing technical skills in psychotherapy. This may be related to the fact that Chinese culture attaches more importance to interpersonal relationships. / This research attempts to answer the following questions: (1) What are the understanding of mainland Chinese psychotherapists about the meaning of professional ethics and therapeutic relationships? (2) How do they establish therapeutic relationships with their clients? (3) Are there any patterns in their establishment of therapeutic relationships, and how they interpret these patterns? (4) In their views, what are the principles and main points in establishing a healthy therapeutic relationship? / This study has implications for the helping professions in mainland China that it reveals the experiences, feelings and cognition of some mainland Chinese psychotherapists in their embodied professional ethical norms and therapeutic relationships. It illustrates the characteristics of these psychotherapists in dealing with professional relationships in a country which still values relationships and human feelings. The study also examines the factors that have influenced these psychotherapists in the development of their characteristics, e.g. the country's history, modern cultural atmosphere, and the ordinary people's routine styles of interpersonal exchange in China. The findings of this study, as a preliminary exploration of the process of establishing ethical norms and principles in mainland China, would be helpful to the development of social work in mainland China. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / This study is significant as it is the first qualitative inquiry of the therapeutic relationships between clients and psychotherapists in mainland China. It explores the the impact of Chinese cultural tradition and modern social development on the mentality of mainland Chinese psychotherapists. / Using social constructivism as the epistemological frame, ecological systems theory is chosen as the theoretical framework in conducting the study using qualitative research. In-depth interviews and on-site observations are the methods chosen to collect data. The main source of data comes from in-depth interviews with 15 psychotherapists in different institutes located in four cities in mainland China. Through careful analysis of the data, thick description is used to describe the data. And using thematic analysis for the interpretation of the findings. / 陳向一. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 71-01, Section: A, page: 0332. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 277-300). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Chen Xiangyi.

This study explores therapists' spiritual experience, personally and within the therapeutic relationship. It focuses on the lived experience of therapists and the different meanings made of what is experienced. The purpose of this research is to bring into the light spiritual experiences of therapists and how they are experienced in the therapeutic process. It contributes to current debate about spiritual experience in the day- to- day practice of psychotherapy. The methodology of phenomenological hermeneutics is chosen as it provides the means to study therapists' lived experience. The study is guided by the philosophical thinking of Heidegger, Gadamer and Van Manen.The findings of this study reveal different types of spiritual experience. These include non-ordinary states of consciousness where there is a feeling sense of being beyond the boundaries of linear time and space. Experiences involve noticing subtle body feelings before they manifest in everyday consciousness. They include hearing and seeing phenomena that may normally be overlooked or disavowed in psychotherapy. The findings show therapists' ability to notice, explore and utilize subtle body phenomena was a combination of their own capabilities, their spiritual practice, and years of experience as therapists. The therapist's body appeared to be like a doorway into experiences that had transformative effects on both therapists and clients. The meanings made of experiences reflected therapists' spiritual and cultural beliefs. These beliefs meant that therapists are attuned to something bigger than everyday identity that gave meaning and purpose to the work and was a rich source of wisdom and guidance, comfort and a sense of being held in the work. Specific attitudes and qualities of presence are revealed that reflect therapists' spiritual beliefs. Participants described experiences that emerged out of the context of the therapeutic relationship but could not be explained clinically. The findings show therapists' world views, their spiritual and cultural beliefs and capacity to experience the unknown, bring a richness and diversity of meanings to the therapeutic relationship that includes the wider contexts of culture and the environment. This study explores current thinking about spiritual experience in psychotherapy and its effects on the therapist. It raises issues for further discussion relating to the role of therapists' spiritual experience in contemporary psychotherapy.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2005. / Bibliography: leaves 113-149.

The current study examined the effect of client sexual orientation and gender role on psychologists’ clinical judgment. A secondary purpose was to examine the extent that psychologist heterosexual identity development status affects the level of heterosexist judgment error displayed when working with lesbian and gay male clients. It was hypothesized that psychologists’ clinical decisions will differ as a result of client sex, client sexual orientation, and client gender role when therapist heterosexual identity development status is controlled for, with psychologists providing significantly different clinical judgments (as measured by diagnostic impression ratings, global and relational functioning ratings, and therapist reported client attractiveness) for lesbian and gay male clients and those displaying cross gendered gender roles than heterosexual female and male clients and those displaying gender-congruent gender roles. It was also hypothesized that psychologist heterosexual identity development status and client sexual orientation together are better predictors of the variation observed in psychologist clinical decisions than client sexual orientation alone. Eight hundred randomly selected members of the American Psychological Association, were presented with a clinical vignette describing fictions client seeking psychological services. The vignettes were identical except for client sex (female or male), sexual orientation (heterosexual or lesbian/gay), and gender role (feminine or masculine), which were manipulated to produce eight different vignettes. After reviewing the vignette, participants provided their diagnostic impressions of the client, rated the overall attractiveness of the client, and completed a measure designed to assess their level of heterosexual identity development. One hundred and thirty-five participants completed the study's materials and were included in the main analyses. Results of the randomized 2 (Client Sex) x 2 (Client Sexual Orientation) x 2 (Client Gender Role) multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), controlling for psychologist heterosexual identity development status, found that psychologists significantly differed in their assessment of lesbian and gay male clients and heterosexual female and male clients on a variety of clinical factors. Results of a series of multiple linear regressions found that psychologist heterosexual identity development status and client sexual orientation together were better predictors of the variation observed in psychologist clinical decisions than client sexual orientation alone. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study examined the impact on psychotherapists who are repeatedly empathically exposed to their client’s traumatic content. Psychotherapists were asked to complete survey packets which included quantitative measures of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and Vicarious Traumatization (VT), which are both theorized to be negative conditions which may develop after being exposed to other’s traumatic content. Some respondents were then interviewed, and the transcribed interviews were analyzed utilizing the qualitative technique of grounded theory. The results of this study suggested psychotherapists mediate the impact of traumatic exposure through a variety of factors, including personal characteristics, external support systems, and the use of a variety of self-care skills. These factors, along with psychotherapist’s responses to barriers interfering with accessing these factors, appear to change over time as therapists gain experience. Additionally, rather than developing negative symptoms as a result of their work, many therapists appear to develop positive outlooks, a deep respect for their client’s and human resiliency, and a sense of confidence that they can help their clients. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study explores therapists' spiritual experience, personally and within the therapeutic relationship. It focuses on the lived experience of therapists and the different meanings made of what is experienced. The purpose of this research is to bring into the light spiritual experiences of therapists and how they are experienced in the therapeutic process. It contributes to current debate about spiritual experience in the day- to- day practice of psychotherapy. The methodology of phenomenological hermeneutics is chosen as it provides the means to study therapists' lived experience. The study is guided by the philosophical thinking of Heidegger, Gadamer and Van Manen.The findings of this study reveal different types of spiritual experience. These include non-ordinary states of consciousness where there is a feeling sense of being beyond the boundaries of linear time and space. Experiences involve noticing subtle body feelings before they manifest in everyday consciousness. They include hearing and seeing phenomena that may normally be overlooked or disavowed in psychotherapy. The findings show therapists' ability to notice, explore and utilize subtle body phenomena was a combination of their own capabilities, their spiritual practice, and years of experience as therapists. The therapist's body appeared to be like a doorway into experiences that had transformative effects on both therapists and clients. The meanings made of experiences reflected therapists' spiritual and cultural beliefs. These beliefs meant that therapists are attuned to something bigger than everyday identity that gave meaning and purpose to the work and was a rich source of wisdom and guidance, comfort and a sense of being held in the work. Specific attitudes and qualities of presence are revealed that reflect therapists' spiritual beliefs. Participants described experiences that emerged out of the context of the therapeutic relationship but could not be explained clinically. The findings show therapists' world views, their spiritual and cultural beliefs and capacity to experience the unknown, bring a richness and diversity of meanings to the therapeutic relationship that includes the wider contexts of culture and the environment. This study explores current thinking about spiritual experience in psychotherapy and its effects on the therapist. It raises issues for further discussion relating to the role of therapists' spiritual experience in contemporary psychotherapy.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-111).

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 46-47).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 118-126). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 46-47).