Psychotherapists and Counsellors in Training

Becoming a counsellor or a psychotherapist requires a high level of self-awareness, genuineness, congruence and empathy. Having a certain number of hours of personal therapy is required to complete the training program and achieve accreditation.

Therapists can hope to gain several things by having their own therapy:

• Appreciate the reactions and needs of clients by being placed into the client role,

• Understand the process of therapy itself

• Develop self-awareness (which can prevent unhelpful interventions being made)

• Build up the habit of self-reflection

• Become aware of transference and countertransference in the therapeutic relationship

• Experience gains made in therapy