If you were a therapist, what would be the hardest part for you?

Sep 15, 2016 at 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atisketatasket

No; I think those who answer are demonstrating self-knowledge.

At what point in their journey to be a therapist is This 'self knowledge' coming from?
I mean if your were a therapist, hopefully these wounds wouldn't exist? It's a fantasy question. Where are the answers coming from?

stopdog · Sep 15, 2016 at 09:24 AM

I don't believe that therapists are not wounded or that therapists are healed- more that one hopes they can overcome their wounds or set them aside while with clients. And from the reports - many cannot.
(I don't actually see any of it in terms of wounded or healed -but just to use the terminology frequently employed)

Sep 15, 2016 at 09:38 AM

I don't think that all reasons for why we would find certain aspects of a career challenging are related to woundedness. The same question can be asked regarding any type of work and I am sure there are elements of every career that is more challenging for an individual than other elements of it. A lot of this, imo, is related to individual interest (or lack thereof) and preferences coming from our personalities that do not represent weakness or wounds, just interests, personal values and lifestyle choices. I also don't think it is a fantasy question any more than when we contemplate a career choice or change in general. Don't we all do that at some point of our lives?

itisnt · Sep 15, 2016 at 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Mouse

At what point in their journey to be a therapist is This 'self knowledge' coming from?
I mean if your were a therapist, hopefully these wounds wouldn't exist? It's a fantasy question. Where are the answers coming from?

Sorry to disagree but I don't think any well-trained, self-actualized T would actually describe him/herself as without "wounds". The whole nature of being human is to deal with issues and hurts that effect us and impact us on a very personal level. Woundedness is not something that just clients experience. Yes, hopefully, a T would know what his/her wounds are and be able to recognize when those personal things were impacting the clients therapy . . . . although after reading what's on this forum and other "therapy" forums, I'm not so sure there are many of those Ts out there!

Therapy in my opinion isn't about wounds being all healed up and gone, never to be heard from again. It's more about becoming aware of your wounds, recognizing when they are impinging on your life and learning ways to lessen their impact.

itisnt · Sep 15, 2016 at 09:48 AM

I didn't vote in the poll because I can't ever even pretend that I'd ever be a therapist!

Definitely not my kind of job.
But I love reading the other responses.

Argonautomobile · Sep 15, 2016 at 09:52 AM

I wish there was some version of 'take your kid to work day' for adults. I think it would be fascinating to shadow a therapist for a day. It's one thing to know what sessions look like from a client perspective, quite another to get a sense for the rhythm of the day, of seeing different people, doing things that aren't direct therapy, interacting with colleagues, writing up notes and reports, going to supervision, etc.

I've struggled with employment and been unemployed for several long stretches in my life, and I always found myself wondering what everyone's job was like. What is it like to be a banker? A baker? An ultrasound tech? That guy who drives around and services irrigation systems? What, if any, innate qualities does it take to be good at any one of them? Could I do them?

I think these are natural questions to ask, and need not necessarily have some deep relationship to every oddity nestled in the corners of our psyche.

Sep 15, 2016 at 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itisnt

Sorry to disagree but I don't think any well-trained, self-actualized T would actually describe him/herself as without "wounds". The whole nature of being human is to deal with issues and hurts that effect us and impact us on a very personal level. Woundedness is not something that just clients experience. Yes, hopefully, a T would know what his/her wounds are and be able to recognize when those personal things were impacting the clients therapy . . . . although after reading what's on this forum and other "therapy" forums, I'm not so sure there are many of those Ts out there!

Therapy in my opinion isn't about wounds being all healed up and gone, never to be heard from again. It's more about becoming aware of your wounds, recognizing when they are impinging on your life and learning ways to lessen their impact.

If a therapist after training still felt as people describe here. Than they've not finished training.

amandalouise · Sep 15, 2016 at 10:21 AM

whats the hardest part ? Ummm lets see, I think for me the hardest part is leaving work at work. on a stressful day I tend to mull over / re think and bring my work home with me in my mind. Sometimes my work can overflow into areas that it shouldnt. (which is one of the reasons I have chosen to use this sites moderation. I really appreciate the time and energy that the moderators take with my posts and highly value their feedback, especially when I dont notice my posts are becoming too clinical this or that day.)

with my own therapist the hardest thing for her is not knowing how to help someone and terminating with them. sometimes she gets a client who she's not sure how to help because they are pushing all options away. at some point it turns into either the client has started letting her in or its time to terminate because nothing is getting done, nothing is progressing and nothing she can do to help. you cant force someone to accept your help all you can do is offer the help and see if they take you up on it.

atisketatasket · Sep 15, 2016 at 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Mouse

At what point in their journey to be a therapist is This 'self knowledge' coming from?

I mean if your were a therapist, hopefully these wounds wouldn't exist? It's a fantasy question. Where are the answers coming from?

How is it a fantasy question? Most of us don't actually WANT to be therapists, and here we're giving some reasons why we might not be suited for the job. And I don't see why the options in the poll indicate wounds - or why therapists should have healed all theirs before taking up therapy.

Any intelligent adult with some self-awareness can ask themselves "would I be good at x, and what problems would x pose for me?" And find an answer without indulging in a fantasy.

I knew even before I went to graduate school that teaching would pose problems for me in terms of relating to students. In the early years of my career, this proved correct.

atisketatasket · Sep 15, 2016 at 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Mouse

If a therapist after training still felt as people describe here. Than they've not finished training.

Um, no. I still get nervous in front of a classroom. It is in the dealing with that that I continue my training.

Training is not just a degree or a course of study completed. That's part of it, but training is also learning on the job from mistakes and developing skills and addressing one's weaknesses.

No therapist is perfectly formed after training like Athena sprung from Zeus's head.

stopdog · Sep 15, 2016 at 12:31 PM

In my jurisdiction - those guys are required to keep up with continuing education to keep their license. So if nothing else, they have to pay for the course and show up - they don't have to pay attention.

AncientMelody · Sep 15, 2016 at 02:43 PM

I picked "Dealing with insurance companies"

In my job I do all of the above in the poll and that is the most challenging of the poll responses to me. Although "out of session emergency" may apply to. This only comes up a couple times a year in my work and it probably comes up a lot more with therapy. I have young kids, and they deserve my attention when I'm away from the office. So yeah, give me the annoying insurance companies, at least that would only be mine to deal with and keep my off-time for my children free.

magicalprince · Sep 15, 2016 at 03:04 PM

Definitely insurance companies. I can barely even handle that as the client. So frustrating.

BudFox · Sep 15, 2016 at 03:13 PM

The hardest part, assuming I had been in practice for at least several years, would be continuing at all, given that I'd likely have seen how disruptive therapy has been for a significant number of my clients…. if you get my drift.

Mike_J · Sep 15, 2016 at 03:23 PM

For me the big issue would be taking my client's problems on as my own.

Chummy2 · Sep 15, 2016 at 04:25 PM

Pobably caring too much about some clients. And probably having ''favorites''.
I can't understand how T's can stay so calm/grounded/distanced. Especially if you have been seeing that client for years. I would have clients who I like more than other and I would care a bit more about some clients. If a client would be in a really bad state, I would offer that client a hug or offer a check-in during the week. I would keep boundaries, but one email during the week, a vacation or a long leave would not be unprofessional.

itisnt · Sep 15, 2016 at 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Mouse

If a therapist after training still felt as people describe here. Than they've not finished training.

Ahhhhhh, perhaps that's where we view this whole thing differently! Personally, I don't think someone could function as a skilled therapist if she believed that once she "finished" her "training" that she's be an effective and all-knowing therapist without wounds or issues that might get in the way of her work. I think learning and gaining of knowledge and skill in all professions is an on-going and lifelong chore. I think most Ts would honestly say that they still make mistakes and "screw up". . . . at least I believe that the really good ones are willing to admit to and recognize that they aren't Gods. It's the arrogant and ignorant ones who state that they have never made a mistake and it's the client's fault if things go bad. But then, I don't tend to put Ts on pedestals. . . even if she pops out of the head of Zeus!

Pennster · Sep 15, 2016 at 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itisnt

Ahhhhhh, perhaps that's where we view this whole thing differently! Personally, I don't think someone could function as a skilled therapist if she believed that once she "finished" her "training" that she's be an effective and all-knowing therapist without wounds or issues that might get in the way of her work. I think learning and gaining of knowledge and skill in all professions is an on-going and lifelong chore. I think most Ts would honestly say that they still make mistakes and "screw up". . . . at least I believe that the really good ones are willing to admit to and recognize that they aren't Gods. It's the arrogant and ignorant ones who state that they have never made a mistake and it's the client's fault if things go bad. But then, I don't tend to put Ts on pedestals. . . even if she pops out of the head of Zeus!

I really agree with this. My therapist has been practicing for something like 20 years and he's open about his deeply flawed humanity. He's a great therapist, and he's excellent at keeping his crap out of the room, but he makes it really, really clear that he's well aware that he's got the same types of problems that bedevil all of us ordinary humans.

Bipolar Warrior · Sep 16, 2016 at 12:02 AM

I think my main issue would be setting boundaries. I am terrible with them in my personal life, and I don't think I'd be any better as a therapist once I got emotionally invested in my clients' lives. I would want to be there for them 24/7, and would end up terribly burned out, which would be no good for anyone.

Sep 16, 2016 at 12:04 AM

Everyone says that squeezing your just compensation out of Medicare is a nightmare of paperwork and bureaucracy.

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itisnt Member Member Since Jul 2016 Location: United States Posts: 120 8 2 hugs given	Sep 15, 2016 at 09:48 AM #25 I didn't vote in the poll because I can't ever even pretend that I'd ever be a therapist! Definitely not my kind of job. But I love reading the other responses.
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magicalprince Veteran Member Member Since Dec 2014 Location: US Posts: 639 9 106 hugs given	Sep 15, 2016 at 03:04 PM #33 Definitely insurance companies. I can barely even handle that as the client. So frustrating.
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BudFox Grand Magnate Member Since Feb 2015 Location: US Posts: 3,983 9 752 hugs given	Sep 15, 2016 at 03:13 PM #34 The hardest part, assuming I had been in practice for at least several years, would be continuing at all, given that I'd likely have seen how disruptive therapy has been for a significant number of my clients…. if you get my drift.
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Mike_J Infamous Vampire Duck Community Liaison Member Since Dec 2009 Location: Mid West Posts: 12,742 (SuperPoster!) 14 961 hugs given	Sep 15, 2016 at 03:23 PM #35 For me the big issue would be taking my client's problems on as my own. __________________ “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do.” Gandhi
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Anonymous37971 Guest Posts: n/a	Sep 16, 2016 at 12:04 AM #40 Everyone says that squeezing your just compensation out of Medicare is a nightmare of paperwork and bureaucracy.
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