Commitment under pressure: Experienced therapists' inner work during difficult therapeutic impasses

• Published in: Psychotherapy research 2010-05, Vol.20 (3), p.309-320
• Main Authors: Moltu, Christian, Binder, Per-Einar, Nielsen, Geir Høstmark
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Anger; Career Choice; Countertransference (Psychology); Emotions; experiential/existential/humanistic psychotherapy; Female; Humans; impasses; Individuality; inner work; Interview, Psychological; Male; Mental Disorders - psychology; Mental Disorders - therapy; Motivation; Norway; Personality Development; Personality Disorders - psychology; Personality Disorders - therapy; philosophical/theoretical issues in therapy research; Problem Solving; Professional Competence; Professional-Patient Relations; psychoanalytic/psychodynamic therapy; Psychotherapy; psychotherapy process; Qualitative research; qualitative research methods; Retrospective Studies; rupture; Self Concept; Therapists; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1050-3307; 1468-4381
• DOI: 10.1080/10503300903470610

Interviews were conducted to explore the recall of impasse experiences of 12 highly skilled and experienced therapists. Participants were interviewed in depth individually about a specific impasse from their experience that resolved successfully. The transcribed interviews were analysed using qualitative methodology. The authors found that participants understood their reported impasse experiences as important for their professional development. The category of "helpful subjective presence" describes the mode of being with patients that the participants found therapeutic. The categories of "losing hope" and "difficult feelings in the therapist in the here and now" are processes that threaten the helpful presence. The participants' inner work on the two latter categories is identified as a key to the successful resolution of impasses.