| Sumario: | Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to explore what students of psychotherapy learn from intensively reviewing the work of experienced therapists whilst being focused on process measures developed to capture clients' emotional expressions. Methods: We interviewed 12 students who participated in the training and coding of emotional processes in psychotherapy to explore their learning experiences. The interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis methodology. In addition, we explored the change in clinical self‐efficacy among 26 students who participated in the training, and coding compared to scores from a sample of 26 fellow students who did not participate. Results: Three main themes in the participating students' descriptions of what they learned were identified: (1) You notice emotions better. An increase in emotional awareness and ability to identify emotional patterns both in the role as therapist and in one's own life (2) It feels a bit like model learning. Recognising the importance of interpersonal skills such as listening, being empathic and present as a therapist. (3) Even experienced therapists fumble. Developing more realistic and moderate expectations of the role as therapist, and feeling less anxious of entering the therapist role. Conclusions: Teaching students to code emotional processes and then giving them the opportunity to observe and code psychotherapy as it naturally unfolds over time may represent a promising approach to foster relevant therapeutic skills, reducing performance anxiety and thus preparing students for the role as a therapist. Implications for training are discussed.
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