Shame is an emotion that causes disengagement and, if prolonged and unconscious, hinders interpersonal relationships. In the context of the therapeutic relationship, the hidden nature of shame makes it difficult to identify and challenging for the therapist to work with. The therapist's unconscious shame, which can also be expressed in countertransference, can be a particular challenge in the therapeutic relationship, and the therapist's processing of and contact with his or her own shame is therefore crucial for the therapist's work with shame in the therapeutic relationship and for the quality of the relationship. The main aim of the master thesis was to gain insight into the experience of shame in the therapeutic relationship from the therapist's point of view and into the characteristics of working with shame in relation to the therapist's experience.
The answer to the central research question »How do therapists experience shame in the therapeutic relationship?« was sought through in-depth semi-structured interviews in a framework of the phenomenological research method. The interviews were conducted with seven female participants who have (also) been providing individual psychotherapy for seven years or less, following integrative approaches. The results of the analysis showed that therapeutic work with shame is challenging and often uncomfortable. In line with findings from the scientific literature, it turned out that clients often mask shame with other emotions, are not even aware of it, or their shame comes to light over time in the context of other stories and emotions. In the context of hidden shame, the analysis revealed the participants' caution and reticence in addressing (countertransference) shame in the therapeutic relationship, even when they perceive it.
It remains an open question how much shame in the therapeutic relationship remains unrecognised and thus inaccessible to research. It would also be advisable to explore the experience of shame in the therapeutic relationship from the therapist's perspective with a sample of participants - longer-serving therapists who are likely to have more experience of working with emotion, of countertransference and of the dynamics of the therapeutic relationship in general.
The master's thesis fills a research gap in a field that has been insufficiently explored in Slovenia. By providing a deep insight into the lived experience of the participants, it contributes to clinical therapeutic practice and can serve educational purposes in the process of preparing therapists to work with shame as one of the most hidden emotions, often ignored in professional discourse until recently.
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