Transformative practice

Counselling psychology is a hugely rewarding career, as it focuses on facilitating the positive wellbeing and growth of those in distress. Therapeutic practice thus provides a privileged position within which to bear witness to positive change and growth, but it can often come at a cost to the therapist. There exists an extensive amount of research documenting the negative effects of therapy on the therapist such as compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout. These occupational hazards have historically been neglected during practitioner training rendering trainees and qualified counselling psychologists mentally and emotionally vulnerable to the distressing stories they hear. Recently, research has shifted its focus towards identifying and understanding the positive effects of therapy upon the therapist. This is termed vicarious growth. The idea that therapists can grow in ways that are life enriching as a result of the stories they hear accords with counselling psychology and positive psychology, as both promote human flourishing, are strengths focused, and promote and support individual autonomy. An exploration of the positive and negative effects of therapeutic practice on the therapist is the focus of this paper. Further, therapist self-care plays a crucial role in not only preventing and helping to manage the potentially damaging impact of practice but can also facilitate the therapist’s personal and professional growth. The methods by which this is achieved will be examined, differentiating between self-care strategies that foster resilience and those that can facilitate vicarious growth. A framework for self-care that integrates both approaches will be outlined.