Nonlinearity of healing: Healing narratives of Filipino therapists‐in‐training who self‐identify as wounded healers

Abstract

Due to the stigma therapists‐in‐training face within the field owing to their woundedness, and the dearth of psychological literature on the healing of wounded healers (WHs), this study examined the healing journeys of nine Filipino therapists‐in‐training who self‐identify as WHs. Narrative Identity framework was utilized to analyse the healing narratives gathered from nine semi‐structured interviews with therapists‐in‐training. Results focussed on the healing narratives and how these shaped the identity and development of these future practitioners. The healing narratives of therapists‐in‐training were generally composed of four chapters: (a) identifying the wounded‐client identity and its wounds, (b) entering the counselling field brings the emergence of the healer‐therapist identity, (c) nonlinearity of healing transforms into a fluid WH, and (d) continuing the healing journey. These never‐ending and nonlinear journeys shaped how therapists‐in‐training perceived and constructed or deconstructed their identification, with their dual identities influencing their practice. Additionally, their healing journeys contributed to their development as therapists who continue to heal from their woundedness. This study contributes to the literature regarding therapists‐in‐training who self‐identify as WHs through the emphasised healing process. Moreover, this study may both lessen the stigma surrounding therapists‐in‐training's woundedness and help colleagues, educators, mentors and supervisors within the counselling field to better help trainees through the creation of open spaces, classes and training programmes that may help in enhancing their well‐being and utilising their woundedness to increase, rather than impair, their therapeutic ability.