Although the psychotherapist's personal psychotherapy has received considerable research attention in recent years, little systematic investigation of the ethical issues involved has been published. This article provides a rigorous interrogation of mandatory personal psychotherapy as a training requirement for mental health professionals, a topic that remains ethically contentious. The article begins with a discussion of why MPP is an explicitly ethical issue, before debating the ethics of MPP under six questions, each worded to capture a salient ethical issue relevant to (...) the appropriateness of making personal treatment a mandatory training requirement. Using principle, virtue, and care ethics perspectives, the arguments for and against MPP are critically investigated. The article concludes with an ethical position statement. (shrink)

Background: Eating disorders are serious conditions which also impact the families of adult patients. There are few qualitative studies of multifamily therapy with adults with severe eating disorders and none concerning the practice of therapists in multifamily therapy. Objectives: The aim of the study is to explore therapists’ practice in multifamily therapy. Research design and participants: A grounded theory approach was chosen. Data were collected through participant observation in two multifamily therapy groups and qualitative interviews with the therapists in those (...) groups. Ethical considerations: The study conforms to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants in the multifamily therapy groups received information about the research project and signed consent forms. The data are treated confidentially and anonymised. Findings: The core category was identified as ‘having many strings to one’s bow’, consisting of three subcategories: ‘planning and readjusting’, ‘developing as therapist and team’ and ‘regulating the temperature of the group’. This article discusses the empirical findings in the frame of Aristotelian virtue ethics. (shrink)