The Individual Behind The Psychologist
Disclaimer : These are observations made from counseling sessions and shared to create awareness towards supporting Mental Health.
Knowing who is a Psychologist and what we do in our last blog brings us to share that a Psychologist is human too and we learn to create therapeutic relationships with wisdom of scientific knowledge as our reservoir . Living as individuals for us and other Mental Health Professionals can be lonely , quite often in our own head space and with equal advantages and disadvantages. We expect the same kindness , compassion and space holding that we attempt to give our clients and authentically live it in our personal life.
Years ago a senior colleague in a sharing circle of professionals asked “ Why Psychology even after all this time ? “ It was the year 2017 right after I had finished my Masters.
The reply was a personal note but it highlighted the advantages and disadvantages that I share on this public platform. The choice to become a Psychologist comes with first also understanding yourself a little deeper than the average person. This self understanding creates the knowledge that one is willing to help others , face new challenges with a solution oriented approach and are willing to learn, unlearn and develop at all levels of mind, body and being. Being a work in progress makes it easier to enjoy the journey through ups and downs. This is one of the few professions wherein to achieve success you have to become one with it embodying it essence and living it authentically.
The Advantages
1. Helping Others Over Up Life Challenges
Often researched over the past 30-40 years within the professional community it has been reported individuals become Psychologists because the ability to help others gives them intrinsic satisfaction. This fulfilment though can encounter emotionally triggering and challenging times for the individual in the profession eventually gratifies the individual and their life purpose.
2. Work Life Balance
Maybe the only profession that encourages it and also challenges it simultaneously. The fact that one can make a choice to work independently or be supported by a hospital or clinic set up along with number and days of working hours is the living side . The other end that professionals learn to work through is creating a schedule for themselves that supports their own well-being and the professional identity doesn’t over take the personal roles in one’s life.
3. Earning Potential.
It is reported across the peer community that after a few years of devoting oneself to educating and initial training the earning potential if begun right can give return on investments. The profit after the educational cost is accounted for adds to the individual’s quality of life and gives them a chance to create individual well-being as they strive for in personal and professional life
Though money alone shouldn’t be your motivation for becoming a psychologist but earning a fulfilling living is an attractive benefit.
4. Ability to work for yourself.
Becoming a psychologist is a great career choice for those with an individualistic and entrepreneurial spirit. Many psychologists go on to establish their own private therapy practices once they get a little experience under their belt and have proven themselves as competent professionals. In India you would find most Psychologist are self employed. While being self-employed isn’t for everyone, it gives you a chance to create a balanced life.
5. Opportunity to work with new people every day.
As a psychologist the work one does with clients in a session brings the insight into various cultures and one interacts with varied professionals. As we help them overcome mental and emotional conflicts. The type of clients you want to engage with is a choice solely with you from developing skills in counselling children to adults as individuals or couples achieve their full potential is the opportunity of a lifetime.
The Disadvantages
It’s true, psychology can be a very satisfying and rewarding career but no career is without pitfalls– and psychology’s no exception. The disadvantages are the shadow side of the profession much like the shadow of the psyche.
1. Dealing with clients can be stressful and draining.
The fulfilment of being a psychologist is often the biggest conflict of being a psychologist – helping people overcome and deal with their mental and emotional conflicts can be equally draining for the Psychologist.
Dealing with other people’s problems on a daily basis in a professional becomes challenging. Psychologists have to learn how to help their clients find effective and productive methods for dealing with their conflicts without taking them on themselves through training and development of professional skills. Successful psychologists are themselves in therapy and professional supervision for managing their own stress effectively
2. Schedules can be Challenging To Keep Up
Though as a private practitioner or employed Psychologist, working hours are fixed. But the nature of the role
makes it in both scenarios comes with putting in extra hours. It is not only the counseling session it the part taking of running or being a part of the business of a Psychological practice. Towards the clients while we are encouraged to set ground rules of therapeutic relationship but when the client faces a crisis situation the Psychologist has to create time to facilitate resolving the arising conflicts.
3. Having to set up your own practice.
The business side of setting up a private practice and be consistent in keeping it up can be challenging. From administrative record keeping to creating an offline and today’s imperative, an online presence is a constantly engaging task. Here in the Psychologist needs to practise setting up their own boundaries and as we encourage others to use our available resources to help ourselves to build our sustainable practice.
4. Dealing with Payment issues.
All psychologists, regardless of whether they work as employees of an organisation or run their own practice, have to deal with payment issues . These include processing and collecting payments from clients without compromising the therapeutic relationship. In India Psychological counselling is not as yet covered under insurance yet chasing clients for money even with the support staff being there is an uncomfortable scenario. Dealing with other aspects of paying different supporting resources and keeping records can be a very trying process, especially if you have your own practice.
5. Keeping Up with new business.
Many psychologist get into the business to practice psychology – not to become a sales professional. Notwithstandy, if you plan on being self-employed and owning your own practice you’ll need to get used to the idea of prospecting for new clients on an ongoing basis. Finding new clients requires time, money and resources and is key to having a successful practice. Whether you set up an offline word of mouth marketing challenge or an online presence. One of the most effective ways to find new clients is networking. Build relationships with other industry professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses, etc.) and mental health providers that can refer clients to your practice. Conducting seminars and support group meetings is also an effective method for building your clientele base. And last, but not least, take advantage of some good old fashion advertising in industry publications. While some psychologists really enjoy the business development aspect of operating a private practice, others would rather focus exclusively on therapy work with outsourcing the business up keeping to other professionals depending on their own financial budgets.
Psychology as a career option is multidisciplinary and a life long process of developing therapeutic skills and building oneself towards latest trends that enhances the individual behind the Psychologist.
We as a practice are open to accepting other Mental Health Professionals as clients and uphold all confidentiality in such cases.
Contact Details
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Aarti Ahuja
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