Who holds the therapist?

We don’t talk enough about what happens after qualification.

During training, therapists are surrounded by support. We have our tutors, who seem to know and understand so much. Our placement does the work of attracting and assessing prospective clients. The clinical lead will judge whether we are the right therapist for them, and safeguarding leads provide an invaluable backstop for challenging ethical concerns. We’ve also got our supervisor. These are people to turn to when a piece of work feels particularly challenging or when self-doubt creeps in.

Then, almost overnight, much of that disappears.

The training ends. The placement finishes. For those stepping into their first employed role, or especially into private practice, the professional world can suddenly feel much quieter. In my experience, wherever I have worked, there is rarely someone to chat to between clients about the weather or anything, let alone the client session we’ve just had, where confidentiality is so key. The only source of support that remains is our supervisor, but we probably only meet, at most, twice a month.

Suddenly we can feel alone and lonely. Self-doubt can follow. Do I know enough? Do I have the competence or capacity? I made a mistake; what do I do now? There doesn’t seem to be much change; what am I doing wrong? Am I doing enough? These questions are more a consequence of the responsibility we’re now holding than incompetence.

A great supervisory relationship is valuable but unlikely to be enough. There is a lot of time between the sessions.

When I graduated, I did a few things. I networked with colleagues, created a formal peer supervision group and joined a well-held process group. The latter was particularly important as I had just said goodbye to my training group and the potential it offered for experiential learning and development. Having a space where you don't have to have the answers, where you can think together, share uncertainty and feel understood by people who truly get it, can make all the difference.

That's exactly why we're running a process group in September and October. If you are longing for a space to reflect alongside peers, we'd love to welcome you. Because therapists need containment too.

I'm curious – what helped you as you made the transition from trainee to qualified therapist? And if you're just beginning that journey, what support do you need?