Therapy Work and Therapists' Positive and Negative Well–Being

Abstract

A substantial literature testifies to the potential negative effects of therapy work on therapists. However, little is known about the potential positive effects of this work. The present study explored both positive aspects (personal growth, compassion satisfaction) and negative aspects (compassion fatigue, burnout) of therapists' well–being in 156 therapists. Analyses of occupational factors (personal therapy, supervision, therapeutic training and practice orientation, length of therapy career, current therapy workload, personal trauma history, gender) and psychological factors (sense of coherence, social support, empathy, the bond from the working alliance) revealed hypothesized associations with therapist well–being. The findings illustrate some of the factors associated with positive and negative well–being in therapists, while the discussion considers future research directions and possible implications for counseling and clinical practice.