Psychotherapy as a working activity in Brazil
Psychotherapy; psychotherapist; analysis of labor; clinical psychology; clinical activity; psychology of
labor.
The field of psychotherapy was built up from historical shamanic roots, throughout processes of
scientificity criteria and institutionalization. These processes allowed psychotherapy in terms of,
validity, diversification, expansion and social consolidation as a clinical practice, that can be executed
by many professionals, psychologists included. This professional clinical activity is frequently seen in
Brazil, in terms of social representation, as characteristic of psychological practice, and even of
Psychology itself. This domain of Psychology, however, is fragmented, dispersed and divergent in its
perspectives, what justify the need of reinforcing discussions concerning conceptual content, together
with topics related to politics, economics, practical and ethical tensions, in order to overcome
fragmentation. This research aimed, in this context, to analyze and improve comprehension of
psychotherapy as a working, professional activity, from psychotherapists-psychologist’s perspectives,
allowing these professionals to start up reflection and transformation. Clinical method was centrally
adopted as research tool, covering professional activity analyses based upon articulated interviews in
the context of psychology of working activity standpoint. Three psychologists psychotherapists took
part of the interviews; they were affiliated to distinct theoretical-methodological approaches and had
different time of professional experience. Results allowed advances in the characterization of
psychotherapist’s professional activity. Many usual aspects about working activity were verified, what
contributed to propose the existence of a professional genre of autonomous psychologists
psychotherapists beyond the fragmentation of approaches. An important set of dramatic topics in the
professional field were observed, such as hiding of certain themes in the dialog between pairs, conflict
of the roles of psychotherapist and manager, and between the ethics of helping and the need of money,
concerning the therapeutic process. Finally, this study allowed to contribute to the comprehension of
psychotherapy as a work activity, also contributing to the discussion of theoretical-methodology
aspects in the basis of psychotherapies, in the theoretical frame of Clinic of Activity approach.