What are the sources of feelings of incompetence in experienced therapists?

Abstract

Therapists’ subjective encounters with feelings of incompetence were explored to identify the origins of such experiences. Eight seasoned therapists were interviewed for approximately 90 minutes. The resulting transcripts were analyzed with a grounded theory approach. Therapist feelings of incompetence stemmed from four main sources: (a) permissible issues, (b) professional issues, (c) process issues, and (d) personal issues. Each of these categories, and the subcategories, are discussed in detail. Implications for therapist self-care as well as counsellor education are discussed.