Why Psychotherapists Should Attend Their Own Personal Therapy

When I was a psychotherapist in training at a New York City psychoanalytic institute in 1996, I was required to be in my own analysis three times a week. 

In addition to taking classes, attending three supervision sessions per week and seeing clients at the psychotherapy center, being in my own analysis seemed like it would be a daunting process. But it turned out to be one of the best things I have ever done for myself.

Why Therapists Should Attend Their Own Therapy

All of us in our first year of training felt like impostors when we began working with clients, so it helped to have a safe place with seasoned analysts who had already been through the process and could help us through it (see my article: Hello Impostor Syndrome My Old Friend).

As I soon discovered, attending analysis three times a week for four years in training had many therapeutic and educational benefits. 

The frequency provided emotional and psychological continuity. In addition, it allowed me to go deeper into my personal history and minimized intellectualization that comes from merely "chatting" in therapy. 

It also allowed me to get first-hand experience of the psychotherapy process as opposed to only learning about it in classes or with the clients I saw at the psychotherapy center.

Intensive therapy also helped to eliminate potential blind spots. 

In addition, intensive therapy got to potential unconscious biases and helped to prevent projection of my own unresolved problems onto clients.

I was also fortunate that my training program provided relatively low-cost analysis with an excellent choice of experienced analysts.

Why Should Psychotherapists Attend Their Own Therapy?

Well-trained psychotherapists attend their own therapy because practitioner's minds and emotional health are their primary tools in treating clients.

Research indicates that approximately 75-84% of licensed mental health practitioners have undergone their own personal therapy at some point in their careers.

Clinical training teaches clinicians how to analyze clients' problems, but personal therapy teaches them how to be in the client's place.

The American Psychological Association identifies critical reasons why well-trained therapists actively participate in their own therapy including:

Managing Countertransference and Blind Spots:

• Spotting Triggers: Without their own therapy, psychotherapists own unresolved history can get triggered by a client's trauma.

• Eliminating Bias: As mentioned before, personal therapy uncovers hidden psychological blind spots that might impact a clinician's ability to work objectively with clients.

• Protecting Boundaries: Processing inner conflicts helps prevent therapists from projecting their own emotional needs onto vulnerable clients.

Experiencing the Client's Perspective

• Building Empathy: Being in the role of the client helps therapists to understand how intimidating, vulnerable and brave it is for clients to share their deepest emotions (see my article: Why is Empathy Important in Psychotherapy?).

• Learning Mastercraft: Attending therapy allows therapists to experience how a senior clinician handles complex emotions in real-time.

• Refining Technique: Observing and experiencing a senior clinician provides a live demonstration of how abstract psychological theories function in actual practice.

Combating Burnout and Vicarious Trauma

• Processing Heavy Stories: Listening to clients' stories about grief, trauma and loss can take a psychological toll, so personal therapy provides support.

• Preventing Compassion Fatigue: Therapy offers a necessary release so clinicians don't absorb the chronic stress of their caseload.

• Modeling Self Care: Practicing clinicians must actively utilize the same self-care tools they recommend for their clients and senior clinicians can model this.

Normalizing Mental Health

• Shattering the Stigma: When psychotherapists go to therapy, it helps to build a healthier culture that views seeking help as a professional strength rather than a weakness, which helps to shatter the stigma of going to therapy (see my article: Mental Health Awareness: Reducing the Stigma of Getting Help in Therapy).

Conclusion

Since my four year psychoanalytic training from 1996-2000, I have gone on to learn other advanced psychotherapy modalities including EMDR, AEDP, IFS, Somatic Experiencing, Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples as well as becoming a certified sex therapist.

I believe that all therapists in training, whether their training program requires personal therapy or not, benefit from attending their own personal therapy.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT Couples Therapist, IFS, Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples over the years.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

I provide a free 10-15 minute phone call before setting up an appointment.

I offer in-person therapy in my NYC Greenwich Village office as well as online therapy.

You can reach me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or you can email me.