Posted by alexandra_k on August 8, 2009, at 7:54:51
In reply to Re: 'very' concerned about professionalism, posted by pegasus on August 7, 2009, at 11:41:07
i guess i'm fairly relaxed about clothes. i've seen therapists / p-docs in board shorts and t-shirts (especially on weekends or during the summer) and that is fine by me. for me... professionalism isn't really about clothes. it is more about attitude and professional competence. i guess i don't find clothes to be a terribly reliable indicator and my experience is that typically the more 'professionally' dressed they are the more arrogant and unreceptive they are, too.
i think part of it is culture. in a place where air con isn't really standard and it gets pretty hot more casual dress is accepted as appropriately professional. that being said i surely couldn't take a therapist seriously if they were wearing stubbies or a short skirt or something like that lol. or maybe... it would be harder for me to take them seriously because of that.
i know some therapists do 'quirky' things in an attempt to try and 'level the field' and help 'create rapport'. therapist and client drinking coffee in session or having a cigarette or something like that. i used to have a therapist who did that. it was okay... i guess i had worries about his professionalism but they weren't so related to that... drug and alchohol counselors in particular tend (in my experience) to be more relaxed like that.
i don't know. maybe it comes down to personal preference. i guess i wonder 'what is important to me - and why?'
poster:alexandra_k
thread:910712
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20090730/msgs/910889.html