[SarahSweden]

I´m going to meet with a new T this September and when I saw she´s only a psychologist and not a psychotherapist I feel the need to really specify what I need from her.


I would want some advice in how to phrase what I need so I doesn´t end up in a list of general qualifications that most counsellors can add up to.

Some of the things I need from a new T are:


* Being able to understand and work through transference, also erotic transference.

* Being able to understand reactions, as anger towards her, and being able to handle negative emotions towards her.

* Someone who doesn´t only aims for insights but also knows how to connect issues to my life outside therapy and talk about improvement strategies.

* Someone who shows a lot of understanding, empathy and shares about herself as part of the therapeutic work.

I would want this more specified by exemplifying how the therapist is supposed to work with me in the therapy room. It would be great with some therapeutic terms and descriptions that makes it even more clear what I´m looking for.

Grateful for help on this!

[ArtleyWilkins]

In the U.S. a psychologist can be a therapist but they may also do clinical work, research, or testing; the terms aren't distinct from each other. And therapists can be a variety of terms: social workers, licensed professional counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts. I may be wrong, but there isn't a single college degree that has the designation psychotherapist; it's a group of professionals of varying educational and certification and licensing backgrounds that can all call themselves psychotherapists. Is it different in your country?

[ScarletPimpernel]

I agree with Artly. From what I know, Psychologists are Psychotherapists if that's what they're practicing. My last 3 therapists have had their Ph.D. or Psy.D.

Why don't you take your requirements you posted here and read them to your potential T?

[SarahSweden]

This post isn´t about different educations to become a therapist. In Sweden a psychologist hasn´t the same knowledge about psychotherapy as a psychotherapist and there´s a clear difference between the two professional titles.

Originally Posted by ArtleyWilkins

In the U.S. a psychologist can be a therapist but they may also do clinical work, research, or testing; the terms aren't distinct from each other. And therapists can be a variety of terms: social workers, licensed professional counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts. I may be wrong, but there isn't a single college degree that has the designation psychotherapist; it's a group of professionals of varying educational and certification and licensing backgrounds that can all call themselves psychotherapists. Is it different in your country?

[ArtleyWilkins]

Originally Posted by SarahSweden

This post isn´t about different educations to become a therapist. In Sweden a psychologist hasn´t the same knowledge about psychotherapy as a psychotherapist and there´s a clear difference between the two professional titles.

I was only asking a question and clarifying that the American understanding is quite different.

Thank you for clarifying. So, out of curiosity, how is a psychologist different from a psychotherapist, and what ability might a psychologist in your country lack in terms of the ability to do therapy with a client? It would help us know how to answer you if we understood those differences. Otherwise, we're really not sure how to answer your initial question.

[WishfulThinker66]

Psychotherapy is a form of therapy which psychologists may or may not practise. They are not two different things.

I see you are in Europe.... Do you even have a choice of therapist in Sweden? I thought it was public healthcare there.

[divine1966]

I’d focus on what’s your goal in therapy. And I’d tell prospective therapist that you want them to work with you on these goals. What is it you want to accomplish: is your goal to be employed and independent with certain time frame, develop friendships, get physically healthier, be a better decision maker etc I am not saying every therapy should be goal oriented but in your case it might be best to
focus on what you want to accomplish

[divine1966]

Originally Posted by WishfulThinker66

Psychotherapy is a form of therapy which psychologists may or may not practise. They are not two different things.

I see you are in Europe.... Do you even have a choice of therapist in Sweden? I thought it was public healthcare there.

People most certainly have a choice in therapists there but not if they are on government assistance the way Sara is.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by SarahSweden

I´m going to meet with a new T this September and when I saw she´s only a psychologist and not a psychotherapist I feel the need to really specify what I need from her.


I would want some advice in how to phrase what I need so I doesn´t end up in a list of general qualifications that most counsellors can add up to.

Some of the things I need from a new T are:


* Being able to understand and work through transference, also erotic transference.

* Being able to understand reactions, as anger towards her, and being able to handle negative emotions towards her.

* Someone who doesn´t only aims for insights but also knows how to connect issues to my life outside therapy and talk about improvement strategies.

* Someone who shows a lot of understanding, empathy and shares about herself as part of the therapeutic work.

I would want this more specified by exemplifying how the therapist is supposed to work with me in the therapy room. It would be great with some therapeutic terms and descriptions that makes it even more clear what I´m looking for.

Grateful for help on this!

my suggestion is not worry about how to word things and whether or not you are using technical mental health terms....

you see when someone uses the mental technical terms that …………...can...………..lead a treatment provider to think things like-

this patient has mental health background so I don't need to take time to explain things in detail they will know what I mean when I use technical terms that are taught in training and college psych courses.

this patent has an advance vocabulary when they first met me, was able to articulate on a professional level and now they are speaking from a non professional vocabulary I wonder who coached them to say what they were and are now saying. could this be a person who doesn't actually have the problems that they are saying they have, do they really know what I am asking them and if so why are they hesitating to answer, something is fishy here....lets throw in a few things and see what their immediate responses and answers tell me about them and this problem that they are claiming is an abreaction of their personality and their bla bla bla…

my suggestion is to speak in your normal language and wording and all that, that you normally would do every day. the kind of vocabulary and way of talking when you and your best friend get together.

in other words they are going to know when you are being real with them or putting on airs or getting coached by people online.

fi you don't normally say to someone in your real life that you have "erotic transference" and "transference issues" but you do say to someone I fall in love with... such and such and sorry you reminded me of someone from my past. then say it in terms of you tend to fall in love with treatment providers or you tend to feel like your treatment providers should be your lovers of past loves.


in other words treatment providers don't want people talking lie treatment providers, unless you are a treatment provider. (in which case you probably wouldn't be asking us how to word things in treatment provider language )

just be your self and explain your own problems and what you need from a treatment provider in your normal every day way of speaking. that's how therapy is done. when people come to them doing it any other way then their normal they know. just be your self.