Development of Positive Self: Exploring the Experiences of Psychotherapists

Development of Positive Self: Exploring the Experiences of Psychotherapists

Mental health professionals cater to the needs of people in distress. They utilise cognitive and emotional resources to completely empathise with the clientele and it can often lead to distress because helping profession is more prone to burnout. The benefits of practicing psychotherapy outweigh the hazards if they can bring work-life balance by creating a boundary between personal and professional lives. The aim of the current study was to explore the meaning and significance of professional experiences in the development of positive self. Seven psychotherapists with minimum ten years of experience participated in the study. Using semi structured in-depth interviews details about professional experience and the impact on personal life was explored. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The study found the indicators of positive self as high self esteem, high self efficacy, experiencing positive emotions, signs of wisdom, hopeful behaviour, high optimism, self regulation, experiencing gratitude and forgiveness. Work experiences and coping strategies influenced the development of positive self. The results of the study can be used in training programmes for psychotherapists and building the conceptual model of positive self. keywords: psychotherapists, positive self, positive emotional state, functional coping strategies, professional growth, prosocial behaviour

Varghese Anu

Psychology