Couple therapy research demands a shift in focus from quantitative to qualitative studies
that explore therapist behaviours such as the role of the therapist due to the significant
gap between research and practice, where research is often irrelevant and inaccessible to
clinicians, and errors in practice are repeated and perpetuated as a result of lack of
insight into therapeutic functions. Research on couple therapies also lacks focus on
recent modalities such as Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT), a formative and recent
modality of couple therapy in South Africa and internationally that requires empirical
research and evaluation. Studies addressing therapist qualities and skills necessary in
dealing with diverse populations such as South Africa are also lacking. The subjective
experiences and perceptions of eight Imago relationship therapists practicing in a South
African context were thus explored and described within a qualitative paradigm to
provide an in-depth account of their role. Semi-structured individual interviews were
used to explore their role, and responses recorded and analysed using thematic content
analysis. Findings highlighted underlying complexities of this role as a result of evident
contradiction, irony, and paradox within participants’ experience. Firstly, the core
function of establishing safe connection for the couple proved ironically ‘unconnecting’
and theory-driven in nature, which also provides a sense of safety and reduced
responsibility for the therapist. The role of the Imago therapist was also indicated to be a
part of participants’ identity and life philosophy. The second theme highlighted the
inherently paradoxical nature of the role because perceptions of a ‘non-expert’ and
‘background’ role in fact requires active and expert therapeutic functions as they remain
acutely connected to the couple’s process. Thirdly, the intuitive nature of this role was
reiterated as participants’ experienced both favourable and limiting therapeutic
encounters in a positive and congruent way, which has implications for increased
therapeutic growth. Finally, although participants’ experience of their role in South
Africa highlighted IRT’s underlying theoretical orientation of universal connection, they
did not seem aware of this underlying theory as informing practice. This raises questions
about implications on their role given the importance of theory in influencing the way
the therapist thinks about the client. Findings generally contribute to narrowing the
research-practice gap providing insight into the practice of Imago therapy, which may in
turn add to richness of theory.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/8363 |
| Date | 05 August 2010 |
| Creators | Gerrand, Melanie |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf, application/pdf |
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