Clients’ self-reports of harmful psychotherapeutic experiences

• Main Author: Kane, Josie Monica
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/8166

The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate the experiences of clients who sought psychotherapeutic help and perceived aspects of the therapy to be harmful. This study used a survey design. Fifty-two participants were recruited through advertisements in the media and sent a questionnaire. The results from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Responses to the open-ended questions were studied for themes regarding harm. The results show that respondents reported perceiving negative therapist characteristics such as hostility and rudeness; a lack of positive therapist characteristics such as understanding feelings and what was said, being respectful and supportive; and negative therapist behaviors such labelling, having different goals, saying or doing something that decreased respondent's self-esteem. The results from this study suggest that boundary violations considered unethical are perceived as occurring and are being experienced as harmful or unhelpful by the clients. That less than 10 % of the respondents in this study reported experiences of sexual boundary violations, yet were motivated to share their concerns in this study clearly implies that other kinds of interventions fall under client's definitions of harmful psychotherapy. This study underscores the need for continued research in this area; and encourages efforts to be undertaken to help clients who have been harmed.