Facing trauma: co-constructing knowledge to empower and support psychotherapists and counsellors in their clinical practice when working with trauma. A constructivist grounded theory study

This study explores the experiences of early career psychotherapists and counsellors with regards to working with client presentations incorporating trauma. The research puzzle emerged from the lead researcher’s work as a clinical supervisor and trainer. Through this context, the researcher repeatedly observed increased ambivalence and anxiety when the topic of ‘trauma’ came into practice, from both supervisees and those attending training. Despite evidencing, through clinical presentations and discussions, examples of solid, considered, and effective case examples of working therapeutically with trauma, there emerged a common (although not exclusive) pull to shy away from ‘working with trauma’ through not having the requisite ‘specialist skills’. This phenomenon appeared unmatched with regards to other client presentations. Following supervisory intervention and training sessions, individuals would often report reconnection with skills, knowledge and experience they already possessed, but had ‘displaced’ through seeing working with trauma as such a different entity to their ‘regular’ practice. From this situation emerged a key objective of this study; that of developing a better understanding of anxieties and fears, as well as confidences, of novice therapists with regards to working with trauma, with the intention of conceptualising constructivist theory to inform training and development. The research is situated within a social constructivist framework that embraces the lead researcher’s subjectivity, while foregrounding the experiences of co-researchers in the co-construction of knowledge (Charmaz, 2014; Gorra in Bryant, 2017; Langley, 2020). Fourteen trainee and recently qualified psychotherapists and counsellors self-selected to take part in the research. Data was collected through focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and conversational interviews for theoretical sampling. A constructivist grounded theory (CGT) methodology underlined by symbolic interactionism was applied to the research, as befitting the relativist ontological stance and epistemological positioning of the lead researcher. The iterative processes of data collection and analysis enabled the targeting of conceptual gaps in the data. Following processes of abstraction and subsumption, the findings are presented in four final categories: Relating to ‘trauma’; Applying learning from classroom to clinic; Searching for support; Owning one’s own process. Pre-existing professional knowledge and experience, and research conversations with a ‘critical friend’, enabled the recognition of reaching theoretical sufficiency of the categories (Dey, 1999). The research is situated within contemporary literature and wider research that increasingly recognises the prevalence of clients presenting for psychotherapy and counselling with trauma in their histories (Coleman et al., 2018; Knight, 2015; Lueders et al., 2022; Sweeney et al., 2018); continues to recommend more and improved training for clinicians with regards to working with trauma (Courtois & Gold, 2009; Cook et al., 2019; Henning et al., 2021), and calls for research to enhance understanding of the area (Cook et al., 2011; Dayal 2018; Merriman & Joseph, 2018). Knowledge co-created through the research process has informed the development of two key products: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) trainings and Reflective Practice Groups (RPGs), delivered through SPACEStherapy, which promote personal and professional learning and development for both novice and experienced therapists with regards to working clinically with trauma. Further plans for future dissemination of the findings are discussed, and recommendations for further research made.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

DPsych

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

DPsych thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Middlesex University / Metanoia Institute

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Glanville, B.

Identifier

oai:repository.mdx.ac.uk:368629

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.mdx.ac.uk:368629