Reflecting on the Loss of Empathy for a Parent in Family Therapy Sessions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12902158 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mark Taylor (0000-0002-5647-426X, University of London, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 88-93 |
| Publication date | 2024-01-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Ethics and Social Welfare (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1749-6535 • E-ISSN: 1749-6543 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/17496535.2024.2310869 |
| OpenAlex | W4393089095 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 9 |
Reflecting teams play a significant role in family therapy; they broaden perspectives on how family dynamics or problems can be understood. However, what happens when a reflector does not feel compassionate towards a particular family member? There is a risk of biased reflections: families can pick up negative signals, putting the therapeutic relationship at risk. In this paper, I explore how I was supported to explore my lack of compassion for Dad 'John'. It was only after reaching out to an experienced supervisor who undertook an 'internalised other' interview with mewhere I played the role of Daddid my compassion increase. From an ethics of care perspective, I suggest that social professionals need to explore ways to increase empathy and compassion for clients they dislike. If they do not, they are open to valid criticism that they are behaving unethically as professionals. Therefore, there is a need to address deficits in empathy and compassion to sustain ethical social work practices
Developmental psychology · Empathy · Family therapy · Psychotherapist · Counseling Practices and Supervision · Family and Disability Support Research · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |