Older psychiatrists and their psychotherapy practice

Interviews with 15 elderly practicing psychiatrists found them cheerful, optimistic and enjoying doing psychotherapy. Most practiced as they had been trained originally, saw outpatients primarily--though fewer and less frequently--than they had earlier in their careers. They experienced fewer transference and countertransference difficulties; and were neither more advice-giving nor self-disclosing than earlier in their careers. All had suffered numerous traumatic events, including ill health and death of spouses, but managed to keep that information out of the therapeutic relationship. Their primary professional concern was maintaining their practices; their major personal concern was the possibility of disability.