Sooner or Later you are no Longer Needed - Even as a Psychotherapist?+A Systematic Literature Review on how Psychotherapists Deal with their Own Aging Process+

Abstract

Up to now, there is little bundled knowledge about how psychotherapists deal with their own aging. The aim of the present study was a systematic review of the existing literature on the topic of psychotherapists' aging. In a systematic literature search, which was primarily conducted via electronic databases, 55 relevant hits (empirical studies, literature-based texts, books and book contributions, and free text forms) were identified, whose relevant contents were systematically compiled. The literature search revealed a lack of empirical research on the question of how psychotherapists deal with their own aging. Within the systematic review, key findings were presented in areas of 1. age-related issues and challenges among older psychotherapists, 2. resources and sources of experience among older psychotherapists, and 3. engagement with aging and exit from psychotherapy practice. The systematic review illustrates the comprehensiveness of the topics that are relevant in the context of psychotherapists' aging. Dealing with aging also includes the discussion of one's own retirement, whereby the literature suggests a high propensity to work among older psychotherapists, who highly value their status and their individual professional freedoms in old age. It was shown that one's own aging is associated with diverse effects on professional identity and psychotherapeutic work. Future empirical research should address age-related changes in the context of psychotherapeutic work and inquire about attitudes of psychotherapists towards age-related issues. Interests and plans of (older) psychotherapists should be heard and their resources should be used.