lack of self-acceptance according to psychotherapists' lived experiences: a reflexive thematic analysis

Background: lack of self-acceptance is one of the most pervasive factors threatening people’s psychological well-being.objectives: this study aims to explore the roots and underlying causes of a lack of self-acceptance through the lived experiences of psychologists specializing in the field of self-acceptance.methods: a reflexive thematic analysis, based on the approach by braun and clarke, was conducted using 30 in-depth interviews. participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling methods. to enhance the trustworthiness of the research, lincoln and guba's criteria were applied.results: the overarching theme identified was “tripartite adversities involved in the formation of a lack of self-acceptance.” this theme comprised intrapersonal factors (“existential insecurity”), interpersonal factors (“deficits in nurturance,” “restricted autonomy,” “disrupted trust,” and “exposure to strict standards”), and socio-cultural factors (“minority group status”).conclusions: the findings demonstrate that the roots of a lack of self-acceptance are complex and multifaceted. addressing this issue has significant implications for improving self-acceptance, which is an integral component of many contemporary therapeutic modalities targeting trans-diagnostic factors such as perfectionism, self-criticism, and shame.