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)

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 topic of integrating the formal learning of graduates with their informal workplace learning has been debated for many years. In practice, however, these two types of learning still exist as two polar opposites, especially in the field of statistics. This study examined the effectiveness of an internship programme as a means to integrate the formal learning of statisticians with their informal workplace learning. Based on the findings, a framework was proposed to ensure integration between the formal and informal workplace learning of statisticians. The study employed a mixed-method approach that combined quantitative and qualitative data collection. Quantitative data were collected from respondents (statisticians who participated in the internship programme and were permanently employed at the time of the study) through an online survey, and qualitative data were collected from managers (who served as mentors to the interns) through conducting semi-structured, one-on-one interviews. Documents pertaining to the internship programme in place at Statistics South Africa were also studied. Many developing countries still lack the capacity to produce, analyse and use the range of quality statistics required to support effective development progress. This study suggested a new way of integrating the formal learning with the informal workplace learning of statisticians, which involved adding a practical component (an internship) to the formal learning of statisticians, therefore, combining an internship during formal learning with an internship upon the completion of formal learning. In this way, statisticians are better capacitated because they can apply their formally obtained knowledge and skills in practice both while being engaged in their formal studies as well as after completing their studies, ensuring integration between formal and informal workplace learning. Crucial factors that would play a role in ensuring success are, for instance, if intern statisticians are placed in areas that are commensurate with their formal learning (thus ensuring utilisation of their skills) and if the level of the tasks assigned to them matches their cognitive ability. Support for interns’ informal learning in the form of mentorship, developmental assignments and training and development opportunities are also crucial to ensure integration between their formal learning and informal workplace learning. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

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)

Using portraiture methodology and social practice theory, this study examined the identity work of young people engaged in a teen arts internship program at a contemporary arts center in post-Katrina New Orleans. This research asked four interrelated questions. Through the lens of a teen arts internship at a contemporary arts center in post-Katrina New Orleans, 1) How do contextual figured worlds influence artist identity work? 2) How does artist identity work manifest through personal narratives? 3) How does artist identity work manifest in activities? 4) What are the consequences of artist identity work? The findings of the study highlight how sociocultural factors influence dis/identification with the visual arts in young people and provoke considerations of in/equity in the arts.