4 reasons why psychologists really need a psychologist

in the first season ofin medicine Psychoanalyst Philippe Dayan, consumed by his marital problems and his guilt as a son, wishes to have one of his patients. It is by agreeing – not without difficulty – to take a look at his history that he will manage to practice his profession again. Does imagination match reality? “Studies have shown that stigma prevents therapists from resorting to psychotherapy for fear of possible “professional repercussions,” laments Mariana Plata, psychologist and columnist for the site. vice presidentHer recent doctoral dissertation from Antioch University in Seattle, she writes, aimed to identify the prevalence, barriers, and interventions for distress among psychologists.

According to the analysis, 81 percent of the psychopaths studied had diagnosable psychiatric disorders (a large percentage were mild): mood disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, depression, anxiety and other personality disorders. »Fortunately, there is more consensus among French psychologists about the process of going to counselling, whatever their point of view.

1. Providing quality support

Jerome Palazzolo, psychotherapist, psychiatrist and author my cbt bible (Leduc, 2021), is convinced: “You can be a good professional in cognitive and behavioral therapy without therapy. For my part, I never felt the need to seek counseling because I found my balance elsewhere. However, I sometimes encounter coworkers who are in difficulty. When we feel bad, we must ask for help, if only to continue providing quality care to the patient. »If working on oneself is not a prerequisite in the training of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, individual or group supervision is always mandatory. Led by an experienced practitioner, it helps the practitioner to better articulate clinical and theory and reflect on “good posture”, in the practice of his or her profession.

In psychoanalysis or Gestalt therapy, the framework is strict: individual therapy, like supervision, is considered essential. The psychotherapist explains, “In CBT, the therapist has scientifically validated tools – which are used in sessions and are intended to make the patient more autonomous – so that he can process what he feels or what comes to his mind. The third one used is not the same as psychoanalysis.

2. Keeping their feelings away

All people who choose this profession are distinguished by their great sensitivity and empathy, as well as by the powerful desire to save others, which is often rooted in their experiences. This is hard to avoid, especially at the beginning of your practice. “In the first years, I wanted to do absolutely the best, not make mistakes, establish my validity,” testifies psychoanalyst and writer Sophie Cadlen. sofa adventure (Philip Ray, 2024). Just as a writer dreams of becoming a writer, most psychologists imagine the moment when they will feel completely confident about themselves. I had not yet received this assurance peacefully. Welcoming a patient is a difficult responsibility. Freeing yourself from the need to be validated – not to mention loved – can be learned. ,

Claudia Gaulle, Gestalt therapist, trainer and supervisor at the Parisian Gestalt School (EPG), confirms: “In the first years, the “young” therapist is not always able to select his clients, to realize that some are very painful. He may soon find himself shaken by narcissism, even questioning his vocation. »

3. Disorganizing relationships with your patients

Even though we know we are more emotionally stable and better “equipped”, working on people is never an easy task! Sophie Cadlen reports, “The analyst comes to explore our inconsistencies and the corners of our experience.” Sometimes aggressive transfers also occur. Having a place where we can keep our weapons is very helpful. As she points out, practice can also be greatly enriched sofa adventure : “With the death of my mother, I discovered the tangible, overwhelming “never again.” I had to go back to my psychoanalyst to recognize this “disaster.” I had initially gone there for the suffering of love. , without the impact of loss, it was decisive and liberating. I began to listen to grieving patients better. »

When the psychologist works from his own subjectivity, as in Gestalt therapy, the approach appears clearer. “Our instrument is ourselves,” explains Claudia Gall. The Gestalt therapist does not hesitate to express what he thinks about his client, about the relational dynamics that have developed between them. He may also reveal his emotions (fatigue, nervousness) if he feels it is useful to enlighten him. We don’t hesitate to “wet the shirt”! Even after thirty years in the profession, I am not immune to a personal incident that can upset me so much that it can reduce my availability. » For Gestalt therapist Maryse Laurenceau it is almost a duty to disentangle the therapeutic relationship: “I may have had seventeen years of analysis, I have to continue to strengthen my defenses so that the client is not at risk of your “abyss”. Being close can reactivate suppressed emotions, old problems that I thought were resolved but which present themselves in an unknown light Sophie Cadlen further. He believes, “Allowing yourself to choose the thread of your analysis is a question of consistency.”

4. Giving up the feeling of omnipotence

For the therapist, “psychoanalysis strongly defends the possibility of a space where everything can be said, without criticism or withholding, which is ultimately rare in life. Like the patient, the analyst also needs this possibility. Maryse Laurenceau agrees: “I have an appointment with my therapist once a month and I. Now I am also amazed and impressed by the impact of her words, her gestures, the time it takes to dissect an expression on my face or the painful physical sensation it causes.” Its intervention. It is a door to the heart and A source of inspiration for my practice.

Listening to these practitioners, we realize the “real” reason for their business: They all derive immense pleasure from being pushed, challenged, surprised, even overwhelmed… “People who want to be reassured that Work is perhaps most abused, Sophie Cadlen believes. Analysis is an adventure for two, the outcome of which is progress and failures. or on trying to explain life Should not be based, otherwise the patient’s progress will stop. » Doubts, accept personal inquiries? This is the work of a lifetime!