The Person of The
Therapist Training Model
Mastering the Use of Self
The Person of the Therapist Training Model presents a model that prepares therapists to make active and purposeful use of who they are, personally and professionally, in all aspects of the therapeutic process―relationship, assessment and intervention. The authors take a process that seems vague and elusive, the self-of-the-therapist work, and provide a step-by-step description of how to conceptualize, structure, and implement a training program designed to facilitate the creation of effective therapists, who are skilled at using their whole selves in their encounters with clients. This book looks to make conscious and planned use of a therapist’s race, gender, culture, values, life experience, and in particular, personal vulnerabilities and struggles in how he or she relates and works with clients. This evidence-supported resource is ideal for clinicians, supervisors, and training programs.
Available at:
Selected Articles
Person of the therapist supervision: Reflections of a therapist and supervisor on empathic-identification and differentiation.
Aponte, H. J., & Ingram, M. (2018). Person of the therapist supervision: Reflections of a therapist and supervisor on empathic-identification and differentiation. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 29(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/08975353.2018.1416233
Perceived professional gains of master’s level students following a person‐of‐the‐therapist training program: A retrospective content analysis.
Niño, A., Kissil, K., & Apolinar Claudio, F. L. (2015). Perceived professional gains of master’s level students following a person‐of‐the‐therapist training program: A retrospective content analysis. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 41(2), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12051
A tool for connection: Using the Person‐of‐the‐Therapist Training (POTT) model in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy supervision.
Zeytinoglu, S. S., & Niño, A. (2019). A tool for connection: Using the Person‐of‐the‐Therapist Training (POTT) model in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy supervision. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 45(2), 233–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12349
Does the person‐of‐the‐therapist training (POTT) promote self‐care? Personal gains of MFT trainees following POTT.
Kissil K, Niño A. Does the person‐of‐the‐therapist training (POTT) promote self‐care? Personal gains of MFT trainees following POTT: A retrospective thematic analysis. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 2017;43(3):526-536. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12213
Helping supervisees use their self in their clinical work: The person-of-the-therapist training model (POTT) in supervision.
Niño, A., & Zeytinoglu-Saydam, S. (2020). Helping supervisees use their self in their clinical work: The person-of-the-therapist training model (POTT) in supervision. Journal of Family Psychotherapy. https://doi.org/10.1080/08975353.2020.1804799
Training for connection: Perceived effects of the Person-of-the-Therapist Training (POTT) on students’ therapeutic relationships.
Niño, A, Kissil, K., & Cooke, L. (2016). Training for connection: Perceived effects of the Person-of-the-Therapist Training (POTT) on students’ therapeutic relationships. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.42(4), 599-614. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12167
An Instrument for Person-of-the-Therapist Supervision
Aponte, H. J., & Carol Carlsen, J. (2009). An instrument for person-of-the-therapist supervision. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 35(4), 395–405. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2009.00127.x
“If I can grapple with this I can truly be of use in the therapy room”: Using the therapist’s own emotional struggles to facilitate effective therapy.
Aponte, H. J., & Kissil, K. (2014). “If I can grapple with this I can truly be of use in the therapy room”: Using the therapist’s own emotional struggles to facilitate effective therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 40(2), 152-164. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12011
The soul of therapy: The therapist’s use of self in the therapeutic relationship.
Aponte, H. J. (2022). The soul of therapy: The therapist’s use of self in the therapeutic relationship. Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal, 44(2), 136–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-021-09614-5