Through the looking glass: exploring therapists subjectivity

Introduction: Psychotherapists are constantly confronted with the personal traumatic experiences, emotional struggles, complex intimate relationships, and other relevant, often deeply moving issues of their patients. What is it, then, that motivates one to choose this profession? And what are the therapists’ personal characteristics that shape their practice and make them effective – and for whom? Literature shows that the effectiveness of psychological intervention is largely associated with characteristics that, although professionally developed, probably stem from personal experiences and dispositions. Our presentation will explore, through two literature reviews, inter-individual differences regarding a wide array of variables characterizing the subjectivity of the therapist. Methods: We conducted two narrative reviews, compiling data from empirical studies. For the first, we focused on personal factors (e.g., personality traits) influencing therapists’ theoretical orientation, personal style, and effectiveness. The second review investigated what motivates people to pursue a career as a psychotherapist, and what life events therapists consider as pivotal in their choice to enter the profession. Both reviews employed methodical searches of the published literature in the PsycINFO Record and Medline (PubMed) databases. Only peer-reviewed articles were included, based on the following criteria: 1) published between January 1980 and May 2024, and 2) written in the English language. Results: The first review highlighted that different therapists’ personal characteristics, such as personality traits, are correlated with different theoretical orientations as well as personal style and effectiveness. The second review revealed that personal adversity, often encompassing early relational traumas, is a common factor motivating individuals to become psychotherapists, supporting the “wounded healer” archetype. However, other relevant motivations to this career choice include desires for personal growth, professional achievement, and altruistic goals such as aiding others' well-being. Discussion: Our findings underscore the complexity of factors influencing therapists' professional identities and interactions with patients. Understanding the interplay between personal experiences and professional orientations can enhance therapeutic training and practice, making it crucial for psychotherapists to reflect on how their personal histories and inherent traits can influence their professional capabilities and preferences, and play a pivotal role in the process of building or repairing the therapeutic alliance with their patients.