1. Psychotherapy expertise in Singapore: A qualitative investigation
- Author
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Ashley Sovereign, Megan Brogger, Michael P Goh, Len Jennings, Vilma D'Rozario, and Thomas M. Skovholt
- Subjects
Adult ,Cross-Cultural Comparison ,Male ,Character ,Psychotherapist ,Quality Assurance, Health Care ,medicine.medical_treatment ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Context (language use) ,Humility ,Professional Competence ,Spirituality ,medicine ,Humans ,Empowerment ,media_common ,Singapore ,Professional development ,Professional-Patient Relations ,Awareness ,Middle Aged ,Self Concept ,United States ,Brief psychotherapy ,Psychotherapy ,Clinical Psychology ,Alliance ,Female ,Empathy ,Psychology ,Qualitative research - Abstract
Personal characteristics, developmental influences, and therapy practices of nine peer-nominated expert psychotherapists practicing in the diverse country of Singapore were identified using qualitative methods. Sixteen themes were organized within four categories: (a) personal characteristics (empathic, nonjudgmental, respectful); (b) developmental influences (experience, self-awareness, humility, self-doubt); (c) approach to practice (balance between support and challenge, flexible therapeutic stance, empowerment/strength-based approach, primacy of the therapeutic alliance, comfortable addressing spirituality, embraces working within a multicultural context); and (d) ongoing professional growth (professional development practices, benefits of teaching/training others, challenges to professional development in Singapore). Cross-cultural comparisons between this study and Jennings and Skovholt's (1999) study of Minnesota expert psychotherapists found considerable overlap of themes. Implications for research and practice of psychotherapy are offered.
- Published
- 2008
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