Academy Theoretical Position
My major contribution to the initial stages of our collaborative research was by reviewing the literature published in the field and reviewed them in light of Ofer's practical experience. The gap between theoretical and practical considerations in publications was clear and enormous. Almost no publishing was dealing with practical models to consider.
I began my professional development in Academy, by exploring readings, and seminars which focused on theoretical approaches, but not the practical ones. Learning in this framework, I acquired a great amount of theoretical understanding of human behaviour and psyche, at the time I met my first patient, but felt I did not acquire the practical knowledge needed, in a position of a professional therapist.
We continued the review of publications in the field as part of our continual professional development, during our doctoral research (which began in 2007) and until this day. For me, as a trainee the major contribution was provided by discussions, Ofer and I had during the review of the readings. My skills constantly developed as a result of our dynamically expanding practice experience, our bilateral feedback consultations about our cases, and the insights obtained from our extensive academic readings. From a process of supervision, the dialogue became a process of colleague reflection within an apprenticeship framework for professional training. Anat