Reflections on the development of professional identity in professional psychology training…

Abstract

Welcome, you are about to witness and be a part of a discussion between the author of this research report (myself) and a powerful South African institution that regulates academic psychology as well as psychology practice. I am referring to the Health Professions Council of South Africa, more specifically the Board of Psychology. I have chosen to present this research report in the form of an imaginary conversation between the Board of Psychology and myself regarding my professional identity development. More specifically, what this small study aimed to look at was how my experience of professional identity developed and evolved over time during my postgraduate training in psychology. The main reason for this particular form of presentation is that it is congruent with the research position that I have adopted as my lens for this research project, namely the Narrative Metaphor. As we go further and further into the discussion between the Health Professions Council’s Board of Psychology and myself, you the reader and as such, a participant in and of this text may begin to understand what this text may be about and make meaning of what is presented based on your own frame of reference. There may be a multiplicity of meanings that evolve out of this text because each reader of this text will interpret what is being said differently based on their personal frames of reference. Copyright