My work here is done? A collaborative arts-informed narrative inquiry into the stories of senior psychotherapy practitioners as they contemplate retirement

The focus of this qualitative research project is to explore the experiences and stories of senior psychotherapy practitioners as they consider the transition towards retirement. This is an under-investigated area of professional practice and research. A methodology incorporating a visual narrative inquiry was adopted, together with a highly reflexive approach. Participants were able to contribute text, visual, and other art-based data on an electronic bulletin board, which also allowed the participants to interact and engage in collaborative meaning-making. The data was analysed with reference to McCormack lenses as part of the process of producing highly subjective, interpretive stories. A major finding from this process was the presence of ambivalence towards the notion of retirement, with the participants experiencing both a draw towards retirement, and a pulling back from it. In the process of the research some participants made the decision to retire. Stories are a powerful way of sharing personal experiences and create opportunities for others to resonant with the personal narratives. The project highlighted the possibility to further develop the methodology and methods as a way of meaningful engagement with research participants, where the exploration of highly subjective experiences is a central part of the research investigation.