Abstract

FERNANDES, Eugénia  and  MAIA, Ângela da Costa. Impacto do exercício de psicoterapia nos psicoterapeutas . Aná. Psicológica [online]. 2008, vol.26, n.1, pp.47-58. ISSN 0870-8231.

In this paper, the authors discuss therapist’s costs and benefits from to practice psychotherapy. Assuming the benefits of psychotherapy for clients, they justify the positive impact of talk about emotional hard full or potentially traumatic experiences on their growth and change. Nevertheless, not forgetting the relational character of psychotherapy, the authors discuss the negative impact that the clinical act of listen hard narrations and/or to witness the client’s suffering, can have on the therapist him self. Assuming psychotherapy as a risk job, but looking at resilient psychotherapists, the authors discuss the others side of question, and underline psychotherapy as an opportunity for personal growth and professional development. Finally they suggest some kinds of self-care indications for therapists, in order to prevent risks and to increased benefits from psychotherapy practice.

Keywords : Psychotherapist; vicarious trauma; growth; self-care.

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