Exploring Values of Therapists in India
6.11 Implications for Psychotherapy Practice
Participants of the study were able to identify their core values and how they played out in their personal and professional lives. There were times during the interview when it was suggested by the participants that it was the first time they were think- ing of these issues. Large caseloads and no formal spaces for self-reflection made it very hard for practitioners to pursue regular self-reflective practices. Considering that self-reflection is so critical to professional growth and development, both super- vision and training might need to create more space and formats for such practices.
While research in psychotherapy is steadily increasing in India, there is hardly any data and research available to understand the complex experiences of thera- pists in the Indian context. The present study attempts to develop an understanding of the interaction and integration of personal and professional values of experi- enced therapists; however, further research to examine and explore the role of values in therapeutic practice is needed with a larger sample and with therapists across different stages of professional development. The current study also did not include the voices of male therapists in India. It would make the available litera- ture more inclusive and complete if future research could also incorporate the nar- ratives of male therapists.
An in-depth study of the sources of therapist values, including a more detailed understanding of the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of therapists, could also be explored. A study on the clients’ perspective of the role of values in their therapeutic experiences within the Indian context would also be a line of enquiry worth exploring and developing an understanding of.
Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge all the participant counsellors for making time and sharing their experiences for the study.
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