The experience of novice family therapists when working with traumatic stories

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the experience of novice family therapists when working with families’ trauma narratives. This study adopted an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA). Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six Maltese warranted systemic psychotherapists, aged between 27 and 35 years, with less than five years of clinical experience. The findings in this study were interpreted through a social constructionist epistemology, complemented by trauma and family resilience theoretical frameworks. This process revealed five themes The transition from trainee to professional, which highlighted the shift from student to qualified professional that was further intensified by the demands of working with trauma; Experiencing intense emotions when listening to families’ traumatic experiences, which addressed how therapists often found themselves deeply affected by the distressing trauma narratives; Novice therapists and their own narratives, referring to the impact of the therapist’s own unresolved narratives on the therapeutic process; Challenges and benefits from working with trauma in the early years of therapeutic practice, with therapists reporting both the difficulties and opportunities for growth encountered in this work; and Resources that support novice therapists in their work with complex trauma, which identified personal therapy, supervision, and supportive networks as essential for therapists’ growth as they navigated the novice journey and the demands of trauma work. These findings demonstrate that bearing witness to these families' experiences proved to be challenging yet transformative, profoundly impacting them on personal and professional levels. These outcomes led to recommendations for future research, and implications for training and practice that can support novice professionals in their work with trauma. Keywords: novice family therapists, trauma, trauma narratives, traumatic experiences, traumatised systems, resilience, personal and professional growth and development