From intern to psychotherapist: about the discovery of a new place

Abstract

This paper emerges from challenges, discoveries and reflections about the clinical practice throughout my psychology internship. It presents an exploratory qualitative study supported by psychoanalytic theory, and focuses on understanding how the Psychology interns experience the psychotherapists' place during clinical interventions. Six interns of the second and third semesters participated on the survey. The methodology used was the content analysis. The results show the psychotherapists' place comes with different feelings and subjective constructions about the appropriation of this place. It was identified the use of the psychoanalytic tripod (supervision of clinical cases, personal treatment and theoretical seminars) and others elements of the psychoanalysis during the interventions. Experience with practice over time and supervision are considered key aspects to the intern meanwhile emotional distress and local infrastructure are related to difficult aspects to occupy the psychotherapist's place.