BEGINNING THERAPISTS RESPONSES TO CLIENT SHAME

This study investigated responses of beginning therapists (N = 45) to client shame expression. Subjects watched videotapes of two simulated therapy sessions in which the client exhibited two different shame sta tes: acute, painful self-consciousness and humiliated fury. Results sh ow that in response to both types of shame, subjects are-most likely t o experience compassion and sadness, and most likely to respond therap eutically by reflecting the client's feelings and asking the client to elaborate. However, beginning therapists are more likely to experienc e insecurity and passivity when a client is acutely self-conscious, an d to feel more anxious and defensive when a client is in a state of hu miliated fury. A focus on training in the effective psychotherapy of s hame states is recommended.