What is it about?

Self-view refers to the phenomenon of viewing one’s own image on the screen. The present study investigated, for the first time, how psychotherapists perceive this phenomenon in online group psychotherapy, and the possibility that seeing oneself becomes a source of self-knowledge, both for the therapist and the patients. Results showed that self-mirroring can foster self-awareness and therapeutic reflection.

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Why is it important?

Viewing oneself in a video can cause various positive and negative reactions: outside the clinical context, research predominantly highlights the negative psychological consequences of frequently viewing one’s own image on online platforms. Prolonged daily exposure to one’s own image on screen may contribute, among other factors, to Zoom Fatigue, that is, a sense of exhaustion deriving from taking part in videoconferences. Self-view was recently included among the fatigue factors in a specific model of Zoom Fatigue for psychotherapy. In the concept of self-mirroring, a shift from a passive stance, in which one merely endures the sight of their own image during videoconferencing (self-view), to an active stance, in which this phenomenon is intentionally used as an opportunity for reflection and elaboration within group psychotherapy, made possible by technology, was proposed. We showed that actively harnessing a potentially disruptive phenomenon can become a new therapeutic opportunity.

Perspectives

Self-mirroring has been conceptualized as a novel form of mirroring, referring to the purposeful use of the self-view in psychotherapy for interpersonal regulation, self-regulation, and the therapeutic process itself, potentially contributing to an expanded understanding of the self in a group context. I hope this study will open new avenues of research in online group psychotherapy, enabling us to better understand and make the most of this new digital setting.

Ivan Ambrosiano
ASVEGRA - COIRAG - GASI - SPR

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This page is a summary of: Self-view and self-mirroring in online group psychotherapy: A consensus qualitative study., Group Dynamics Theory Research and Practice, March 2026, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/gdn0000245.
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