View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

The hidden emotions of therapists: An autoethnographic exploration of working with clients who self‐injure.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The hidden emotions of therapists: An autoethnographic exploration of working with clients who self‐injure.
Authors: Naxton, Joanna
Source: Counselling & Psychotherapy Research. Jun2025, Vol. 25 Issue 2, p1-11. 11p.
Subjects: Self-injurious behavior, Work, Empathy, Fear, Supervision of employees, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Qualitative research, Occupational roles, Psychological distress, Death, Psychotherapist attitudes, Ethnology research, Drawing, Field notes (Science), Emotions, Metaphor, Reflection (Philosophy), Confidence, Anxiety, Client relations, Experience, Diary (Literary form), Clinical competence, Case studies, Shame, Experiential learning, Self-perception
Abstract: Introduction: This paper explores how working with clients who self‐injure generates significant emotional reactions in therapists, often difficult to manage. Drawing on my clinical experience as a researcher and counsellor, I provide an evocative autoethnographic account, highlighting hidden, forbidden or taboo feelings. The aim was to deepen understanding of therapists' emotional realities and contribute to the limited literature on this subject. Method: Through journaling, sketching, metaphor and field notes, I detail personal experiences with clients who self‐injure. This autoethnography explores my emotions and reactions. A case vignette illustrates my experiences, promoting critical and empathic consideration of how therapist emotions are experienced. Data Analysis: I use autoethnographic methods to analyse the emotional impact and existential reflections of working with clients who self‐injure, employing layers of qualitative interpretation from various personal data sources. Results: Findings reveal that working with clients who self‐injure forces me to confront my mortality, evoking deep existential reflections and intense emotions like vulnerability and fear. This disrupts my sense of immortality, highlighting my role's limitations and evoking shame and self‐doubt about my ability to alleviate suffering. Implications for Practice: This paper advances research on self‐injury and emphasises autoethnography as a valuable avenue for counsellors engaging in research. Grounded in PhD study, this paper makes an original contribution to knowledge. Integrating discussions on mortality and emotional vulnerability into supervision and training is crucial, alongside comprehensive training that addresses emotional and unconscious issues. Accessible supervision fosters growth, reduces stigma and supports therapists working with clients who self‐injure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Counselling & Psychotherapy Research is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 186283161
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The hidden emotions of therapists: An autoethnographic exploration of working with clients who self‐injure.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Naxton%2C+Joanna%22">Naxton, Joanna</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Counselling+%26+Psychotherapy+Research%22">Counselling & Psychotherapy Research</searchLink>. Jun2025, Vol. 25 Issue 2, p1-11. 11p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-injurious+behavior%22">Self-injurious behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work%22">Work</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empathy%22">Empathy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fear%22">Fear</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Supervision+of+employees%22">Supervision of employees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Post-traumatic+stress+disorder%22">Post-traumatic stress disorder</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Occupational+roles%22">Occupational roles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+distress%22">Psychological distress</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Death%22">Death</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychotherapist+attitudes%22">Psychotherapist attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnology+research%22">Ethnology research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drawing%22">Drawing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Field+notes+%28Science%29%22">Field notes (Science)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotions%22">Emotions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Metaphor%22">Metaphor</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reflection+%28Philosophy%29%22">Reflection (Philosophy)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence%22">Confidence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Client+relations%22">Client relations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experience%22">Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diary+%28Literary+form%29%22">Diary (Literary form)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+competence%22">Clinical competence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Case+studies%22">Case studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Shame%22">Shame</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experiential+learning%22">Experiential learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-perception%22">Self-perception</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Introduction: This paper explores how working with clients who self‐injure generates significant emotional reactions in therapists, often difficult to manage. Drawing on my clinical experience as a researcher and counsellor, I provide an evocative autoethnographic account, highlighting hidden, forbidden or taboo feelings. The aim was to deepen understanding of therapists' emotional realities and contribute to the limited literature on this subject. Method: Through journaling, sketching, metaphor and field notes, I detail personal experiences with clients who self‐injure. This autoethnography explores my emotions and reactions. A case vignette illustrates my experiences, promoting critical and empathic consideration of how therapist emotions are experienced. Data Analysis: I use autoethnographic methods to analyse the emotional impact and existential reflections of working with clients who self‐injure, employing layers of qualitative interpretation from various personal data sources. Results: Findings reveal that working with clients who self‐injure forces me to confront my mortality, evoking deep existential reflections and intense emotions like vulnerability and fear. This disrupts my sense of immortality, highlighting my role's limitations and evoking shame and self‐doubt about my ability to alleviate suffering. Implications for Practice: This paper advances research on self‐injury and emphasises autoethnography as a valuable avenue for counsellors engaging in research. Grounded in PhD study, this paper makes an original contribution to knowledge. Integrating discussions on mortality and emotional vulnerability into supervision and training is crucial, alongside comprehensive training that addresses emotional and unconscious issues. Accessible supervision fosters growth, reduces stigma and supports therapists working with clients who self‐injure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Counselling & Psychotherapy Research is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=186283161
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/capr.12848
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Self-injurious behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Empathy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fear
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Supervision of employees
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Post-traumatic stress disorder
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Occupational roles
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological distress
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Death
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychotherapist attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ethnology research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Drawing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Field notes (Science)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Metaphor
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reflection (Philosophy)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Confidence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anxiety
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Client relations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Diary (Literary form)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clinical competence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Case studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Shame
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Experiential learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self-perception
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The hidden emotions of therapists: An autoethnographic exploration of working with clients who self‐injure.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Naxton, Joanna
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 14733145
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 25
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Counselling & Psychotherapy Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1