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TPC D igest Altruism–Self-Interest Archetypes: A Paradigmatic Narrative of Counseling Professionals – DIGEST Stephen V. Flynn, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education in the Depar- ment of Counselor Education and School Psychology at Plymouth State University. Linda L. Black, NCC, is a Professor of Counselor Education and Supervision and Acting Dean of the Graduate School and International Admittance at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. Correspondence can be addressed to Stephen V. Flynn, Plymouth State University, Department Counselor Education and School Psychology, 17 High Street MSC 11, Plymouth, NH 03264, svflynn@plymouth.edu. 12 C oncerns over the escalating burnout and impairment within professional counseling have attracted considerable attention. While it is essential to provide effective services to clients, the thrust of the professional literature seems to skew the focus of professional counselors’ attention almost exclusively toward meeting the needs of clients, thus neglecting the needs of the counseling professional. Further, the extensive focus on altruistic acts without an associated discussion of the self-interest of the counselor may create a culture of professional self-sacrifice, martyrdom, and potential burnout for counseling professionals, ultimately placing clients at risk. Altruism and self-interest as constructs have generally been described in dichotomous terms and as the exclusive motivators of human behavior. There is a dearth of research and literature examining the unified and dynamic nature of the constructs altruism and self-interest. This study sought to qualitatively explore the unconscious nature of the construct altruism–self- interest through a secondary supplemental analysis following the tenets of paradigmatic narrative analysis. A total of 25 mental health professionals participated in this study on an uncompensated basis. A supplementary secondary analysis with a more in-depth analysis of the unconscious nature of the construct altruism–self-interest was used. We, the authors, hypothesized that the altruism– self-interest phenomenon potentially represented archetypal images for the participants. The emergent findings suggest a less dichotomous  understanding  of the constructs altruism and self-interest. Three