Dialogical construction of the selves of trainees as competent researchers

There is a widespread perception among family therapy trainees and practitioners of research as an alien activity. This perception is both damaging and unnecessary. Exercises to enhance the relationship of trainees to research were conducted in stages. Concepts of dialogically constructed selves were introduced, and exercises explored the trainees' construction of ‘self as a systemic therapist’. The idea of an extensive repertoire of selves was proposed. During subsequent research training the fact that all trainees had successfully completed a collaborative research project was exploited. Pairs successfully conducted a dialogue in which they actively and imaginatively constructed their selves as researchers.