Should personal therapy be mandatory for psychologist trainees? Perspectives from Australian practicing psychologists

Abstract

There is a growing focus on the training needs of future psychologists and exploring methods to support their professional development and ensure long-term sustainability in their careers and practice within the field. Whether or not personal therapy could be relevant for trainee psychologists has been considered in the clinical literature; however, empirical research examining this topic within psychology as a distinct professional group is limited. Drawing upon a qualitative design, the present study conducted semistructured interviews with a sample of 20 Australian practicing psychologists who had engaged in personal therapy. The aim was to explore their perspectives on personal therapy during training and, in addition, their views on mandatory personal therapy for trainees. Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews resulted in several unique themes. First, therapy during training was perceived as an optimal and critical period for learning before entering the profession. Second, personal therapy was perceived as offering unique value to trainees in its capacity to reach beyond the scope of supervision. Psychologists also reported that personal therapy can facilitate unique learning/development opportunities in areas of self and professional development and in promoting self-care with a focus on future sustainability. Views on whether personal therapy should be mandated during training varied across psychologists; however, most supported the idea that educators and training institutions play an important role in normalizing and promoting personal therapy usage among trainee psychologists, particularly to reduce stigma around utilization. These findings are informative for future practice and training recommendations for psychologists.