EXPERIENCES OF NOVICE THERAPISTS IN PREPRACTICUM - TRAINEES, CLIENTS,AND SUPERVISORS PERCEPTIONS OF THERAPISTS PERSONAL REACTIONS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

The experiences of prepracticum trainees were explored with a combinat ion of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Specifically, chang es in trainees' anxiety, self-efficacy, counter-transference managemen t, and therapeutic skills were investigated over the course of a semes ter. Trainees', clients', and supervisors' perceptions of trainees' re actions during counseling were also examined as well as the strategies that trainees used to manage their reactions. Quantitative analyses i ndicated that trainees became less anxious and developed greater skill s over the semester. Qualitative results suggested that trainees exper ienced a range of reactions during sessions, some of which interfered with their ability to provide maximally effective counseling, and that trainees most often managed their reactions by focusing on the client , using self-awareness, and suppressing their feelings.