Female Seasoned Marriage and Family Therapists: Maintaining Passion for Their Work

Abstract

Little has been published regarding the experiences of seasoned MFTs who not only manage to survive the demands and pressures in the mental health field, but also thrive and find enjoyment in their work. This qualitative study, guided by a phenomenological perspective, provides a rich understanding of the experiences of seasoned MFTs who continue to remain joyous and passionate in their work. Six female peer-nominated therapists, with at least 15 years of clinical experience, from the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area participated in semi-structured interviews. Results from the interviews are organized around six themes: Portrait of passionate seasoned therapist; getting renewed by clinical work; managing spillover; sustaining balance; changing commitment to the profession; and advice to novice therapists. The findings are both consistent with, and add to the literature indicating that accumulated experience is a major resource for therapists and sustaining balance through the use of various self-care strategies is vital. Limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications of this study also discussed.