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Personal Therapy in Psychiatry Residency Training: A National Survey of Canadian Psychiatry Residents

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Abstract

Objective

The authors collected nationally representative data on Canadian residents’ experiences with and perspectives on personal psychotherapy in their psychiatric training.

Methods

A 43-item questionnaire was distributed electronically to all current psychiatry residents in Canada (N = 839).

Results

Four hundred residents from every program across Canada returned the survey (response rate 47.7 %). The prevalence of personal therapy at any time was 55.3 %, with 42.8 % receiving personal therapy during residency. Of residents who undertook personal psychotherapy, 59.3 % engaged in weekly therapy, 74.1 % received psychodynamic psychotherapy, and 81.5 % participated in long-term therapy (>1 year). Personal growth, self-understanding, and professional development were the most common reasons for engaging in personal therapy; however, one-third of residents did so to alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns. Time was the most important factor impeding residents from personal therapy; only 8.8 % found stigma to act as a barrier. The vast majority of residents rated their experience with personal therapy as having a positive or very positive impact on their personal life (84.8 %) and overall development as psychiatrists (81.8 %). For 64 % of respondents, personal therapy had an important or very important role in psychiatry residency training. Residents who received personal therapy rated themselves as better able to understand what happens moment by moment during therapy sessions, detect and deal with patients’ emotional reactions, and constructively use their personal reactions to patients.

Conclusion

Interest in personal therapy remains strong among psychiatry trainees in Canada. Residents who engaged in psychotherapy endorsed greater confidence in psychotherapy and rated their psychotherapy skills more favorably than those who had never been in the patient role, supporting the view of personal therapy as an important adjunct to psychotherapy training during residency.

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Disclosures

None of the authors have any conflicts of interest or financial relationships to declare. Financial support for this study was provided by the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia through a start-up grant for the first author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    George Hadjipavlou, Priyanka Halli & John S. Ogrodniczuk

  2. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

    Carlos A. Sierra Hernandez

Authors
  1. George Hadjipavlou
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  2. Priyanka Halli
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  3. Carlos A. Sierra Hernandez
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  4. John S. Ogrodniczuk
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Hadjipavlou.

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Hadjipavlou, G., Halli, P., Hernandez, C.A.S. et al. Personal Therapy in Psychiatry Residency Training: A National Survey of Canadian Psychiatry Residents. Acad Psychiatry 40, 30–37 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-015-0407-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-015-0407-9

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