Female social work clinicians with a history of childhood sexual abuse and their ability to maintain empathy in working with female adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse

This study examined how female therapists with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) use empathy in their work with female adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse using a qualitative design. Themes related to empathy and factors related to the ability to empathize were examined, as well as data related to countertransference and the theoretical literature. The choice of population to serve as well as disclosure was also explored. The findings included the following: survivor therapists reported that (1) empathy is essential to the treatment process with their survivor patients; (2) personal treatment, supervision and other self-care methods are crucial to remaining empathic with these patients.; Survivor therapists discussed how they believe they are the best therapists to work with survivor patients because of their shared history. These results support some of the mental health research (Briere, 1992; Courtois, 1988; Davies & Frawley, 1994; Pope & Feldman-Summers, 1992) and contradict other studies (Doyle, 1994; Herman, 1981; Hesse, 2002; Wilson & Lindy, 1994).