"have you ever had personal therapy"?

[le pamplemousse]

How often does this question come up in interviews?

Is it better to lie and say "no," or to be honest if you have had therapy?

If the answer is "yes," how do you handle it tactfully, but without getting into too much detail (which I don't want to do)?

Thanks!

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[ImSkyKid]

How often does this question come up in interviews?

Is it better to lie and say "no," or to be honest if you have had therapy?

If the answer is "yes," how do you handle it tactfully, but without getting into too much detail (which I don't want to do)?

Thanks!

From what I've heard from grad students in the counseling program, it is recommended that students go to therapy. It's not something to be ashamed about, and for aspiring therapists it would be hypocritical if they treated clients while scoffing at the idea of attending therapy themselves.

I would be honest and briefly reflect on how it helped. It wouldn't be a good idea to lie anyway... if they can sense you're lying that would get you axed quicker than if you honestly disclose you've been in therapy.

 

[le pamplemousse]

From what I've heard from grad students in the counseling program, it is recommended that students go to therapy. It's not something to be ashamed about, and for aspiring therapists it would be hypocritical if they treated clients while scoffing at the idea of attending therapy themselves.

I would be honest and briefly reflect on how it helped. It wouldn't be a good idea to lie anyway... if they can sense you're lying that would get you axed quicker than if you honestly disclose you've been in therapy.

Does this go for students in clinical programs too?

How much detail should you go in to? some things I would rather not disclose at an interview!

 

[ResearchGirlie]

I cannot imagine an interviewer asking if you've been to therapy.

 

[MBellows]

I cannot imagine an interviewer asking if you've been to therapy.

Besides, that borders on asking about medical status (something illegal). You can gently deflect those types of questions with a, "does retail therapy count?"

 

[Ollie123]

I cannot imagine it either and it would pretty much instantly turn me off to a program if they did ask that.

However, I wouldn't be surprised to hear of it happening at certain programs, particularly those with more dynamic leanings. I still think its wildly inappropriate but some seem to have embraced that side.

 

[MBellows]

particularly those with more dynamic leanings.

FSPS programs trying to find out if they can get you to go to their therapy clinics?

 

[Doctor Eliza]

I applied to some dynamic programs. I also attended a program where they had horrible boundaries. This never came up in interviews.

My gut response to this question is that it would only come up at shady programs. It would be a red flag for me.

Best,
Dr. E

 

[futureapppsy2]

I cannot imagine it either and it would pretty much instantly turn me off to a program if they did ask that.

However, I wouldn't be surprised to hear of it happening at certain programs, particularly those with more dynamic leanings. I still think its wildly inappropriate but some seem to have embraced that side.

I agree that seems really inappropriately invasive, but I'm pretty CBT (with more of an emphasis on the "B") and I tend to believe in stricter professional boundaries, as I've seen some people blur them in ways that have not been good.

 

[Buzzwordsoldier]

FSPS programs trying to find out if they can get you to go to their therapy clinics?

More indiscriminate SDN negativism towards FSPSs? Quelle surprise! 🙄

I've not heard tell of the question being asked anywhere. When I interviewed at my school I WAS asked to discuss my position on participating in therapy while in program. And no, participating in therapy is not mandatory for students at this program. Further, none of the school's students receive or are allowed to receive services at the school's clinics, classes here are not therapy, etc. But I suppose the above will only serve to stir up --

more indiscriminate SDN negativism towards FSPSs!

 

[bmedclinic]

I can only think of one person associated with my graduate program (clinical phd fwiw) who would ask that question, but of note: 1) she's only supervisor (and a very, very poor excuse for one at that), not a "faculty" member, 2) she should, in all honesty, not be in our profession, and 3) she has multiple times violated ethical boundaries in my opinion.

In sum, I think it's a fair question to wonder about, but not a fair question to ask on an interview. It is, as Dr Eliza said, a serious red flag about that program and that person for either asking the question or not being able to keep one's self from asking said question.

 

[NotTheHoff]

The only time this question ever came up for me was when my program did mock interviews as we prepared for internship interviews (they threw a lot of pressure and uncomfortable situations out there to get us ready for just about anything).

It's unlikely to come up (and I agree inappropriate), but if it does, one possible angle is to think about is what's behind the question. Rather than a simple yes or no, you could acknowledge that many see engaging in your own personal therapy as beneficial for your own development as a clinician. Whether you choose to directly answer with a yes or no is up to you, but ultimately displaying that you understand what's behind that type of question allows you to redirect the focus to your skills and preparedness.

 

[becomethelight]

My personal take (I'm in a Clinical Ph.D. program) is to be honest about your therapy experiences, but only if you feel comfortable. The way I see it, if I am honest and they perceive it negatively, I probably would not have wanted to work with this person anyway. I makes me want to vomit when I think about people in our field who would stigmatize or discriminate against someone who would seek help.

I'm not sure what your interview is for (for grad school? for internship?), but generally, here is how I would handle that question. I'd say something along the lines of: 1) yes, I have been in therapy. 2) I had a range of experiences, some were more helpful and others, less so. 3) it gave me some experience for what it is like to be in therapy, to have someone listen, and to understand the value of a good therapeutic relationship with my therapist, and 4) while this was my experience, I acknowledge that this may not generalize to all people in all situations; it is a helpful starting point but is never an assumption for what someone else's experience is like.

FWIW, I think personal therapy experience can be useful in clinical settings and can help clients feel a greater connection with me. Just my two cents, but I'm sure there others who would disagree with me. Hope it helps!

 

[becomethelight]

Oh, and I should add that there is some guidance in the APA ethics code about what is acceptable for grad programs to ask of students - you may want to look there for more info.

 

[psychRA]

I can't find a direct link to the article, but Questions During Interviews, Revisited by Mona Koppel Mitnick, Esq. states that asking about personal therapy (during internship interviews, at least) is not technically illegal but is "inappropriate and improper."

I would think long and hard about considering a program that asked such a question. Maybe if it's just one rogue interviewer, and I knew that I wouldn't have a lot of interaction with that person while actually in the program, I'd find a way to make it work, but I'd have to really love everything else about the program.

 

[KillerDiller]

I makes me want to vomit when I think about people in our field who would stigmatize or discriminate against someone who would seek help.

In my experience, the people who ask questions like this would be more likely to discriminate against someone who doesn't go to therapy.

 

[Pragma]

Terrible and most likely illegal interview question. But once you are in, programs can ethically mandate therapy.

There was a good thread about mandated therapy among grad students last summer:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=934323

 

[Psychadelic2012]

But once you are in, programs can ethically mandate therapy.

Only if the student knows about it in advance and agrees, though...right? They can't just tell you when you arrive that you need to be in therapy.

 

[Pragma]

Only if the student knows about it in advance and agrees, though...right? They can't just tell you when you arrive that you need to be in therapy.

I'd have to re-read the ethics code, but i know they have provisions allowing programs to mandate therapy. Not sure if that includes informing students in advance, but one would hope so.

 

[shumshum81]

One program I applied to asked me, during the interview, to name reasons for and against requiring students to attend therapy. You might prepare an answer for that because the uestion was tough on the spot.

 

[nubtruck]

I was asked point blank in an interview for a Clinical Psyc PsyD program whether or not I'd attended therapy.

I was taken aback but responded honestly, did not give a lot of detail, and tied it into the benefits of counselors in training attending therapy to understanding the clients POV, gains, etc. The interviewer seemed a bit pushy to me, to be honest (asking if I felt the therapy helped me, etc) and I didn't attend that program for other reasons but also fir that interview/her intrusiveness.

I understand the question, I fully support the encouragement (but not requirement) of attending therapy while in training, and the general [/B ]question is fine, but the personal questions that followed were not.