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Social representations of therapist self-care and well-being: a thematic analysis of peak body media.

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Title: Social representations of therapist self-care and well-being: a thematic analysis of peak body media.
Authors: Lorraway, Mimirose, Wilkinson, Sarah, Sargeant, Sally
Source: Australian Psychologist. Oct2025, Vol. 60 Issue 5, p423-434. 12p.
Subjects: Health self-care, Serial publications, Psychologists, Mental health counselors, Psychological burnout, Psychological distress, Qualitative research, Psychological well-being, Social perception, Descriptive statistics, Thematic analysis, Ethics, Newsletters, Bulletin boards, Data analysis software, Media exposure, COVID-19 pandemic
Geographic Terms: Australia, New Zealand
Abstract: Objective: Therapist self-care supports their well-being and ability to support clients, making a culture of self-care driven by peak bodies of paramount importance. Limited research has examined how the issue of therapist self-care and well-being is depicted within these peak bodies. This study explored representations of therapist well-being and self-care in media articles from professional peak bodies to better understand how the issue is discussed. Method: Drawing on Social Representation Theory, 53 media articles were selected from the websites of six peak bodies – the organisations providing professional guidance and advocacy for therapists – representing therapists (counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists) across Australia and Aotearoa, New Zealand, and were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three themes were generated. Therapists in Exceptional Circumstances reflected well-being within broader systemic and environmental issues. Adversity as Commonplace revealed the prevalence of burnout depiction with overwhelming job demands. Client and Therapist Mutually Impacted highlighted the moral distress experienced by therapists reducing client contact as a form of self-care. Conclusions: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the therapy professions shows the need for positive representations of therapist well-being within peak body media. Open dialogues should address therapists' moral distress while managing self-care, and peak bodies must take a more active role in promoting a culture of self-care. Key Points: What is already known about this topic: Therapist self-care is essential to providing optimal care to clients. Therapists can struggle to manage self-care. Online spaces can help to provide resources for and represent self-care. What this topic adds: Insight into how online peak body media articles might represent self-care and well-being. How social representations assist in the construction of therapist well-being. Public portrayal of therapists may influence their capacity to manage self-care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Australian Psychologist is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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
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  Data: Social representations of therapist self-care and well-being: a thematic analysis of peak body media.
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  Data: Objective: Therapist self-care supports their well-being and ability to support clients, making a culture of self-care driven by peak bodies of paramount importance. Limited research has examined how the issue of therapist self-care and well-being is depicted within these peak bodies. This study explored representations of therapist well-being and self-care in media articles from professional peak bodies to better understand how the issue is discussed. Method: Drawing on Social Representation Theory, 53 media articles were selected from the websites of six peak bodies – the organisations providing professional guidance and advocacy for therapists – representing therapists (counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists) across Australia and Aotearoa, New Zealand, and were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three themes were generated. Therapists in Exceptional Circumstances reflected well-being within broader systemic and environmental issues. Adversity as Commonplace revealed the prevalence of burnout depiction with overwhelming job demands. Client and Therapist Mutually Impacted highlighted the moral distress experienced by therapists reducing client contact as a form of self-care. Conclusions: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the therapy professions shows the need for positive representations of therapist well-being within peak body media. Open dialogues should address therapists' moral distress while managing self-care, and peak bodies must take a more active role in promoting a culture of self-care. Key Points: What is already known about this topic: Therapist self-care is essential to providing optimal care to clients. Therapists can struggle to manage self-care. Online spaces can help to provide resources for and represent self-care. What this topic adds: Insight into how online peak body media articles might represent self-care and well-being. How social representations assist in the construction of therapist well-being. Public portrayal of therapists may influence their capacity to manage self-care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Australian Psychologist is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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=188316654
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/00050067.2024.2436930
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 423
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Health self-care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Serial publications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychologists
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental health counselors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological burnout
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological distress
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological well-being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ethics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Newsletters
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bulletin boards
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Media exposure
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19 pandemic
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Australia
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: New Zealand
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Social representations of therapist self-care and well-being: a thematic analysis of peak body media.
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            NameFull: Wilkinson, Sarah
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            – D: 01
              M: 10
              Text: Oct2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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