Searching for recognition: the professional development of psychodynamic psychotherapists during training and the first few years after it.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the development of psychotherapists' professional self during training and the first few years after it. Constant comparison analysis was conducted on interviews with former students (N = 18) at a training institute for psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The resulting core category "searching for recognition" indicated that participants' ambition during the studied time period was to reach high status by becoming psychotherapists. During training, this was expressed by the category "attachment to preformed professional self," meaning that students wanted their preconceptions about therapy to be acknowledged by teachers. After training, participants experienced achieved recognition and, as a result, a sense of freedom to use their own judgment.
Carlsson
Jan
J
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychotherapy, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm. jan.karlsson@sll.se
Norberg
Joakim
J
Sandell
Rolf
R
Schubert
Johan
J
D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D013548:Sweden; D000078329:Workforce