Taking your participants home: Self-care within the research process

Abstract

BackgroundOn the long and often stressful road to qualifying as a counselling psychologist the issue of self-care is addressed early within the training. Yet this idea of self-care relates to therapeutic practice, with little consideration of self-care during the research process. With the training route now at Doctoral level, all practitioners will undertake a significant research project as part of the qualifying portfolio.Aims and scopeThis paper explores the process issues encountered in conducting research into the experience of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA), and raises questions about the way self-care is addressed within the research process. The article reflects upon a content analysis of 202 personal accounts of CSA with the aim of exploring the presence of Stockholm syndrome and PTSD within CSA. Literature from selfcare within the clinical application of psychology and trauma-based work is discussed as a starting point for the development of self-care within a research context.ConclusionRecommendations are made for changes in research practice and ethical review, and a clear role for counselling psychologists to lead in this development.