Exploring the role of practitioner lived experience of mental health issues in counselling and psychotherapy

Abstract

Insights gained from lived experience of mental health issues are increasingly utilised in the delivery of mental health services, reflecting a growing recognition of the value of experiential knowledge. Despite this recognition, there is a dearth of literature on the lived experience of counsellors and psychotherapists, and as such, insight into how counsellors and psychotherapists understand and experience their dual patient-therapist identity is limited. This study explores the role of practitioner-lived experience in counselling and psychotherapy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two counsellors and one psychotherapist, and transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four themes were identified: (a) identity as a practitioner; (b) self-disclosure as enhancing therapeutic relationships; (c) importance of supervision; and (d) healing and recovery. This study adds to a growing body of research on the value of experiential knowledge in the production of mental health services, providing insight into how lived-experience practitioners experience their dual identity within their practice, and how they can be supported in exploring and valuing their experience.