From Suffering to Flourishing: A Therapeutic Positive Autoethnography from a Therapist’s Perspective

This article focuses on how to overcome pain and suffering in a therapeutic context. It not only takes the client’s development through existential positive psychology into consideration, but focuses primarily on the autoethnographic experiences of the therapist and our client–therapist relationship. The article thereby provides a rich example of a therapeutic positive autoethnography (ThePosAE). The study uses a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to explore the lived experience of myself as a therapist. It provides rich descriptions of reflections on the therapeutic process. This process is interlinked with van Tongeren and Showalter van Tongeren’s (2020, 2021) therapeutic process model and provides insight in the process from suffering to courage. Findings show autoethnographic descriptions of the therapeutic process from my perspective as a systemic family and existential therapy. Data are organised through the therapeutic process model, providing insight into my personal development from suffering to courage and flourishing while working with a client. The study presents my thoughts, reflections, struggles, feelings and transformations of my inner life as a therapist working with a selected client.