Personal Therapy & Development
Personal therapy is concerned with a deep internal searching and working through unresolved conflicts aiming at positive personal development. It is difficult for a therapist to help someone else in the process of self- knowledge, without first having gained awareness of his/her own hidden thoughts and desires.
Personal Therapy for Trainee Counsellors
Trainee counsellors especially, are often encouraged to be more self-aware, to explore and learn to distinguish their own feelings, beliefs, morals, principles and reactions to various stressful situations. In getting to know themselves better, they become more sensitive to the feelings, thoughts and expectations a client may experience during therapy. If also gives them the opportunity to experience counselling from a client’s perspective.
Therapists who have sought personal therapy, report that they benefited by becoming more aware of the personal relationship that develops between therapists and clients, by being more aware of issues of transference and counter transference in the therapeutic relationship, and by having developed increased warmth, empathy, genuineness, patience and tolerance. They become better active listeners, develop empathy for their clients, and gain a greater awareness of their personal and professional identity. Moreover, their empathy as the therapist helped them to find healthy ways of connecting and disconnecting from their clients.
Personal Therapy for ALL Individuals
Individuals from all walks of life and all careers can also benefit from personal therapy. From learning how to take on leadership tasks, to managing anger or stress, there are a number of benefits to personal therapy for growth and development.