Social recovery therapy: therapists’ experience of hope working with complex clients

Section 1 Systematic Review: The subject of therapist’s emotions in the context of delivering CBT has the potential of providing insights into therapy delivery intricacies and therapist wellbeing. However, it is currently still in its infancy and has mostly been theoretical. The aim of the present systematic review is to explore the findings of empirical research carried out thus far, in terms of the emotional impact of delivering CBT on the therapist. From the 2318 papers initially identified through various database searches (PsychINFO, Medline, Web of Science and Scopus) eight were included in the analysis, using PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. This study uses Thematic Analysis to explore the main themes (emotional impact on the therapist, training and supervision factors, therapist factors, organizational factors) and associated sub-themes identified from the data. Section 2 Research Report: There is currently scarce research literature looking at cognitive behavioural therapists’ experiences of delivering therapy. Hope is particularly relevant in the context of working with young people at risk of developing long-term disability. A qualitative study was carried out to gain an understanding of therapists’ experiences of hope in the context of delivering Social Recovery Therapy (SRT) to this population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten therapists and data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Five main themes and two contextual themes emerged from the narratives, painting a picture of the therapists’ journey. For each main theme, associated sub-themes were identified and discussed. This study explores the richness of therapists’ emotions via their journey of delivering SRT to young people with social disability and emerging mental health problems. It highlights therapists’ challenges and strategies in the maintenance of hope through this process. Section 3 Critical Appraisal: A critical exploration of the personal and professional reflections on the research process, based on a research journal compiled throughout the process.