Unveiling a blind spot... a moment of truth. Psychotherapists’ lived experience of psychological blind spots and moments of self-awareness: findings from a hermeneutic phenomenological enquiry

Aims: This study investigated a cohort of seven experienced psychotherapists (from different clinical modalities) and sought a greater understanding of their lived experience of moments of self-awareness and psychological blind spots by means of an exploratory qualitative study. The primary aim was to provide evocative descriptions of the phenomena together with an understanding of its implications, for psychotherapy research, training and clinical practice.

Methodology and Design: This naturalistic study took a hermeneutic phenomenological epistemological stance to generate sufficiently rich lived experience descriptions through dialogic engagement with the participants and the transcribed text via analyses. Qualitative data was collected from a diverse range of sources including; philosophical texts, peer reviewed articles, participants’ written descriptions, phenomenological interviews, exploration of metaphor and the researcher’s anecdotal writings and reflections. Rigorous steps of analysis were followed, which included in-depth content analysis of both the interviews and reflexive material to help fully understand the research findings. Max van Manen’s (2014) Phenomenology of Practice including his thematic approach was the central method of analysing the developing data (2014, 2002 &1990). Critical reflection of my own personal and professional experience of the phenomena strengthened the transparency of the study and aided interpretation and analysis (Etherington, 2016).

Findings and Discussion: The findings revealed that, for therapists, manifested moments of self-awareness encompassed five major themes: ‘Spontaneous clarity -- A new reality dawns’; ‘Cross the conscious threshold -- Makes the truth much bigger’; ‘Inner knowingness manifests’; ‘Tipping point’; and ‘Vacillation’. These themes evidenced the participants felt sense of a moment of self-awareness as a cultivation of consciousness, that often emerged from within to engender a new perspective on reality. This occurred in an unexpected or an oscillatory manner and culminated at a certain point in time. From psychological blind spots five themes emerged: ‘Eclipse of awareness’; ‘Automaticity’; ‘Safeguard self’; ‘Polarised perspective’ and ‘Familial opacities’. Participants understood their experience of a psychological blind spot as an obstruction of awareness that presented as a means of protection or as a form of ‘tunnel vision’. It often manifested automatically and in relation to another or within the context of the family unit. This study contributes a unique insight into the therapist’s lived experience of the phenomena. It adds to existing literature in eliciting its essence with a greater breadth and depth of clarity.

Clinical Implications and Products: The findings evidenced identifying particular moments of clarity in psychotherapy had the potential to liberate one’s blind spot and assist the identification and promotion of distinct opportunities for client change and growth. This study was awarded a research bursary from IACP due to its potential clinical contribution. Knowledge reaped from the findings have been transferred into academic articles and disseminated in clinical workshops, posters and at national and international conferences.