Why Do Student Therapists Receive Mandatory Therapy
Quite a lot of people are surprised that all psychotherapists as recognised by organisations like The UK Council for Psychotherapy and The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy require all trainee therapists to undergo a period of mandatory personal therapy in their training. Now many people say that therapists should not need therapy as they should already be sorted out. However, I, and others would argue that it is the fact that they experience therapy as a client which helps them to be more informed and ethical practitioners.
As a person goes through the therapeutic process, a person gains insights into how the process works from both the client and the therapist point of view. Indeed, it is important to consider that if a therapist is unwilling to undergo therapy, it does not inspire confidence in the whole process. After all, if you don’t own it you can’t sell it.
Remember, therapy is not a process that a person should be ashamed of. Therapy is a sign of strength rather than weakness. To understand that a person may need help and support is a sign of insight not a sign of weakness. I would suggest when seeking therapy, feel free to ask your prospective therapist if they undertook therapy as part of their training.
