Document Type
Article
Language
eng
Format of Original
27 p.
Publication Date
2013
Publisher
Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Source Publication
Counselling Psychology Quarterly
Source ISSN
0951-5070
Abstract
Ten female students who were considering therapy as a career path wrote self-reflection papers and were interviewed regarding their career choice. Consensual qualitative research was used to analyze the data. These participants all indicated a passion for helping others, believed in the importance of giving back, and had prior experiences in helping activities. They considered themselves to have personal helping-related strengths (e.g. empathy) as well as challenges (e.g. avoidance of interpersonal conflict), and worried about potential problems they would encounter as therapists (e.g. being too emotionally invested). Participants expressed both other-oriented (e.g. to help others who had similar painful experiences) and self-oriented (e.g. to help self) motivations for wanting to become therapists. Implications for helping undergraduate students reflect about therapy as a career choice are offered.
Recommended Citation
Hill, Clara E.; Lystrup, Andrea; Kline, Kathryn; Gebru, Nioud M.; Birchler, Jennifer; Palmer, Geoffrey; Robinson, Jennifer; Um, Miji; Griffin, Shauna; Lipsky, Elisabeth; Knox, Sarah; and Pinto-Coelho, Kristen, "Aspiring to Become a Therapist: Personal Strengths and Challenges, Influences, Motivations, and Expectations of Future Psychotherapists" (2013). College of Education Faculty Research and Publications. 306.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/edu_fac/306
Comments
Accepted version. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, Vol. 26, No. 3-4 (2013): 267-293. DOI. © 2013 Taylor & Francis. Used with permission.