Novice Counselor

The literature shows several studies about counselor attitudes toward difficult clients, such as those termed to be self-deceptive, as well as studies on how counselors handle difficult situations. But those studies do not focus specifically on attitudes toward people with Serious Mental Illness (SMI). Other studies of counselors dealing with individuals with severe mental illness mainly use surveys and questionnaires to answer specific questions. The difference between those studies and the proposed study is that the latter one will give voice to mental health workers from their own point of view and in their own words about what it is like to work with clients with SMI.

All therapists and mental health workers have had upsetting experiences and difficult clients. They may find themselves in highly emotionally charged situations or confrontations with their clients (Smith, Kleijn, & Hutschemaekers, 2007). They may feel that clients are intentionally undermining their own progress and success in therapy and resist change (Westland and Shinebourne, 2009). It is important to know how they successfully deal with these situations. This can have impact on education and training of new therapists and other mental health workers.

Studies on the subject reveal that mental health professionals are not immune to stigmatizing attitudes toward people with SMI. A study by Van Dorn, Swanson, Elbogen, & Swartz, (2005) showed that 36 % of the study sample of mental health professionals held stigmatizing beliefs including perceived dangerousness and desire for social distance. A study by Servais & Saunders, (2007) shows that some clinical psychologists may be reluctant to work with persons with serious and persistent mental illness.

Research Question: “What attitudes, experiences, challenges, and feelings do mental health workers experience when working with clients with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)?” This includes the workers experiences of themselves while working with their clients, the hurdles and frustrations, the perceptions of their clients, and the experience of the worker-client relationship. Are they aware of any stigmatizing attitudes they may have? Do they feel effective in working with their clients? How do they handle transference and counter-transference? How do they think their clients view them?

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