In our previous blog post, we explored the key factors that contribute significantly to successful therapeutic outcomes.
This post, our first collaborative work, reviewed by Counsellor Rohan Kenworthy, is on how person-centred psychotherapists can draw from their own experiences and emotions to construct the therapeutic relationship more effectively.
Therapy, especially those that carry a person-centred approach, is a deeply human endeavour requiring genuine connection, empathy, and understanding. Much like actors on stage or screen, when therapists delve into their own experiences and emotions to better connect with and support their clients, it can share similarities with method acting - a technique where actors draw upon their own lived experiences to bring authenticity and depth to their characters.
Method Acting in Therapy
Method acting, developed primarily by Konstantin Stanislavski and later popularized by practitioners like Lee Strasberg, is an approach to acting that emphasizes authenticity and emotional truth. Actors who employ this technique immerse themselves fully into their characters, often drawing upon their own memories and emotions to create a more authentic portrayal. This involves intense preparation, including emotional recall, sensory memory exercises, and sometimes even living as their characters would to better understand their experiences and motivations.
Method actors believe that by accessing their own deepest feelings and experiences, they can more convincingly inhabit their roles, providing a performance that resonates more profoundly with audiences. Just as method actors draw upon their personal experiences, therapists following a person-centred approach can access their own deepest feelings and emotions to connect with their clients. This is not to say that therapists become emotionally enmeshed with their clients, but rather that they use their own emotional experiences as a wellspring of empathy and understanding. By doing so, therapists enhance the safe and supportive environment where clients feel seen, heard, and understood. This connection can foster a sense of trust and safety, essential components of the therapeutic relationship.
Therapists who work from their own experiences can draw on insights and perspectives that are grounded in real-life understanding. This does not mean that therapists need to be lavish in their personal disclosure but rather that they should draw upon their own experiences to empathize with and support their clients. This can empower clients, who may have previously felt isolated or ashamed of their emotional experiences.
Authenticity in Therapy: Working from Personal Experience
A well debated point is around the requirement for therapists to be authentic. Authenticity in therapy means being genuine and true to oneself, rather than adopting a false persona or trying to fit into a preconceived notion of what a therapist 'should' be. It is argued that authenticity allows therapists to relate to their clients in a more honest and meaningful way, fostering deeper connections and more effective therapeutic outcomes. Being authentic also means being transparent about one's limitations and imperfections. Therapists are human, 'fellow travellers', and acknowledging this can create a more equal therapeutic relationship, where clients feel less judged and more understood.
The Traditional Actor: Performing a Role
In contrast to method acting, the traditional acting approach involves performing a role without necessarily drawing upon personal experiences or emotions. Traditional actors may rely more on external techniques, such as physical gestures, vocal changes, and scripted dialogue, to convey their characters. While this approach can still result in powerful and convincing performances, it does not necessarily require the same level of personal emotional investment as method acting.
Similarly, some therapists may adopt a professional distance and focus on specific therapeutic techniques and interventions. This can involve following established protocols, employing evidence-based practices, and maintaining clear boundaries between their professional and personal lives. Traditional actors and therapists who adopt a more boundaried approach may achieve positive outcomes with the nature of their work being quite different from those who engage more deeply with their own emotions.
Balancing Professionalism and Authenticity
The challenge for therapists, much like for method actors, is to balance professionalism with authenticity. While it is crucial for therapists to maintain appropriate boundaries with their clients, it is equally important to remain genuine and relatable. For some clients, a more structured and less emotionally involved approach may be expected, providing a sense of stability and predictability. However, for others, the lack of emotional connection may hinder the development of an effective therapeutic relationship, needing the therapist to become a method actor.
About our Reviewer, Rohan Kenworthy
Rohan is a qualified Counsellor with a postgraduate diploma in both Psychosynthesis Psychology and Counselling from The Institute of Psychosynthesis in affiliation with Middlesex University. Rohan offers online and in-person counselling for individuals from his private practice in North London. He is both BACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists) and NCPS (National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society) registered and accredited, fully insured and his work is governed by their code of ethics and standards of practice.
Rohan’s journey into Psychotherapy and Counselling was inspired by his background in the performing arts, which led him to various teaching and pastoral roles in the field of Education. After personally experiencing the transformative power of counselling in his twenties, he felt a deep calling to pursue training in this field.
Rohan’s website: www.rk-therapy.co.uk
A Few Questions for Our Reviewer
How did you decide to train as a Psychotherapist?
I decided to embark upon a training after having therapy and finding it to be a life-changing experience.
What do you do for leisure?
For leisure, in different ways, dancing, pubs and socializing, reading, cafes, writing, meditation and techno music all play a prominent part.
What is the most important book you read until now? What made it important?
Very hard to answer! Urgh... How about The Little Prince?... It is just profoundly beautiful, charming, sad, innocent, pure and transcendent.
Do you believe in fate?
I believe in there being entirely deeper underlying patterns and a linking to people and events on a soul level - so the answer is yes!
A proverb / quote that you find meaningful -
Life is change (from Buddhism)... connection to one (personal statement that represents spiritual awakening to me)...