Self-criticism in therapist training: A grounded theory analysis

The primary objective of this study is to engender an understanding of how therapists-in-training experience and cope with self-criticism in the context of their clinical training and therapy experiences.

In this study, trainees were interviewed about their experience of self-criticism related to psychotherapy practice and these interviews were subjected to a grounded theory analysis generating a core self-critical process.

The analysis highlighted the vulnerability of self-criticism in therapists' training experiences, especially when they related to balancing the "expert" role while maintaining authentic interactions with their clients. The results also described ways in which self-criticism is mitigated by a sense of interpersonal safety and the provision of clinical freedom and flexibility in therapists' training.

The implications for future psychotherapy research and clinical training within clinical training environments are discussed.