How counselling psychologists view their personal therapy

Mental health in Austrian psychotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic

Although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been reported in different communities, little is known about the mental health of psychotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austrian psychotherapists and compare it with the general population. A total of n = 513 psychotherapists (80.5% women; mean age: 53.06 ± 9.94 years) took part in an online survey conducted from April to June 2022. At the same time, a representative sample (N = 1,031) of the Austrian general population was surveyed online. Indicators of mental health were mental wellbeing (WHO-5), depression (PHQ-2), anxiety (GAD-2), insomnia (ISI-2), and stress (PSS-10). The general population sample was matched according to age and gender with the psychotherapist's data using propensity scores, yielding a final sample of n = 513 (80.5% women; mean age: 52.33 ± 13.39 years). Psychotherapists showed lower odds for exceeding cut-offs for clinically relevant depressive, anxiety, insomnia and stress symptoms (0.34-0.58) compared to the general population. Further studies should elucidate the protective factors underlying these findings.

Personal Therapy in Psychiatry Residency Training: A National Survey of Canadian Psychiatry Residents

OBJECTIVE

The authors collected nationally representative data on Canadian residents' experiences with and perspectives on personal psychotherapy in their psychiatric training.

METHODS

A 43-item questionnaire was distributed electronically to all current psychiatry residents in Canada (N = 839).

RESULTS

Four hundred residents from every program across Canada returned the survey (response rate 47.7%). The prevalence of personal therapy at any time was 55.3%, with 42.8% receiving personal therapy during residency. Of residents who undertook personal psychotherapy, 59.3% engaged in weekly therapy, 74.1% received psychodynamic psychotherapy, and 81.5% participated in long-term therapy (>1 year). Personal growth, self-understanding, and professional development were the most common reasons for engaging in personal therapy; however, one-third of residents did so to alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns. Time was the most important factor impeding residents from personal therapy; only 8.8% found stigma to act as a barrier. The vast majority of residents rated their experience with personal therapy as having a positive or very positive impact on their personal life (84.8%) and overall development as psychiatrists (81.8%). For 64% of respondents, personal therapy had an important or very important role in psychiatry residency training. Residents who received personal therapy rated themselves as better able to understand what happens moment by moment during therapy sessions, detect and deal with patients' emotional reactions, and constructively use their personal reactions to patients.

CONCLUSION

Interest in personal therapy remains strong among psychiatry trainees in Canada. Residents who engaged in psychotherapy endorsed greater confidence in psychotherapy and rated their psychotherapy skills more favorably than those who had never been in the patient role, supporting the view of personal therapy as an important adjunct to psychotherapy training during residency.

Condições que promovem o aprimoramento profissional e comportamentos relacionados à mudança clínica: atribuições de terapeutas comportamentais experientes e não experientes

Comparação de atribuições feitas por psicoterapeutas comportamentais experientes e não experientes (N = 41) sobre condições que promovem o aprimoramento profissional. Por meio de um questionário, 41 psicoterapeutas responderam a questões sobre condições que facilitam o aprimoramento da prática clínica e sobre o repertório comportamental do psicoterapeuta relacionado com a mudança clínica. Uma lista de categorias de comportamentos de terapeutas relacionados à mudança clínica é apresentada. As condições encontradas como relevantes para o aprimoramento da prática clínica foram comparadas em termos da experiência do terapeuta. Elas parecem estar relacionadas às situações presentes no contato direto do terapeuta com seus clientes (experiência - número de casos atendidos) e condições de aprimoramento técnico (formação acadêmica e atualização bibliográfica).