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O luto do psicoterapeuta face à morte inesperada de um paciente
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Abstract(s)
Objectivo: Dentro da psicoterapia, a investigação foca-se principalmente em aspectos da prática clínica e no paciente, ignorando de certa forma o psicoterapeuta em si. Dada a relação entre terapeuta e paciente dentro da relação terapêutica, a inevitabilidade da morte, e a agravante comprovada pela literatura de um maior trauma face à componente inesperada, procurou-se estudar o luto do psicoterapeuta face à morte inesperada de um paciente, com um enfoque particular no suicídio de pacientes.
Método: Participaram neste estudo dois psicoterapeutas que passaram pela morte inesperada de pacientes, por motivo de suicídio. Procedeu-se à recolha dos dados através de entrevistas semi-estrutradas, sendo os dados analisados segundo a metodologia qualitativa, através do método fenomenológico de Giorgi (2009).
Resultados: Surgiram 7 constituintes comuns entre os psicoterapeutas participantes, sendo dado enfâse por ambos à relação de envolvimento emocional dentro da relação terapêutica, sendo este factor impulsionador para consequências e implicações do confronto das experiências de morte de pacientes por suicídio, ressaltando as suas estratégias de coping e mudanças na prática clínica.
Conclusões: O luto é um processo normal e esperado. Acentua-se a necessidade de apoio a psicoterapeutas que passam pela morte inesperada de pacientes, sendo que ainda não há uma liberdade de partilha de experiências entre profissionais por medo de julgamentos, pois este assunto ainda é visto como tabu, acentuando-se essa mesma necessidade de partilha e divulgação de experiências.
ABSTRACT: Aim: In psychotherapy, there is a significant research focus on clinical and client research, with the psychotherapist remaining an unexplored issue. Taking into account the relation between therapist and client within the therapeutic relationship, the inevitability of death, and the heightened trauma due to unexpected death, we aimed to study the psychotherapist’s mourning due to client’s unexpected death, with a specific emphasis on client suicide. Method: The participants in this study were two psychotherapists who went through the experience of having two clients unexpectedly die by suicide. In this manner, data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews, with the data being analyzed through Giorgi (2009)’s qualitative and phenomenological methodology. Results: Seven components emerged between the participating psychotherapists, with both of them focusing on aspects related to emotional involvement within the therapeutic relationship. This was a main driver behind consequences and reactions by means of confronting the experience of a client’s death by suicide. Their coping strategies and clinical practice changes were also noted. Conclusions: Mourning is a normal and expected reaction. Thus, this study highlights the needs to assist psychotherapists who went through the experience of having a client unexpectedly die, given that there is still a lack of freedom regarding the exchange of experiences between professionals out of fear of judgement, as this topic is still seen as a taboo, further highlighting the need for sharing these experiences.
ABSTRACT: Aim: In psychotherapy, there is a significant research focus on clinical and client research, with the psychotherapist remaining an unexplored issue. Taking into account the relation between therapist and client within the therapeutic relationship, the inevitability of death, and the heightened trauma due to unexpected death, we aimed to study the psychotherapist’s mourning due to client’s unexpected death, with a specific emphasis on client suicide. Method: The participants in this study were two psychotherapists who went through the experience of having two clients unexpectedly die by suicide. In this manner, data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews, with the data being analyzed through Giorgi (2009)’s qualitative and phenomenological methodology. Results: Seven components emerged between the participating psychotherapists, with both of them focusing on aspects related to emotional involvement within the therapeutic relationship. This was a main driver behind consequences and reactions by means of confronting the experience of a client’s death by suicide. Their coping strategies and clinical practice changes were also noted. Conclusions: Mourning is a normal and expected reaction. Thus, this study highlights the needs to assist psychotherapists who went through the experience of having a client unexpectedly die, given that there is still a lack of freedom regarding the exchange of experiences between professionals out of fear of judgement, as this topic is still seen as a taboo, further highlighting the need for sharing these experiences.
Description
Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA - Instituto Universitário, na especialidade de Psicologia Clínica.
Keywords
Luto Psicoterapeuta Morte inesperada Paciente Suicídio Mourning Psychotherapist Unexpected death Patient Suicide