Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The mini-dissertation explains how systems theory provided a healing context \nfor me in my training as a clinical psychologist over two years. The \nemergence of my authentic voice is narrated in an autoethnography (five act \ndrama) about what happened. The main theoretical bases for the dissertation \nare – constructivism to understand the learning and teaching I experienced; \nlearning as a collaborative endeavour and the emergence of my authentic \nvoice with help from more skilled others. Systems theory informs the entire \nstudy at every theoretical level. Bowen’s family therapy theory is significant \nfor the differentiation of the self and his I-position is equated with the \nemergence of an authentic voice. Myth, epic narratives, the hero’s journey \namplify my interpretation of the differentiation of self. The raw data for the \nqualitative research were observations, interviews, creative writing, photocollage, \na collection of readings, songs and dialogues. The themes emerging \nfrom the autoethnography were about obstructions because of the \nauthoritarian nature of my upbringing, life and work. These themes lessened \nin force in clinical training until my authentic voice emerged in relation to self \nand as a clinical psychologist. A recommendation from the dissertation is that \nautoethnography provides a good vehicle for reflection and intense interior \nscrutiny needed to become a practising clinical psychologist; the \nautoethnographical exercise could be used by training clinical psychologists \nmore extensively on their journey to maturity.
Author: Werner Johann Wichmann
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2276099415