Let's be honest here. Most people go into the psychology field because they, themselves, have mental health issues, have had them in the past, or know someone who does. Now my question to you guys is: Do you feel that therapists who go into the psychology field often suck at their job because they don't even know how to help themselves? In my case, I'm going into the field because of my own personal issues, but I also know how to be analytical, self-reflective, as unbiased as possible, and introspective. Thus, I don't feel as though this is an issue in my particular case. The more I learn about psychology (and that IS how I look at it, mind you, a matter of learning and being curious to learn even more on your own time, more so than simply getting that degree or license), the more I become confident in my abilities to help others, despite my own problems. I would be that therapist who would make my clients feel 100% safe talking about anything, suicide/crime included, and I do mean absolutely anything. Because guess what, feeling like you're in a safe, non-judgmental environment (for once in your life) helps build the client-therapist relationship the most. And that relationship and trust is absolutely essential to the client getting better and feeling safe enough to open up. I would also be one of those therapists who employ an actual treatment plan, an individualized one, based on the client's needs--not my own. So again I ask, do you think that therapists who go into the field with mental health issues mostly just take the easy way out to get a paycheck because they don't truly know how to help anyone? Because I do.
Do you think that a lot of therapists suck at helping people due to their own issues they're dealing with?
- Thread starter Aurelia
- Start date
Pretty sure it happens. Some may suck at it if they haven't dealt with their own issues properly (say, they got their diagnosis wrong, or they aren't that introspective, etc.), while I'm pretty sure it helps many others who have those skills to be better therapists, the same way as you. 
I have that general perception too, although I've only been to a councelor not a psychologist. Actually she did say she did therapy too but she spoke to me in a councellor role. She was awful, looked bored to death the whole time and just said in a monotone voice "well that's sad" when I said about feeling hopeless and when she asked if I ever considered self-harming I had a feeling she wouldn't be sympathetic so I lied and said "no, not since I was younger" and she replied "well younger people are more dramatic" 
dramatic?! she had no skills to be a councelor/therapist at all
dramatic?! she had no skills to be a councelor/therapist at all
Although some may not know how to help themselves, that may be because they could still be trying to find a way to process sucessfully whatever issues they may have. In one respect though, those with or have had issues can conceivably give them an edge as they have the advantage of having an insight into matters which may not be provided by textbooks, lectures etc.
Whether some goes into that profession to just pick up a paycheck is a concept which can be attributed to any field. Reasons could be many, varying from incompetence, a couldn't give a shit attitude, or even just being numbed out over time. One may at first approach the job with passion and dedication. However over time that can so easily become diluted until they become almost robotic in nature, adopting an algorithmic approach as opposed to one pertaining towards the individual.
So how they perform, I would say would be an individual matter, depending on whatever variables happen to be influencing them.
Whether some goes into that profession to just pick up a paycheck is a concept which can be attributed to any field. Reasons could be many, varying from incompetence, a couldn't give a shit attitude, or even just being numbed out over time. One may at first approach the job with passion and dedication. However over time that can so easily become diluted until they become almost robotic in nature, adopting an algorithmic approach as opposed to one pertaining towards the individual.
So how they perform, I would say would be an individual matter, depending on whatever variables happen to be influencing them.
I have that general perception too, although I've only been to a councelor not a psychologist. Actually she did say she did therapy too but she spoke to me in a councellor role. She was awful, looked bored to death the whole time and just said in a monotone voice "well that's sad" when I said about feeling hopeless and when she asked if I ever considered self-harming I had a feeling she wouldn't be sympathetic so I lied and said "no, not since I was younger" and she replied "well younger people are more dramatic" dramatic?! she had no skills to be a councelor/therapist at all
dramatic?! she had no skills to be a councelor/therapist at all
A doctor, when I was a teenager, told me that it was all hormones and that I'll basically grow out of it.
Years later I'm suffering from the worst depression I've ever had and things have never been as worse for me as they are now.
Let's face it. A decent therapist/doctor is rare. Most of these people don't know more than what they learn in their lectures and textbooks. What's worse is that they don't even care.
I do, technically, know what the best way to help myself would be. But there are several problems with implementing it in my case. Problem number one is that I need a therapist who understands REBT well enough to help me implement it and challenge me in areas where I need to be challenged. So far, I haven't been able to find any (who take my insurance, anyway). I need someone whom I trust enough to take their word for it when they tell me I need to do something (and can provide good, logical evidence as to why I need to do it because I can be stubborn). That's a very, very rare find in itself. Problem number two is that I'm in a very dangerous, delicate situation, which I need to be able to talk about without worrying about the repercussions. Because if there are things which I can't discuss at all, no one else can possibly help me. Hence, trust and building a good client-therapist relationship is absolutely essential. I probably need certain boundaries set, because I know I can be way too clingy and dependent. I need someone who recognizes these things and helps me tackle them head-on, whatever it takes, and someone who makes me feel safe talking about whatever.
Do I think that all people who go into this field think these things about themselves? A good portion of them do, I'm sure. Many of them aren't nearly as good as they think, however. I do think I have mental health problems, for sure. For some reason, I'm still able to think in a logical, unbiased manner when the situation calls for it. Not sure why, but it's been something I've been absolutely amazing at for a very long time. But despite the fact, I still need the help because knowing isn't enough. If you can't implement it, knowing is only going to get you so far.
Do I think that all people who go into this field think these things about themselves? A good portion of them do, I'm sure. Many of them aren't nearly as good as they think, however. I do think I have mental health problems, for sure. For some reason, I'm still able to think in a logical, unbiased manner when the situation calls for it. Not sure why, but it's been something I've been absolutely amazing at for a very long time. But despite the fact, I still need the help because knowing isn't enough. If you can't implement it, knowing is only going to get you so far.
You're right, and to be honest, as a student of psychology, it's truly not even nearly enough what we learn from the textbooks from what I've seen. It's how far we're willing to go to do our own research, coupled with our own experiences, that matters most.
By the way, that doctor was a fucking idiot and a half.
By the way, that doctor was a fucking idiot and a half.
The main issue I’ve found with therapists is an unwillingness or inability to look at individuals as such. Just use whatever treatment methodology is in fashion for a given diagnosis. Right now they seem to think cbt is the magic bullet for pretty much every issue, in a decade or two there’ll be some new therapeutic cure-all. And if the cookie-cutter treatment plan doesn’t help you, it’s because you’re being uncooperative and not putting in the work.
Where that all comes from, I don’t know.
Where that all comes from, I don’t know.
100% this. CBT doesn't work for me yet it's somehow my fault for "not doing it enough"
I tried it, I tried it a lot and it just made me worse as I made me overthink which brings back memories and then bleugh.
Which should be fine, not everything works for everyone. But that's not what they think. If CBT doesn't work they just sorta shrug.
I tried it, I tried it a lot and it just made me worse as I made me overthink which brings back memories and then bleugh.
Which should be fine, not everything works for everyone. But that's not what they think. If CBT doesn't work they just sorta shrug.
From the sounds of it, you're training to become a psychotherapist, correct? As part of that training, have you already done much practice with those simulated therapy sessions where they deliberately give you a "difficult" client?
I'm not at all suggesting you don't have the attributes you state but be cautious of having too much certainty. In relation to other people practicing in the field you say "Many of them aren't nearly as good as they think". Why are you as good as you think? People have a tendency to overestimate themselves, e.g. the elderly man who thinks he's an excellent driver but is a hazard on the road, or the woman who reads a book about the stock market and is ready to compete with a professional stockbroker.
Competence in any field is something that has to be built over time & with a wide range of experience. I had a natural aptitude for programming, just as you seem to have a natural aptitude for this profession, but in the 10 years I've been coding I admit I only reached a pretty good competence level after 5 years & tons of mistakes. Even at that, with the pace of ever changing frameworks, I still get bouts of "imposter syndrome" when it's taking me forever to get something to work. I know I'm not telling you anything new, but if psychotherapy is something you would like to practice professionally, give yourself a chance to grow into it and remember that it takes time to really hone your existing abilities into true skills. Overestimating oneself early can set one up for disillusionment and a lot of wear and tear on confidence. It sounds like you've already got the right combo of personal attributes and a genuine interest in the field & you can't get a much better starting point than that.
I'm not at all suggesting you don't have the attributes you state but be cautious of having too much certainty. In relation to other people practicing in the field you say "Many of them aren't nearly as good as they think". Why are you as good as you think? People have a tendency to overestimate themselves, e.g. the elderly man who thinks he's an excellent driver but is a hazard on the road, or the woman who reads a book about the stock market and is ready to compete with a professional stockbroker.
Competence in any field is something that has to be built over time & with a wide range of experience. I had a natural aptitude for programming, just as you seem to have a natural aptitude for this profession, but in the 10 years I've been coding I admit I only reached a pretty good competence level after 5 years & tons of mistakes. Even at that, with the pace of ever changing frameworks, I still get bouts of "imposter syndrome" when it's taking me forever to get something to work. I know I'm not telling you anything new, but if psychotherapy is something you would like to practice professionally, give yourself a chance to grow into it and remember that it takes time to really hone your existing abilities into true skills. Overestimating oneself early can set one up for disillusionment and a lot of wear and tear on confidence. It sounds like you've already got the right combo of personal attributes and a genuine interest in the field & you can't get a much better starting point than that.
What I'm saying is I do have the skills that I'm claiming I have. How do I know? I've been told before, and it's just something that I've always known about myself. It's a confidence I've always had. I'm not too confident in certain other areas, but when it comes to critical thinking and analysis, and learning, I've always been pretty confident. And I have this (at times, quite irritating) tendency to try to be the best and the smartest and get perfect grades. And usually, I do. Just how I've always been. I'm not saying there isn't room for improvement. Of course, there is. Anyone who says there isn't, is automatically an impostor. There will always be something new to learn and there will always be someone out there better and smarter than you. I know that. There are some people here who l, personally, think are smarter than I am. But with that said, I do think I have what it takes to be successful in this profession, despite the BPD and whatever else it is I have at this point. Trust me, I'm not overconfident in my abilities. Just confident.