FAQ What is it like to be a therapist?

Questions about what it is like to be a therapist?

Member: I was concerned about the confidentiality of the posts shared between client and therapist. Are we truly free to honestly share and express ourselves or are our chats flagged and read? I feel scared by this and it really bothers me. Any clarification is very appreciated.

HannahCaradonnnaMSW The posts with your therapist aren't able to be seen by anyone in your chats. There isn't that same flagging function in the chats with therapists.

Sometimes being scared is more of an emotional fear - fear of opening up and trusting so maybe start by talking to your therapist about that part.

Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: What inspired you to become a therapist?

JenniferDolphinLPC From a young age, peers tended to come to me to help them solve problems (mainly with other peers) or to vent about their troubles. So, once I found out that I could have a career of just listening to people, I was hooked! Though, back then. . . I had a very rudimentary idea of what being a therapist actually was. When I was older, I was inspired by the quote "It is far easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken men." Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile

Member: What is the most rewardable thing about being a therapist and how do you apply that to your career to keep yourself motivated?

HannahCaradonnnaMSW The most rewarding thing is seeing people grow! But I also am just so awed by the bravery of showing up for the session and pouring their hearts out. I feel very privileged to bear witness to struggle and growth. And occasionally I swear you can almost see that lightbulb ding in someone's face. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: When and how did you discover your passion and interest in psychology?

LisaDeRegtMBPsS I found my passion several times through studying things that were wrong for me... teaching and nursing! So each time I'd have to do psychology as part of my course I'd get so intrigued. I'd say my nature has been very nurturing since a young child but it was only when I had a brain injury that I realised my passion for psychology was so so strong. It was very serious and I was telling paramedics there is no way I am getting in the ambulance as I have a psychology exam!! So I've loved psychology for a VERY long time and I have loved it eversince the day I found my passion growing. :) I love people and I find life very interesting so that probably plays into it! Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: If someone wants to become a therapist, what can they do before college?

HannahCaradonnnaMSW Excellent! We need more therapists. You can find a volunteer job in the helping fields. I volunteered with the Seattle police department helping victims of domestic violence and I worked at the midwifery school just organizing the library but learned a lot about their profession of helping. There are loads of charities and programs always looking for helpers. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: What was the most important thing that led you to be a therapist?

DominecaaWhiteLPC I have been in practice since 2006. I knew I wanted to be in the helping professions when I was six years old. Many of my aunts and uncles fostered children so I became familiar with the behavioral health system. I saw a lot of things going wrong and knew then I wanted to help. I began my career working for child protective services- and eventually completed my degrees and became a therapist. My specialty is 0-5 trauma but I have extensive experience beyond that. I love what I do and I'm glad I decided to pursue it. I have also been the recipient of therapy and find it adds so much to my life by giving me a great outlet and safe space to explore my emotions. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: What's the hardest part about your job, and what's the best?

HannahCaradonnnaMSW Hardest part is that some days are emotionally draining. And if you have anything difficult going on in your personal life and then have a day with even just one tough client, you can feel pretty spent. Self-care is a really important part of being a therapist. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: I was curious as to when you decided to become a therapist, and why.

AndreaTuckLCPC I've known I've wanted to be a therapist since I was about 16 years old. I had a lot of friends who were going thru a lot and they leaned on me for support. I wasn't the typical friend that gave horrible advice, though I was a teen, so take that with a grain of salt, but I genuinely wanted them to be great. It was then that I realized that teens need more support and not less from our parents and other adults that were letting us "spread our wings" and grow on our own. So I decided then that teens were gonna be the age group that I focused on. I work with everyone these days but teens are my favorite and most loved group of them all to this day. I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Want more personalized guidance? check out my profile.

Member: What inspired you to be a therapist?

TanyiaHughesAdvDipPsy I've always wanted to be a therapist and probably for the same reasons....having a difficult home life as a child. Though when I left school I didn't feel confident enough to pursue it. It wasn't until I had my second child 7 years ago that I decided that I wanted to take charge of my life and inspire my children to go for their dreams. So in my mid 30's I went back to school. It's the best decision I've ever made.... 😊

Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile

Member: Do you go to a therapist?

HannahCaradonnnaMSW I have gone to therapists but not currently. It's either strongly recommended or required depending on the program you are in to do your own work. And, the training process is such that it becomes necessary to explore your own dark corners in order to do the work. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: What makes for a good therapist?

SarahGeorgeDCS That's a great question! I've myself experienced benefits of counselling and therapy when I had a tough phase in my teen years handling the ups and downs that came my way. Being on the other side of the table did give a lot of perspectve in retrospect in terms of how empowering therapy can be. On the other side, I've known many who hold back from seeking help due to the stigma that surrounds mental health in general. Probably the stigma is a little stronger where I come from and that's kind of inspired me to really dive into this field years later and keep doing my bit in the hope of making a difference. I have always been a people's person, and I get a high out of just being there for people when they just need you to be there. I was happy and doing well at my corporate job, but I felt I miss something. I've noticed that people would feel comfortable to open up with me, even before I became a therapist - and at times I used to second guess whether the way I respond would really help them. That also kind of encouraged me to train myself and get into this professionally. I wish you all the best, you seem to have genuine desire to reach out to people and that's really awesome. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: HannahCaradonnnaMSW It's really nice to meet you, Hannah! I wanted to ask - how did you know you wanted to become a therapist?

HannahCaradonnnaMSW Thank you for the question :) Well, I am one of those rare people that decided pretty early on. I went to get my masters straight out of undergrad. I loved the idea of being able to be witness to change and growth. But most people in my master's program were older and were coming after years working in a related field and decided that this fit them better. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: What made you want to be a therapist?

CynthiaStockerLCSWLICSW I became a therapist because I could see a very big need in my local community. So many people were fearful of turning for help because of the stigma attached. I live in an isolated rural community; mostly comprised of ranchers, minors and seasonal migrant workers.

They worried about what others will think fo them. Literally everyone knows everyone. There are few resources here, and many people live below the poverty line as well. I wanted to give back to my community, but also wanted to help my neighbors in way that I felt would have long lasting effects.

Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: What attracted you to the field of therapy?

JenniferPattersonLMFTATRBC I decided to become a therapist when I was looking to go back to school and change careers (I was burned out from working in publishing and advertising). I was a graphic designer with an undergraduate degree in secondary education and while I was doing research for graduate schools and programs I discovered the field of art therapy and went to an info night presentation and it all clicked. I had no idea that you could work as a therapist AND use art and creativity to help with that work. So I figured out what I needed to do for prerequisites, work freelance and retail, and went back to school to get those things done. Along the way, I kept researching programs and found one that was a full clinical psychology combined with an art therapy program, so I basically ended up with a double masters. I moved across the country to go to school (NYC to Seattle) and after a long time there working in community mental health and then private practice, now I live in Portugal, where I work with people who speak English and I also do therapy work online. It's been an awesome process of learning A LOT about myself (therapy for yourself is essential to be able to work with other people) and how I move through the world, and that has helped me learn how to support other people, both professionally and personally. I hope this is helpful!

Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: Hi Hannah, I am new to the written therapy concept here at 7cups. My question is: can you give me some pointers on how best to communicate in this written style with a therapist? I am not the best at expressing myself in written words and I do not have the benefit of using my body language in written form. Creative writing was never a strong subject for me when I was in college. I suffer from complex ptsd and have feelings of emptiness, shame, overwhelm and despair most of my day and it would be great to feel a sense of aliveness and knowing I am really getting somewhere through this new avenue of writing. I am also new to chats as well. I have never really connected using social media before. Thanks for help in advance for anything you can offer. Your help here is very appreciated in helping us lost souls.

HannahCaradonnnaMSW Thanks for your question. Yes, you are absolutely right that we have to communicate everything in writing and don't get the benefit of body language. We have to ask each other lots of questions about the process (the "how are you feeling" type questions) to understand how things are impacting you. If you haven't tried online therapy yet, you will get guidance from the therapist and they prompt you with questions and you just respond. It can also be helpful, if the therapist is willing, to have a IM style conversation to get the ball-rolling. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: When did you first know you wanted to be a therapist?

SmitaJoshiPG I became a therapist because all throughout my teenage years and early childhood I was struggling and dealing alone with my low self esteem and confidence. I never liked the feeling and I was also aware of my problems. Could not get help as seeking therapy was a stigma in my country.Some of my close family memebers were also going through anxiety & depression. I felt helpless for not being able to be their support. This motivated me to get into this profession. It is a great field and everyday you get to explore something new. Now I genuinely feel passionate about my work. I also feel good because I am always connected with people. Wishing you good luck and am sure you will feel inspired everyday by joining this forum. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

Member: My counselor is about to retire. What recommendations do you have for someone who is meeting with a new counselor? (not on 7cups, but in person) How much am I allowed to ask about her, her family?

How do I know if we have a 'good fit' for a counselor/client relationship? How long do I work with someone, weekly, before deciding if I need to try someone different?

Oh, and, what do I do with feelings of abandonment? Technically, she's not abandoning me, she's retiring. But it feels like abandonment

HannahCaradonnnaMSW I'm sorry to hear your therapist is retiring! That is really hard. And trust me, as a therapist, it is hard on us too. I think of old clients and wonder about them all the time so please know that you will be in your therapists heart.

For a new therapist, often the beginning of the work, is about coming to terms with it not being your old therapist :) So, don't aim to replace her. Aim to find someone totally different. Don't spend a lot of time on it. I offer people a 15 minute consultation and usually people have a "feel" right away whether they would feel comfortable working together. Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.