University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects Capstones 8-1-2017 Positive Self-care Yields Caring Healers (PSYCH): A Positive- Psychology-Based, Peer-Supported Self-care Series for Therapist Wellbeing Linda M. Schiavone University of Pennsylvania,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone Part of the Counseling Psychology Commons, and the Mental and Social Health Commons Schiavone, Linda M., "Positive Self-care Yields Caring Healers (PSYCH): A Positive-Psychology-Based, Peer-Supported Self-care Series for Therapist Wellbeing" (2017). Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects. 130. https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/130 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/130 For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Positive Self-care Yields Caring Healers (PSYCH): A Positive-Psychology-Based, Peer-Supported Self-care Series for Therapist Wellbeing Abstract Therapist self-care is mandated by counseling and psychological associations’ codes of ethics in order to maintain professional competencies. Current emphasis in therapist self-care is primarily negatively oriented, with a focus on mitigating, ameliorating, and preventing negative outcomes, including negligence and other negative professional behaviors, which are associated with stress, distress, and burnout. Also, most recommendations are solitary endeavors, which can contribute to and exacerbate therapist isolation, and are not promoted within a structured or focused program. Evidence-based interventions derived from the study of positive psychology, a strengths-based approach to cultivating wellbeing, have the potential to fill these unmet needs in therapist self-care.