Becoming a Researcher: The experience of psychotherapists starting a doctorate – could you be next?

In this presentation I explore the journey taken by experienced therapists as they embark on doctoral research, highlighting the adjustments involved in moving from being a clinician to being a researcher.  Having touched on the complex relationship between (non-CBT) psychotherapy and research as a whole, including how badly this has affected the development of a robust evidence base, I describe the development of a post-qualifying research programme designed to provide research skills to those in clinical roles.  I consider how the kind of research undertaken by psychodynamic psychotherapists has shifted from being primarily focussing on single case studies – so remaining closer to the clinical writing of the past – to include both wider social science research methodologies and more focussed and precise psychoanalytic methodologies, capable of exploring in depth the processes at work in the therapeutic encounter.

The main focus is on the impact on the students of undertaking their first research project.  At the beginning nearly all underestimated how much of a shift in their thinking it would involve, and I capture some of the key issues and powerful moments reported after their first year.  They speak of the humbling impact of conducting a structured literature review and of the complexity of finding a truly researchable question and viable design.  They speak of the impact of thinking hard about the ethical issues in research and of the need to minimise bias.  One of the interesting – and to them surprising – effects on them is that the shift to research-mindedness fed back into their clinical identities, in a way that was both challenging and invigorating, overall boosting their confidence as practitioners. 

It is hoped that this presentation will help participants consider the issues involved in embarking on research and encourage them to develop their own projects.

About the speaker

Sue Kegerreis is Professor at the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies at the University of Essex, where she spearheaded the re-launch of the professional doctorates for psychotherapists. Trained first at the Tavistock and then at the Lincoln, she has worked with both adults and children. She runs the MA Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy at Essex, having formerly established the MSc Psychodynamic Counselling with Children and Adolescents at Birkbeck. She has worked to promote research thinking in psychotherapy trainings and opportunities for qualified psychotherapists to embark on research. She has published widely on clinical, training and wider social issues and is Managing Editor of Psychodynamic Practice.