Personal qualities of the clinical psychologist

Abstract

The person within the Clinical Psychologist is not often addressed in Clinical Psychology. The aim of this study as a whole was to consider the person who practices as a therapist and question why as a whole the profession does not acknowledge the more personable aspects of the profession. The literature review (chapter one) looked at the development of Clinical Psychology in the United Kingdom. It illustrated how economic trends and the predominance of the medical model have affected Clinical Psychology practice and training in this country. The review suggests that the more personable aspects of therapy and empirical research are not given their due credence because of the overarching arm of the medical model and it's "specificity" mentality. The first study (chapter two) looked at psychological mindedness (PM) in therapists; something deemed to be almost inherent in this population. The study aimed to gain empirical evidence that PM is associated with adaptive therapist attributes. Correlational analysis revealed significant positive associations between PM and clinician empathy, self understanding and the therapeutic relationship. The second study (chapter three) was concerned specifically with personal therapy in qualified therapists. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of responses to questionnaires revealed personal and professional benefits of engaging in personal therapy. The study also hypothesised that the small response rate evident in this study highlighted the long standing reluctance of psychotherapists in this country to discuss personal experiences of therapy, a concern and matter for further research. Finally the research review (chapter four) considers how I now value the people as paramount in the therapy room rather than the diagnosis. The process which facilitated this change in me is documented and reflected upon