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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by pinkeye on July 26, 2005, at 17:13:44
Imagine being a therapist -
1. You spend 8 hours a day listening to people's stories..
2. And all those stories about suffering.
3. You spend all the time consoling and comforting.
4. You don't get to socialize with the people you spend time with during work hours like anybody else does with their colleagues.
5. You can't talk about yourselft at all.. can't complain/vent/joke - nothing!!
6. You cannot be yoruself at all!! All the time have to be guarded and watch your each word
7. You have to respond to artificial projection on you all the time - people think of you as everything from a jerk to God and you have to respond to each one appropriately
8. Worst - you cannot have a relationship after therapy is over. You have to move on, and help the patient move on also !!!.
9. You get to be sued if you do anything wrong.
10. People complain about you after all the effort that you put in helping and sacrifices you make (like me !!!)What life is that for you if you were a therapist??
I would never want to be a T. Not in my life time.
For people like GG and Emily who are training to be Ts - I really admire your sacrifice. And I salute my ex T and my current T. The sacrifice these guys have made is enormous !!!
Posted by Dinah on July 26, 2005, at 18:27:59
In reply to Being a therapist must be very unsatisfactory.., posted by pinkeye on July 26, 2005, at 17:13:44
Yeah...
But there are a lot of rewards as well.
Posted by sleepygirl on July 26, 2005, at 22:42:31
In reply to Re: Being a therapist must be very unsatisfactory. » pinkeye, posted by Dinah on July 26, 2005, at 18:27:59
therapists just HAVE TO take good care about themselves. There's a certain sacred kind of respect happening with the whole blank slate, it's all about you thing. There is a great appreciation for the human struggle and all being human involves (despite what we'd like). You gotta love people trying to do the best for themselves despite it all. Life IS struggle, without a doubt, but it can be SO good.
Posted by messadivoce on July 27, 2005, at 0:48:27
In reply to Being a therapist must be very unsatisfactory.., posted by pinkeye on July 26, 2005, at 17:13:44
<3. You spend all the time consoling and comforting.>
I think those who feel drawn to the profession are those who get their energy from helping others.
<6. You cannot be yoruself at all!!>
I disagree. Both my Ts were authentically themselves. In the case of my male T, having an authentic, caring man in the room with me was part of the healing process. One cannot fake caring on that deep of a level for that long. He had flaws. But he cared deeply.
But yeah, it's a tough profession. You couldn't pay me enough to do it.
Posted by Dinah on July 27, 2005, at 6:58:05
In reply to Re: Being a therapist must be very unsatisfactory.. » pinkeye, posted by messadivoce on July 27, 2005, at 0:48:27
I agree. It is a tough profession. And there are parts of it I would hate. (People there against their will, insurance companies, people quit pretty often so there is continual rejection of a sort.)
But I think I'd like the sort of therapy my therapist does with me, if I could do *just* that. Sure, I blow up at him occasionally, and can be quite unreasonable. But he also knows he helps me, and that could really be rewarding. And while we talk about the way we both fought to relationship, and it's true, I took the risks for the most part. He fought in other ways, but I still think I took all the risks. When I did, he was generally there and ready to reward them by deepening the relationship. But he was safe behind his therapist hat, with no need to make those scary disclosures of any sort at all.
Posted by Dinah on July 27, 2005, at 6:59:16
In reply to Re: Being a therapist must be very unsatisfactory. » messadivoce, posted by Dinah on July 27, 2005, at 6:58:05
I guess that's not entirely true. He had to get over a lot of his own issues (and still has to from time to time) to be the therapist he's become with me.
Although...
Isn't that another benefit?
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on July 27, 2005, at 15:49:08
In reply to Being a therapist must be very unsatisfactory.., posted by pinkeye on July 26, 2005, at 17:13:44
There are really hard things about it, some of which you mentioned. T's get burned out if they don't take care of themselves.
But, I think the reason that a lot of T's (self included) enjoy their work b/c people can and do heal. Sometimes it takes a very long time and it seems like things will never get better (I've felt that one on both sides of the couch)! But, to be with someone on the journey from despair to a meaningful life is something so uniquely amazing.
And there are some truly lovely clients out there. People who you enjoy getting to know even though they are at a dark time in their life. In fact, something tells me a lot of the T's who work with some of you folks (p-babblers) would say that they think you are really great too. I know that I would! :)
Best,
EE
Posted by pinkeye on July 27, 2005, at 15:55:46
In reply to Re: Being a therapist must be very unsatisfactory.., posted by Emily Elizabeth on July 27, 2005, at 15:49:08
> But, I think the reason that a lot of T's (self included) enjoy their work b/c people can and do heal. Sometimes it takes a very long time and it seems like things will never get better (I've felt that one on both sides of the couch)! But, to be with someone on the journey from despair to a meaningful life is something so uniquely amazing.
>
> And there are some truly lovely clients out there. People who you enjoy getting to know even though they are at a dark time in their life. In fact, something tells me a lot of the T's who work with some of you folks (p-babblers) would say that they think you are really great too. I know that I would! :)
>
> Best,
> EE
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on July 27, 2005, at 20:36:31
In reply to And something tells me you would be a great T :-) » Emily Elizabeth, posted by pinkeye on July 27, 2005, at 15:55:46
This is the end of the thread.
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