Concepción de la psicoterapia. Aproximación cualitativa desde la teoría fundamentada

The main objective of this research was to qualitatively and indepth characterize the concept of psychotherapy of Venezuelan clinical psychologists. Based on the grounded theory, seven psychologists with different approaches and with at least 5 years of professional experience were interviewed. The results reveal that the interviewees conceive psychotherapy as a process based on a relationship that leads to personal growth, both for the patient and for the therapist, implying the intersubjective (but asymmetric) and relational dimension. It was determined that the success of the psychotherapeutic process depends on the establishment of a positive therapeutic relationship because it favors the appearance of intimate and subjective aspects of the patient in the therapeutic process. As a conclusion, the intersubjective dimension in psychotherapy is highlighted and should be incorporated into the conceptualization of psychotherapy.