The psychotherapist has been considered an element of major importance for the success of therapy, however the study of his/her personal and professional characteristics has been neglected in research. The purpose of this work is to analyze the narratives of 20 psychotherapists experts from different theoretical orientations (behavioral-cognitive, constructivist, humanistic, psychoanalytic and systemic) on their personal and professional development during clinical practice. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview and analyzed in a constructive perspective of grounded theory. In the analysis two main themes emerged. In this article are presented the results of the first theme, relating to experiences of personal and professional context that contributed to the development of psychotherapists. The organizing theme of the interviews emphasized the importance of dialogue and the consistency between the personal and professional self-understanding of the development of the psychotherapist.
Qualitative study; Professional development; Psychotherapists; Personal development
