Description

There have been longstanding theoretical differences of opinion regarding the extent and purpose of a therapist's self disclosure. However, there has been limited research examining a therapist's self disclosure of their own chronic physical illness. This study sought to ascertain reasons why therapists with a chronic physical illness chose to self disclose information about their illness to their clients, as well as the therapist's perception of the effects those disclosures had on the therapeutic relationship. This qualitative, exploratory study also aimed to expand the body of knowledge on self disclosures of this nature, which is limited and written largely from a psychoanalytical perspective. The major findings of this study were that the therapists were more likely to self disclose to clients who also had a physical illness. They utilized their disclosures to clients with an illness to model certain behaviors, join or identify with their client's experience and to decrease the client's anxiety.