Doing Reflexive Thematic Analysis

Abstract

This chapter presents the essentials of conceptualising, designing and doing reflexive Thematic Analysis (TA), in counselling and psychotherapy. The authors contextualise TA as a family of methods, with some quite radically different approaches, ranging theoretically from ‘scientifically descriptive’ to ‘artfully interpretative’. After outlining key design and conceptual considerations for TA research, they describe the practice of reflexive TA, detailing a six-phase approach, illustrated with reference to our example study of living with alopecia. Throughout, the authors discuss the value of researcher subjectivity and practicing reflexivity, and encourage readers to strive to be a thoughtful, engaged, knowing researcher for quality reflexive TA.