Shouldn't WE be therapists?

[signifying nothing]

Therapists are just like friends, except they have licenses, get paid, and have some liability to watch out for.

Therapists are not like friends and that's exactly the point of them. Therapists put themselves aside so that you can talk about yourself and your life because you haven't been able to do this with the people you already know.

 

[noname223]

Maybe not all of us, but some people here have helped me SO MUCH that I think they should be therapists!! (The experiences I've had with normal therapy have been ridiculous and it seems I'm not the only one, you can check THIS THREAD or THIS ONE and read different experiences people have had with therapy).

Many of us really know what depression, suicidal thoughts, different mental illnesses, abuse and some other things really are.

We wouldn't tell our patients stupid things such "Hey, it's not as bad as you think" "life is precious" and so on.
Of course, we wouldn't tell them to go and ctb immediately either.

We'd just explain to them why we understand their situation and analyse what to do in a logical and objective way.

At least that's what I think. I would love to have a therapist like YOU! haha.


What do you think about it??

If you're planning to study something, what about becoming a nice therapist and make this world a better place once and for all?

The problem with therapists they are not allowed to be pro-choice

 

[Deadlyroses]

I actually am a therapist! Not the kind who does counseling though. I won't go into detail about my job for privacy reasons.

I got my undergrad in psychology and I'm currently in grad school. I've learned extensively about the topic over the years, and yet...here I am. Suicidal as fuck. Funny how a lot of us who suffer with this shit end up helping others like us. Meanwhile we struggle to help ourselves.

 

[motel rooms]

I got my undergrad in psychology and I'm currently in grad school. I've learned extensively about the topic over the years, and yet...here I am. Suicidal as fuck. Funny how a lot of us who suffer with this shit end up helping others like us. Meanwhile we struggle to help ourselves.

Yeah, isn't it cool how knowing how "broken minds" operate & being able to apply that knowledge to oneself are 2 different things entirely?

 

[Deadlyroses]

Yeah, isn't it cool how knowing how "broken minds" operate & being able to apply that knowledge to oneself are 2 different things entirely?

Right! I keep my struggles to myself though. My clients and most of my coworkers are none the wiser. When I'm at work, I am fully in "work mode". All I see/hear is my client and my only priority is doing my very best for them with the knowledge that I have. I see myself in my clients in a lot of ways. I always want them to feel seen and heard. I try to make sure that they feel cared for and listened to. Life is shitty as is, but it's even worse for those of us who aren't neurotypical. A good number of people who work in the field struggle to see the world through their clients eyes.

 

[motel rooms]

Right! I keep my struggles to myself though. My clients and most of my coworkers are none the wiser. When I'm at work, I am fully in "work mode". All I see/hear is my client and my only priority is doing my very best for them with the knowledge that I have. I see myself in my clients in a lot of ways. I always want them to feel seen and heard. I try to make sure that they feel cared for and listened to. Life is shitty as is, but it's even worse for those of us who aren't neurotypical. A good number of people who work in the field struggle to see the world through their clients eyes.

Being a good therapist must be so hard... You have to make the patient feel truly seen & heard, but also maintain a certain distance in order to do your job properly. Therapists can't be our friends, that's what support groups are for

 

[NormaJeane]

Yes, members here on Sanctioned Suicide are specialists on death and suicide - maybe some of us know more about how much the body can handle before death occurs than doctors, because most doctors prolong life instead of shortening it.

 

[Deadlyroses]

Being a good therapist must be so hard... You have to make the patient feel truly seen & heard, but also maintain a certain distance in order to do your job properly. Therapists can't be our friends, that's what support groups are for

This job is very difficult. Especially when the client is really struggling. I feel their pain on their behalf. I've come close to crying at work a few times. I've cried a lot while driving home. Even still, there are rewarding elements to the job. It's great when you see positive changes in the client. It's like their light gradually starts to shine.

Yeah..no friendships. There are strict guidelines with that kind of thing at my job. We can't share our personal info, numbers, social media, etc. If we see a client in public we aren't supposed to acknowledge them unless they initiate it. We can't accept gifts from them (although many do try to give gifts). We also have to decline any invitations to birthdays, dinners, etc. Basically no contact outside of actual therapy in the center (unless it's a therapy-related call or email through the work number or work email).

 

[motel rooms]

This job is very difficult. Especially when the client is really struggling. I feel their pain on their behalf. I've come close to crying at work a few times. I've cried a lot while driving home.

https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/h...chiatrists-disclose-their-own-mental-illness/

"There is a high suicide rate in psychologists, with some studies suggesting that close to 30% have felt suicidal and nearly 4% have made a suicide attempt. One study of more than 1,000 randomly sampled counseling psychologists found that 62% of respondents self-identified as depressed, and of those with depressive symptoms, 42% reported experiencing some form of suicidal ideation or behavior."

 

[Deadlyroses]

https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/h...chiatrists-disclose-their-own-mental-illness/

"There is a high suicide rate in psychologists, with some studies suggesting that close to 30% have felt suicidal and nearly 4% have made a suicide attempt. One study of more than 1,000 randomly sampled counseling psychologists found that 62% of respondents self-identified as depressed, and of those with depressive symptoms, 42% reported experiencing some form of suicidal ideation or behavior."

This makes a lot of sense. Even without taking depression and suicidality into account, it's a very tough and draining job. Capitalism and the bureaucracy in mental health care makes matters even worse. Therapists are often overworked because the higher ups want as many clients in and out as possible. Insurance companies are another big headache. It's all very stressful.