This study is qualitative in nature. It reflects on the rich and varied experiences I encountered during training to be a psychotherapist. The content and process information around training is explored. My personal biases and prejudices towards training are made explicit. The experiences reflected upon are contextualized within the Unisa academic and the hospital clinical internship training contexts. The two contexts of training are contrasted accordingly showing their epistemological stance in their contribution to training of trainee therapists. The primary data in this research is the trainee researcher who is also the only participant subject in the study. The rest of the data is drawn from the experiences of the subject in interaction with others in different systems and subsystems. Through the creative synthesis step in the heuristic research approach the inferred theme is integrated in the analysis. Finally the research shows the limitations and implications involved. / Psychology / M.A. Psychology

This is a postmodernist dissertation contextualised within the new epistemology. The dissertation's descriptive methodology mirrors a personal journey from intrapsychic to ecosystemic psychology which operates within the domain of language and narrative discourse. As such it is founded on the principles of ecosystemic rather than Newtonian thinking. A conversation between various participants constructs the dissertatioi1 through polyphony and academic dialogue. This is then deconstructed through the use of metalogue thereby allowing the dissertation to operate simultaneously on a number of different levels. As it is a postmodernist text, the structure is in a sense an 'anti-structure' in that it is indirect while it is still acknowledged as a construction. In this way it is constructed and deconstructed in terms of its own premises. Expectations in terms of conventional dissertation formulae are challenged without negating academic requirements. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Psychotherapy is an interpersonal encounter where a therapist collaborates with clients to facilitate a healing process. Due to the personal nature of the therapeutic encounter, the therapist requires the necessary skills and knowledge, as well as a differentiated sense of self. The importance of supporting the psychotherapy trainee’s own differentiation process seemed to have been neglected in research in recent years. In South Africa there has recently been increasing pressure to select larger groups of trainees which has the risk that the tending to differentiation would further be neglected. The purpose of this research study is to reemphasise the importance of differentiation of self of the psychotherapy trainee by examining my own process of differentiation during my psychotherapy training. This study introduces the reader to these concepts and explores psychotherapy training in general and the Unisa training method specifically. The research design of this study is autoethnography which falls in the realm of social constructionism and the coding method is Thematic Data Analysis. The research findings as reflected in the two global themes namely individuation; and gaining and strengthening authentic relationships, seem to accurately reflect the process of differentiation. The specific training method of the Unisa training team in combination with the way in which I engaged with this process seemed important for the facilitation of this process of differentiation. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study explores trainees' experiences of power dynamics within a ritualised training context, with reference to the three major aspects of the study: training, ritual and power. The psychotherapeutic training took place at Agape, a community-based counselling service in Mamelodi, whose theoretical approach to training included a mixture of postmodern, ecosystemic and African traditions. A substantial literature survey examines the major concepts and issues related to the research subject, such as psychotherapeutic training approaches, the philosophies and theories that may inform training procedures, ritual practices in psychotherapy, and organisational and power aspects of psychotherapeutic training. The research process was executed using the qualitative, interpretive research methodology. A sample of six of the trainees who had completed their training at this placement was interviewed, and two of the trainers. The researcher's reflections on her own training experiences are woven into the material. Using the interview technique and through asking a series of open-ended questions, the researcher obtained an account of the subjective, sacralised training interactions at Agape. Themes were identified that had emerged during the interview process. In brief, the themes referred to trainees' theoretical and practical experiences in the training placement, how they made sense of the sacralised therapeutic experiences, and comments on their relationship with trainers and fellow trainees. The most common theme that emerged was that of power. The end product of this study portrays the trainees' understandings of power within a sacralised psychotherapeutic context and their responses to this. This study makes explicit the links between ritualisation and power within an evaluative psychotherapeutic training context, and the consequences of this for training. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This postmodern dissertation examines three individual experiences of violence in South Africa, using the qualitative research method of heuristics. Using social constructionism as a lens for viewing the phenomenon, violence is seen as occurring within a specific ecology, which is part of the individual's fluctuating, subjective reality. This discussion proposes that the violent experience, to which meanings are attributed, is part of the individual's socially constructed ecology. This ecology can either be transformed or conserved through dialogue, specifically dialogue relating to the telling of the story of the violent experience. This is discussed in relation to therapeutic encounters. The primary objective of the research is the implication of ecological thinking generally and, more specifically, ecological thinking on violence, for therapeutic interactions and psychological theory. This discussion also refers to psychological ethics. / Psychology / MA (CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY)

The interview is considered to be a critical technique in the therapeutic process. The effective (and by implication, the ineffective) use thereof determines to a great extent the outcome of the therapeutic process. Training in therapeutic interviewing forms an integral part of the training of counsellors and therapists. This study was prompted by BEd (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling) students' need for a structured and systematic approach to training in therapeutic interviewing skills. A literature study of the phenomenon therapeutic interviewing revealed firstly that the skills needed for effective therapeutic interviewing can be identified and operationally defined and secondly that these skills can be systematically trained. Having a repertoire of interviewing skills is however not a guarantee that therapy or counselling will have a positive outcome. The therapist must be able to create a therapeutic relationship with the client and in this regard the therapist's personality and attitudes, including empathy, warmth, respect, genuineness and unconditional positive regard for the client, are of major importance in helping to create an atmosphere wherein the client can feel free to discuss his problems and innermost feelings and thoughts. In the design of a model to train therapeutic interviewing, consideration must be given to both content and procedure. Not only were interviewing skills addressed in this model, but also skills to communicate empathy, warmth, respect, genuineness and unconditional positive regard. For the purposes of this study, the therapeutic interview was divided into six stages. Skills used in each stage were identified, defined and discussed. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the training model. Subjects were trained in accordance with the proposed training procedure. In order to evaluate the subjects' progress and thus also the effectiveness of the training procedure, each subject's pre- and post-training interviews were compared. An evaluation scale was designed for this purpose. The results of the pilot study indicated an improvement in the subjects' interviewing skills. It is hoped that this study will pave the way for innovation in the training of counsellors and therapists in therapeutic interviewing. / Die onderhoud word as 'n kritieke tegniek in die terapeutiese proses beskou. Die effektiewe (en by implikasie, die oneffektiewe) gebruik daarvan bepaal tot 'n groot mate die uitkoms van die terapeutiese proses. Opleiding in terapeutiese onderhoudvoering vorm 'n integrale deel van die opleiding van terapeute en voorligters. BEd (Spesialisering in Skoolvoorligting)studente het 'n bepaalde behoefte aan 'n gestruktureerde en sistematiese benadering tot die opleiding van terapeutiese onderhoudvoeringsvaardighede uitgespreek. 'n Literatuurstudie oor die fenomeen terapeutiese ondemoud het eerstens aan die lig gebring dat vaardighede onderliggend aan die terapeutiese onderhoud geidentifiseer en operasioneel gedefinieer kan word en tweedens dat hierdie vaardighede sistematies aangeleer kan word. 'n Repertoire van onderhoudvoeringsvaardighede is egter nie 'n waarborg dat terapie 'n positiewe uitkoms sal he nie. Die terapeut moet 'n terapeutiese verhouding met die klient kan stig en in hierdie opsig is die terapeut se persoonlikheid en sy houding van empatie, warmte, respek, egtheid en onvoorwaardelike agting van kritieke belang in die skep van 'n atmosfeer, waarbinne die klient vry kan voel om sy probleme, diepste gevoelens en gedagtes te kan bespreek. In die ontwerp van 'n model vir opleiding in terapeutiese onderhoudvoeringsvaardighede moet aandag aan beide inhoud en opleidingsprosedure geskenk word. In hierdie model word nie net die vaardighede vir terapeutiese onderhoudvoering aangespreek nie, maar ook vaardighede om empatie, warmte, respek, egtheid en onvoorwaardelike positiewe agting aan die klient te kommunikeer. Vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie is die terapeutiese onderhoud in ses fases verdeel. Vaardighede wat in elke fase gebruik word, is gerdentifiseer, gedefinieer en bespreek. 'n Loodsondersoek is ondemeem om die effektiwiteit van die opleidingsmodel te evalueer. Proefpersone is aan die hand van die voorgestelde opleidingsprosedure opgelei. Ten einde die proefpersone se vordering en so ook die effektiwitieit van die model te evalueer, is elke proefpersoon se voor- en naopleiding onderhoude vergelyk. 'n Evalueringsskaal is vir hierdie doel ontwerp. Die resultate van die loodsondersoek het getoon dat die proefpersone se onderhoudvoeringsvaardighede verbeter het. Die hoop word uitgespreek dat hierdie studie die weg sal baan vir vernuwing in die opleiding van voorligters en terapeute in terapeutiese onderhoudvoering. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This postmodern dissertation examines three individual experiences of violence in South Africa, using the qualitative research method of heuristics. Using social constructionism as a lens for viewing the phenomenon, violence is seen as occurring within a specific ecology, which is part of the individual's fluctuating, subjective reality. This discussion proposes that the violent experience, to which meanings are attributed, is part of the individual's socially constructed ecology. This ecology can either be transformed or conserved through dialogue, specifically dialogue relating to the telling of the story of the violent experience. This is discussed in relation to therapeutic encounters. The primary objective of the research is the implication of ecological thinking generally and, more specifically, ecological thinking on violence, for therapeutic interactions and psychological theory. This discussion also refers to psychological ethics. / Psychology / MA (CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY)

This study explores trainees' experiences of power dynamics within a ritualised training context, with reference to the three major aspects of the study: training, ritual and power. The psychotherapeutic training took place at Agape, a community-based counselling service in Mamelodi, whose theoretical approach to training included a mixture of postmodern, ecosystemic and African traditions. A substantial literature survey examines the major concepts and issues related to the research subject, such as psychotherapeutic training approaches, the philosophies and theories that may inform training procedures, ritual practices in psychotherapy, and organisational and power aspects of psychotherapeutic training. The research process was executed using the qualitative, interpretive research methodology. A sample of six of the trainees who had completed their training at this placement was interviewed, and two of the trainers. The researcher's reflections on her own training experiences are woven into the material. Using the interview technique and through asking a series of open-ended questions, the researcher obtained an account of the subjective, sacralised training interactions at Agape. Themes were identified that had emerged during the interview process. In brief, the themes referred to trainees' theoretical and practical experiences in the training placement, how they made sense of the sacralised therapeutic experiences, and comments on their relationship with trainers and fellow trainees. The most common theme that emerged was that of power. The end product of this study portrays the trainees' understandings of power within a sacralised psychotherapeutic context and their responses to this. This study makes explicit the links between ritualisation and power within an evaluative psychotherapeutic training context, and the consequences of this for training. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

The interview is considered to be a critical technique in the therapeutic process. The effective (and by implication, the ineffective) use thereof determines to a great extent the outcome of the therapeutic process. Training in therapeutic interviewing forms an integral part of the training of counsellors and therapists. This study was prompted by BEd (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling) students' need for a structured and systematic approach to training in therapeutic interviewing skills. A literature study of the phenomenon therapeutic interviewing revealed firstly that the skills needed for effective therapeutic interviewing can be identified and operationally defined and secondly that these skills can be systematically trained. Having a repertoire of interviewing skills is however not a guarantee that therapy or counselling will have a positive outcome. The therapist must be able to create a therapeutic relationship with the client and in this regard the therapist's personality and attitudes, including empathy, warmth, respect, genuineness and unconditional positive regard for the client, are of major importance in helping to create an atmosphere wherein the client can feel free to discuss his problems and innermost feelings and thoughts. In the design of a model to train therapeutic interviewing, consideration must be given to both content and procedure. Not only were interviewing skills addressed in this model, but also skills to communicate empathy, warmth, respect, genuineness and unconditional positive regard. For the purposes of this study, the therapeutic interview was divided into six stages. Skills used in each stage were identified, defined and discussed. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the training model. Subjects were trained in accordance with the proposed training procedure. In order to evaluate the subjects' progress and thus also the effectiveness of the training procedure, each subject's pre- and post-training interviews were compared. An evaluation scale was designed for this purpose. The results of the pilot study indicated an improvement in the subjects' interviewing skills. It is hoped that this study will pave the way for innovation in the training of counsellors and therapists in therapeutic interviewing. / Die onderhoud word as 'n kritieke tegniek in die terapeutiese proses beskou. Die effektiewe (en by implikasie, die oneffektiewe) gebruik daarvan bepaal tot 'n groot mate die uitkoms van die terapeutiese proses. Opleiding in terapeutiese onderhoudvoering vorm 'n integrale deel van die opleiding van terapeute en voorligters. BEd (Spesialisering in Skoolvoorligting)studente het 'n bepaalde behoefte aan 'n gestruktureerde en sistematiese benadering tot die opleiding van terapeutiese onderhoudvoeringsvaardighede uitgespreek. 'n Literatuurstudie oor die fenomeen terapeutiese ondemoud het eerstens aan die lig gebring dat vaardighede onderliggend aan die terapeutiese onderhoud geidentifiseer en operasioneel gedefinieer kan word en tweedens dat hierdie vaardighede sistematies aangeleer kan word. 'n Repertoire van onderhoudvoeringsvaardighede is egter nie 'n waarborg dat terapie 'n positiewe uitkoms sal he nie. Die terapeut moet 'n terapeutiese verhouding met die klient kan stig en in hierdie opsig is die terapeut se persoonlikheid en sy houding van empatie, warmte, respek, egtheid en onvoorwaardelike agting van kritieke belang in die skep van 'n atmosfeer, waarbinne die klient vry kan voel om sy probleme, diepste gevoelens en gedagtes te kan bespreek. In die ontwerp van 'n model vir opleiding in terapeutiese onderhoudvoeringsvaardighede moet aandag aan beide inhoud en opleidingsprosedure geskenk word. In hierdie model word nie net die vaardighede vir terapeutiese onderhoudvoering aangespreek nie, maar ook vaardighede om empatie, warmte, respek, egtheid en onvoorwaardelike positiewe agting aan die klient te kommunikeer. Vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie is die terapeutiese onderhoud in ses fases verdeel. Vaardighede wat in elke fase gebruik word, is gerdentifiseer, gedefinieer en bespreek. 'n Loodsondersoek is ondemeem om die effektiwiteit van die opleidingsmodel te evalueer. Proefpersone is aan die hand van die voorgestelde opleidingsprosedure opgelei. Ten einde die proefpersone se vordering en so ook die effektiwitieit van die model te evalueer, is elke proefpersoon se voor- en naopleiding onderhoude vergelyk. 'n Evalueringsskaal is vir hierdie doel ontwerp. Die resultate van die loodsondersoek het getoon dat die proefpersone se onderhoudvoeringsvaardighede verbeter het. Die hoop word uitgespreek dat hierdie studie die weg sal baan vir vernuwing in die opleiding van voorligters en terapeute in terapeutiese onderhoudvoering. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)