Whether you’re young and wondering what career you want, or you’re considering a career switch before it’s too late, becoming a therapist may be a good choice. However, it’s also not for everyone.
If you’re unsure if spending the time becoming a therapist is for you, here are some good reasons to be a therapist, and some reasons not to be.
Good Reasons
1. You Know How to Listen (And Respond)
Being a good listener is one of the most important steps in succeeding as a therapist. If you’re looking at your phone while your patient is talking to you, giving half-nods, you’re not going to go far.
Of course, listening requires more than just being active. You also need to respond to your clients’ words as well. Being a good listener requires you to think and explore all the possible routes.
2. You’ve Had Your Own Struggles, Too
Therapy should not be a way for you to heal from your own pain. If you’re someone who goes into therapy thinking that speaking to others will heal you from depression or anxiety, that’s not going to happen.
However, a therapist is rarely someone who has a clean bill of mental health. The experiences a therapist has may be important in empathizing with others and providing solutions. Helping others through psychotherapy you’ve had just feels so satisfying.
3. You Like Talking to People
A therapist does need to be a people person if they want to succeed.
Being a people person doesn’t mean there are times where you prefer to be alone. However, it does mean that you should be someone who likes hearing out other people’s stories. You are someone who can speak to strangers fairly easily and understand where they are coming from.
4. You Like Helping Others
Simply put, a therapist is someone who likes helping other people with their struggles. A therapist tends to bee altruistic, and when they see others improve, it gives them a nice serotonin boost.
A therapist is not someone who believes they can fix someone. There is no such thing as a fixed person, and treating everyone who comes in your office as a broken human being can be a problem.
Instead, focus on helping others with their problems.
5. You Like Learning
Therapy is all about learning. Not just about other people, but about how the mind and human nature work.
Modern psychology is still a young field, and there is a lot we don’t know about the mind. That’s why becoming a therapist is so exciting. You can learn many different parts of the mind and discover new things. A good therapist always keeps up with the news and sees what the next development over the horizon is.
Bad Reasons
1. You Think Therapy is Just Giving Advice
A friend gives you advice. A therapist gives you detailed solutions on how a client can improve themselves and achieve your goals.
This isn’t to say that advice isn’t a good thing, but it’s something anyone can do. A therapist is someone who uses proven techniques and helps plan goals, not someone who gives you their two cents.
2. You Sacrifice Your Own Mental Health
If you’re a therapist, you should not sacrifice your mental health to help others.
Many believe that they have to be the selfless hero when they sign up to be a therapist, ignoring their own needs.
A therapist needs to be someone to take care of their own mental health as well. In many cases, they need to be someone who has a therapist of their own.
Practicing self-care is not selfish, as you can both take care of your clients and yourself.
3. You Like Gossip
There are some people who want to be therapists due to the idea of being able to hear juicy details about someone.
Especially if you live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. However, becoming a therapist to be nosy is not the way. Instead, you have to remember that clients will spill their guts to you on their own pace, and you must be confidential with your patients. Never tell your clients’ secrets, not even to your dog.
4. You Won’t Adapt
Therapy is a science, and as such, there are new techniques and old techniques being corrected all the time.
A good therapist needs to stay up-to-date on the latest news and therapy techniques. They need to be someone who isn’t afraid to adapt and try new techniques should their old one be outdated.
Adaptation can also come in the form of technology. For example, online therapy is becoming increasingly popular, and you need to be someone who is willing to give it a chance whenever possible.
If you’re someone who doesn’t like change, you’re not ready.
5. You’re Not Ready to Make an Investment
Therapy is an occupation that requires many years of studying and training.
It’s not something that you can just learn in a few months. In order to be a licensed therapist, it takes years and can be costly.
For many people, the journey is worth it. All those nights studying and learning. The time it takes training with superiors and learning how to be the best therapist possible is well-spent.
However, some people come in over their heads, and they want out of it as soon as possible. It’s important for you to look carefully into learning what it takes to become a therapist, and then seeing if it’s worth your time.
More Information
If you are still wanting to become a therapist, and you believe you can, then go at it.
Of course, it can be difficult to figure out where you should start. Luckily, there is information out there for those who are curious how to become a therapist.
For example, this link below can provide you with some more information on the process. Click below for more information:
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/therapy/how-to-become-a-therapist/