Characteristics of Therapist Self‐Disclosure in the Counseling Process

Abstract

A survey was sent to practicing therapists to investigate their uses of self‐disclosure in counseling and psychotherapy. A total of 46% returned surveys, and most indicated that they used at least some self‐disclosure in their work with clients. Overall, respondents reported disclosing about professional qualifications and experience most often and indicated that they disclosed mainly to increase similarity between themselves and clients.

Supervisors’ reports of the effects of supervisor self-disclosure on supervisees

“…Participants' reasons for using SRSD parallel those in the literature on intentions for therapist self-disclosure (Edwards & Murdock, 1994;Simon, 1990). Nothing in the extant empirical literature has yet addressed supervisors' reasons for using SRSD, however; thus, our findings again add to the literature in this area.…”

“…Although our participants' intentions mirror those found for therapist self-disclosure (e.g., normalization; Edwards & Murdock, 1994;Simon, 1990), little in the existing literature yet addresses the precipitants or intentions of SRSD. These findings regarding SRSD, then, although seemingly logical and extending our current understanding, nevertheless warrant further investigation.…”

Therapist self‐disclosure: Research‐based suggestions for practitioners

“…Existing research indicates that the most frequent topics of disclosure relate to professional background (e.g., degree, therapy style, and training) whereas less frequent content includes sexual practices and beliefs (Edwards & Murdock, 1994;Geller & Farber, 1997;Robitschek & McCarthy, 1991). More specifically, Edwards and Murdock (1994) found that their 184 licensed, doctoral-level psychologist participants, most of whom espoused an eclectic orientation, reported the following pattern of disclosure, from most to least frequent: professional issues (e.g., degree, experience), success/failure, interpersonal relations, attitudes, personal feelings, and sexual issues. Another study (Geller & Farber, 1997) found that the most common topic of self-disclosure among their 25 psychoanalytically/ psychodynamically oriented mental health workers (i.e., psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, psychiatric nurses) was therapists' acknowledgment of mistakes or technical errors.…”

Congruence of Counselor Self-Disclosure and Perceived Effectiveness

“…Goldstein (1994) also advised correct attunement as being the key to successful self-disclosing. Disclosing life experiences similar to the client's may even enhance client perception of a counselor's interpersonal attractiveness (Edwards & Murdock, 1994). Anderson and Anderson (1985) examined self-disclosing statements that were expressions of the counselor's feelings toward client behavior.…”