How can we better understand the lived experiences and identities of gay/queer male therapists, and how this has influenced their professional development, through expressive writing and semi-structured interviews?
PhD Research Aims:
鈥� Through an expressive writing task and a semi-structured interview, determine how gay male/queer therapists鈥� lived experiences and identity as gay/queer males have shaped their development as therapists.
鈥� To see if, and how, barriers impacted or impeded their professional development as therapists.
鈥� To see if, and when, gay/queer male therapists disclosed their same-sex attraction to clients and how the therapists felt about the disclosure.
My name is Michael O鈥橰ourke and I鈥檓 conducting doctoral research into how gay/queer male counsellors and psychotherapists own lived experiences might shape their professional development
The research involves a short writing task where participants will write about their lived experiences. It is carried out in your own home and sent to me for analysis. All the writing is anonymised. You will also take part in an online interview where I will ask you some questions about your writing and life experiences of being a counsellor or therapist who identifies as gay/queer.
This is a valuable piece of research for the LGBTQAI+ community. While I am focusing on gay/queer men, it is because that is my own lived experience. Findings might be translatable into therapeutic work with other members of the LGBTQAI+ community.
The research has been given ethical approval by the University of Brighton Cross-School Research Ethics Committee. My PhD supervisor is Prof Stephen Maddison and he can be contacted on s.c.maddison@brighton.ac.uk
A full explanation of the project will be given, and I will happily answer any questions you have before agreeing to participate. Please contact me on 尘.箩.辞鈥檙辞耻谤办别蔼产谤颈驳丑迟辞苍.补肠.耻办