Initiation as a rite of passage is strongly linked to the history and practice of psychotherapy and counselling psychology. The absence of recent studies on this topic encourages research in this area. This research investigates the initiation experiences of seven female participants as they became qualified as psychotherapists and counselling psychologists, i.e. in their ‘becoming a therapist’. Data were collected through open-ended interviews, and narratives analysed using the interpretive-constructivist version of grounded theory developed by Charmaz. The emerged grounded theory (considered a preliminary theory due to the limited number of participants) highlights the interplay between two fundamental agencies of the self: Being and Doing. Their interaction allows female therapists to engage in several inner and outer tasks affecting the shaping of their sense of self. The theory highlights a dynamic and non-linear process of identity transformation and shows how female therapists relate to transitions and changes on a personal and professional level. The emerged theory is relevant and informative for the current practice of counselling psychology, as it emphasises the importance of female therapists' personal and professional development. By considering the psychological impact and influence of initiation, it highlights how the process of female therapists' becoming unfolds and shows how this can serve their clinical practice.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:646079 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Cunial Trotta, Elisa |
| Publisher | Regent's University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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