Who Are We and Who Do We Want to Be? Exploring the Professional Identities of Clinical Psychologists

Abstract

The professional identities of clinical psychologists refers to their sense of self as a professional and enables them to make sense of who they are and want to be. My research explored the professional identities of clinical psychologists using a social constructionist framework. Study 1 involved an exploration of the transformation of professional identities of clinicians implementing Open Dialogue. Open Dialogue is a model of mental healthcare service delivery that aligns with reform priorities in mental healthcare. The results indicated that clinicians’ professional identities (including those of clinical psychologists) impacted their ability to implement mental healthcare service models that align with reforms. The research then shifted to explore the professional identities of clinical psychologists. Study 2 involved a scoping review of the literature. Findings demonstrated clinical psychologists’ professional identities are integrated with their personal identities, intersect with other identities and change over time, and that educational settings are formative in shaping professional identity. Studies 3 and 4 focussed on professional identity construction during clinical supervision interactions in a training clinic. Study 3 explored identity construction during supervisor-initiated interrogations and found that how supervisors approached interrogations influenced trainees’ identity construction. Study 4 focussed on supervision encounters in which clients were positioned as fragile, which was found to co-occur with trainees claiming identities as responsible for containing distress. The findings were interpreted as demonstrating how sanctioned ways of knowing are perpetuated. Overall, this research highlights the importance of clinical psychology being intentional in fostering professional identities of its members that enhance clinical practice and align with reform priorities. Recommendations for the profession, researchers and educators are provided.