Facilitating reflective practice groups in clinical psychology training: a phenomenological study

Abstract

Reflective practice groups appear to play a valuable role in the development of reflective skills during clinical psychology training, but have the potential to cause distress. This study aimed to build on previous research by exploring group facilitators’ perspectives, with a focus on how they made sense of (1) trainees’ distress, (2) the relationship between distress and outcome, and (3) their facilitation role. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was taken whereby seven reflective practice group facilitators were interviewed regarding their experience of facilitation, using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three master themes emerged: conceptualising the meaning and value of trainee distress/difficulty; complexity and challenge of the group boundaries; and experience of the facilitator’s role. Trainees’ commitment to engaging with distress was perceived as significant to emotional learning, and supervision was important for facilitators to feel contained in their role. Distress during such groups may play an important part in the learning process for many trainees but need skilled facilitation in order to create a safe learning environment. It seems that such groups are not a helpful means of PPD for all trainees and so offering alternative modes may be appropriate.

Keywords:

• reflective practice groups
• clinical psychology training
• facilitation
• trainee distress