What Does It Actually Mean to Work on Yourself as a Therapist?
“Work on yourself” is advice almost every therapist hears.
But what does it actually mean?
Working on yourself as a therapist means developing greater awareness of your emotional responses, assumptions, relational patterns and professional limits, and considering how they may influence your work with clients. It is not about becoming perfectly self-aware or never being emotionally affected by your clients.
For therapists, that development can happen through clinical supervision, reflective practice, continuing professional development and, in some counselling and psychotherapy traditions, personal therapy.
What Does “Working on Yourself” Look Like?
Self-awareness is one of the foundations of therapeutic practice.
After a session, a therapist might reflect on questions such as:
- Why did I feel unusually protective of this client?
- Was I making assumptions about their situation?
- Did something they said connect strongly with my own experience?
- Was I avoiding a difficult topic?
- Did I feel frustrated, anxious or disengaged?
- Is there something I should take to supervision?
Having these reactions does not necessarily mean something went wrong.
The important part is noticing them before they begin influencing your clinical decisions without your awareness.
Understanding Countertransference
Some therapeutic traditions use the term countertransference to describe emotional or relational responses a therapist experiences in relation to a client.
These reactions are not automatically facts about the client.
Instead, they can become useful material for reflection when considered alongside the client’s presentation, the therapeutic relationship and professional judgement.
A useful question is:
“How might my response be affecting the way I am working with this client?”
That is where reflective practice becomes valuable.
Why Clinical Supervision Matters
One of the most important places therapists can explore these questions is clinical supervision.
At Cairnmillar, professional and clinical supervision is available for registered psychologists and other allied health professionals working in mental health.
Supervision can focus on areas such as:
- clinical case formulation
- developing specific clinical skills
- reflective practice
- professional challenges
- self-care strategies
- registrar-program support.
Supervision can be arranged as ongoing support or as a single session.
Current Cairnmillar Supervision Fees
- Individual supervision: $220 per hour including GST
- Group supervision: $375 plus GST per hour
Fees may change, so check Cairnmillar’s Professional and Clinical Supervision page before booking.
Reflective Practice Is More Than Asking “Did I Do It Right?”
Therapists naturally review technique:
- Was that intervention appropriate?
- Did I assess risk properly?
- Was my formulation accurate?
Reflective practice goes further.
It asks:
- What was happening between the client and me?
- What did I notice in myself?
- Was there a rupture I missed?
- Did my assumptions influence the session?
- What would I approach differently next time?
Reflection is not about being overly critical of yourself.
It is about learning from clinical experience rather than simply repeating it.
Should Therapists Have Their Own Therapy?
There is no single rule that applies to every therapist in Australia. Expectations vary between professions, training programs, therapeutic orientations and professional bodies.
Even where personal therapy is not required, some therapists choose it because it can help them:
- Experience the client’s side of the room. Being listened to, challenged or vulnerable with another person can deepen understanding of trust, boundaries, disclosure and emotional safety.
- Notice their own patterns. It can show how their history, values and relationships may shape the way they respond to clients.
- Work through personal issues. Some concerns are personal rather than professional and may need a different space from supervision.
You may also come across the term wounded healer. It describes the idea that a therapist’s own difficult experiences can deepen empathy, but may also shape their work if left unexamined.
Some therapists hesitate to seek support because of stigma or concern about how it may be viewed professionally. A supervisor or mentor you trust can be a good person to talk to about your options.
The distinction matters: clinical supervision focuses on your professional work, and personal therapy focuses on your own therapeutic needs. They can both support development, but they serve different purposes.
How Training Supports Therapist Development
Cairnmillar’s Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy is an experiential and practice-oriented postgraduate program.
Training includes areas such as:
- counselling and psychotherapy theory
- therapeutic skills
- professional and ethical practice
- supervised placement
- individual and group practicum supervision
- research training
- relational and reflective learning.
This means students are not only learning therapeutic techniques. They are also developing greater awareness of how they relate to clients and respond within therapeutic relationships.
Those considering further study can explore Cairnmillar’s course options.
What About Burnout and Vicarious Trauma?
Therapists often work with difficult material involving trauma, grief, family violence and complex mental health concerns.
That work can affect the practitioner too.
Sustainable practice may involve:
- regular supervision
- monitoring emotional responses to clinical work
- maintaining professional boundaries
- recognising when caseload demands are becoming difficult to sustain
- seeking consultation when needed
- undertaking ongoing professional development
- accessing personal support where appropriate.
Working on yourself is therefore not only about becoming more skilled.
It is also about recognising your limits.
Support After Difficult Clinical Events
Sometimes therapists and mental health teams need additional support following particularly challenging situations.
Cairnmillar’s Professional and Clinical Supervision service includes critical incident debriefing for teams that may have been exposed to a difficult or potentially traumatising situation. Debriefing is delivered face to face by a Cairnmillar board-approved supervisor.
Group supervision is a separate service for teams of wellbeing and mental health professionals. It is not therapeutically focused and is not designed to manage critical incidents.
These services provide structured opportunities to reflect on challenging work and its professional impact.
Professional Development Does Not End at Graduation
Becoming qualified does not mean professional development is finished.
Therapists continue developing clinical skills, judgement and reflective capacity throughout their careers.
Cairnmillar is a Psychology Board of Australia-approved supervisor training provider and also offers professional development and training for mental health professionals and organisations.
Practitioners can also explore Cairnmillar’s broader supervision and supervisor-training options.
Looking for Clinical Supervision in Melbourne?
Cairnmillar offers professional and clinical supervision for registered psychologists and other allied health professionals working in mental health.
Supervision can be arranged on an ongoing basis or as individual sessions depending on your professional needs.
You can:
- call 1800 391 393
- visit the Professional and Clinical Supervision page
- explore Cairnmillar’s broader supervision services.
Conclusion
Working on yourself as a therapist does not mean becoming unaffected by the work.
It means becoming more aware of how you respond to it.
That can involve noticing emotional reactions, questioning assumptions, reflecting on difficult sessions, using supervision effectively, maintaining professional boundaries and seeking support when needed.
Therapist development does not end when training finishes.
It continues through clinical practice, supervision, reflection and ongoing learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does it mean to work on yourself as a therapist?
It means developing greater awareness of your emotional responses, assumptions, relational patterns, biases and professional limits — and considering how these may influence your work with clients.
Q: Why is self-awareness important for therapists?
Self-awareness can help therapists recognise when their own reactions or assumptions may be influencing the therapeutic relationship and decide how to respond professionally.
Q: What is clinical supervision?
Clinical supervision is a structured process for reviewing professional work with an appropriately qualified supervisor. It may involve case formulation, clinical skills, ethics, reflective practice, professional development and practitioner wellbeing.
Q: Does Cairnmillar offer clinical supervision?
Yes. Cairnmillar offers professional and clinical supervision for registered psychologists and other allied health professionals working in mental health.
Individual supervision is currently listed at $220 per hour including GST.
Q: Should therapists have their own therapy?
It depends. There is no single requirement that applies to every therapist in Australia, and expectations vary between professions, training programs and professional bodies. Some therapists choose personal therapy because it can help them understand the client’s experience, notice their own patterns and work through personal issues that sit outside the scope of supervision.
Q: What is reflective practice?
Reflective practice involves looking beyond whether a technique was used correctly and considering the therapeutic relationship, your own responses, assumptions, clinical decisions and what you may approach differently in future.
Q: How can I access supervision at Cairnmillar?
Call 1800 391 393, visit Cairnmillar’s Professional and Clinical Supervision page or explore its broader supervision services.