Many therapists / psychologists have issues?

[user87382294757]

I mean, unresolved issues? The ones I have met all seem to. One we know has a real problem with hoarding animals for example.

Should they not have sorted their own issues, through therapy for example before being there to help others?

Have others experiences this also or is it just me?

Everyone has issues. As long as they don’t impact your job, it shouldn’t be a problem. Psychologists train for years, need a prac.doctorate to practice so will presumably have worked through their own shit so they can practice safely and objectively.
Dunno about counsellors or psychotherapists training. Think you can call yourself a counsellor without any training.

I understand your frustration- when I had bulimia I got sent to a eating disorder psychiatrist that was morbidly obese. It was not helpful! YANBU

@ChiefHopper no you need to be accredited in some way to be a counsellor.it can be a diploma or degree and it usually takes 3-5 years. And as stated above you need to go through counseling yourself first also.

Many join the profession to figure out how to hide their own mental illness

Do you actually have any facts to back up this sweeping (and extremely inflammatory) generalisation?

Not only is this offensive, it makes no sense. If you had a mental illness that you were desperate to conceal, why on earth would you go into a profession where you're guaranteed to come into frequent contact with people who are trained to identify signs and symptoms of mental illness in others??

I understand your frustration- when I had bulimia I got sent to a eating disorder psychiatrist that was morbidly obese. It was not helpful! YANBU

You can be fat and still capable of treating eating disorders.

@Youngandfree, ah right thanks for that. That sounds more sensible. I think I was getting confused with the protected terms thing. Clinical and Counselling psych is a protected term and for some daft reason the term Counsellor isn’t. Is that still true?
If so it’s terribly unfair on all those who trained properly to be a good counsellor.

My mother became an accredited counsellor. She's crackers.

She specialises in eating disorders. She herself thinks a bit of boiled cabbage is a hearty dinner.

'Supervision' is them all validating each other in their psycho-dynamic bubble.

They're bloody dangerous.

Who doesn’t have unresolved issues

It’s being trained to understand how to manage your own when they come up and at times it’s conned totally out of the blue

That’s why it’s essential to have regular supervision to talk these issues over

Actually @MinisterforCheekyFuckery makes a damn good point. If you were desperate to conceal a mental illness then why the feck would you work with those trained to spot them?

I understand your frustration- when I had bulimia I got sent to a eating disorder psychiatrist that was morbidly obese. It was not helpful! YANBU

She is treating you and the BEHAVIOURS associated with your condition, most eating disorders are based on the same behaviours and feelings. Her size or previous disorder should have no bearing. You can be obese and bulimic too you do know that @Herbalteahippie??

Along the same lines is addiction, an alcoholic can be treated by a counsellor who once had a drug addiction. Its the same behaviours .

Supervision' is them all validating each other in their psycho-dynamic bubble

Mmm no that is not what happens it’s essential part of the work Be it general counselling or clinical psychologists

But would agree the standard of training should be higher and different to how it is now

My mum’s best friend is a retired child psychologist who now lectures part time at Oxbridge (don’t want to say which!) and is honestly one of the most well adjusted, lovely people I know. She - and her husband, their marriage is amazing - is my idol.

I also work with a lot of Occ Psychs and Sports Psychs and haven’t had the same experience as you at all.

I do know a therapist that seems a bit unhinged though.

I totally agree with this, I have a few examples, but they may be potentially outing, so wont give them, but the ones I do know actually scare me, they are really creepy.

@HundredMilesAnHour You never know what has gone on behind closed doors, even though the parents might seem like nice people it doesn't mean they have treated her well.

The idea she has faked abuse claims to fit in is absurd.

My psychologist is amazing I truly do not think she is anything but genuine likewise my DBT therapists and care coordinator

Many join the profession to figure out how to hide their own mental illness. Lots are crap or plain greedy or with their own agenda. Good ones are like gold dust. You should do serious homework before allowing them inside your head... which isn't always poss. YANBU.

What? That’s a sweeping and offensive generalisation.

I work in the field...

Psychologists are regulated and clinical psychologists have worked within the NHS on rotation during training- much like junior doctors. So they’ve seen a variety of patients in varying degrees of mental distress. Clinical psychologists are not required to have personal therapy but getting onto training programmes is very hard- they are put through their paces- with interviewers asking both research/clinical questions and personal questions. This often sifts out the ones with unresolved issues that might end up affecting their practice.

Counselling psychologists are now also regulated and are required to fund their own training (more likely to be in charity settings than in the NHS). They’re also required have personal therapy and to fund this themselves for the duration of training.

Therapists/counsellors are not regulated in the same way and whilst they may have as many issues as psychologists, they have presumably gone into the profession for a reason- to support others. I’d rather see a therapist who had experienced difficulties than one who had no life experience and had breezed through life.

I would say go with your instinct when you first meet a therapist. They shouldn’t be offended if you decide not to return as you don’t feel they’re the right fit for you. And if they do get offended...well then they got issues 😉

I trained and qualified as a psychotherapist, although work in a different field now. Everyone who did the training was obliged to explore their own issues, it was extremely rigorous and about half the class didn't graduate.

Having said that I would say that about a quarter of the many therapists I am acquainted with, had serious blind spots and some were manipulative without even seeming to be aware of it. Those were the ones who felt a bit superior to those who haven't had therapeutic training, and yes, in my opinion, they are a danger to vulnerable people.

But there are plenty of good ones too!

I'm one....

I'm aware of my issues and I've felt with them,

yes many others I know should not be in the profession but couldn't we say that about any profession?

Please note the job is hard work! We hold people when they are at their worse points in life and we keep their secrets and regrets, worse of all we can't tell anyone why we had a bad day!

I think some people become counsellors because they've been in therapy themselves and have become attracted to the job.
I once met a woman who was a counsellor, and shortly afterwards dressed up in a Scream mask and stabbed someone to death.

Someone upthread said counsellors have to be accredited. Sadly, in the U.K. that isn’t true. Counselling is not an occupation regulated by law. Anyone can call themselves a counsellor and set up practice with absolutely no training or qualifications. However most properly trained and qualified counsellors will belong to a regulatory body and adhere to that body’s professional and ethical standards.

Just to complicate things further, within the industry there is some unhappiness about how the professional bodies run things and so some very experienced and highly qualified practitioners have opted out of membership and choose to self regulate instead.

@namechangeninjaevervigilant it was name but I am based in Ireland so maybe that’s why

"Therapists have to be aware of as many of their own issues as they can, and they will also be in supervision."

"All therapists and counselors have to see a therapist and counselor of equal or higher standing to them. They also have to have had a certain amount of sessions before they qualify so I’m sure she will be dealing with her issues!"

"Also, you cannot qualify as a counsellor or similar without having extensive therapy yourself"

Given the very poor regulation of the industry - at least in the uk - which you seem to be part of? Then this is absolutely NOT a given!

If indeed the posters quoted ARE mh professionals themselves I find it quite shocking they don't know this!!!

Recent thread on here of a therapist entering into a sexual/romantic relationship with a client who was seeing them because of csa and poor relationship boundaries!

"Good ones are like gold dust." Yep!

"You should do serious homework before allowing them inside your head... which isn't always poss." Recent revelations about my own treatment have led me to believe that even the Nhs don't do their homework before letting less than suitable people loose on an unsuspecting and VULNERABLE section of the public!

"no you need to be accredited in some way to be a counsellor" please DO link to the the law that regulates this?

I've had cpns, psychologists and other supposedly well trained mh professionals say things to me like:

"Mental illness is really just a character flaw"

"Most mentally ill just want to be mollycoddled and not have to deal with adult responsibilities"

"Mentally ill people shouldn't be parents, if it were up to me I'd remove the children from all those who are ill enough to need medical support"

"You're just not trying hard enough, it's a matter of will. I think you WANT to stay ill so everyone keeps fussing round you, you like the attention" - weeks after a horrific breakdown!

"I don't believe ocd is a real condition"

"Anti depressants don't really work anyway, it's only placebo effect"

"You're lucky I'm not your cpn. If I were there I'd have dragged you to the toilet and forced your hand down it"

Need I go on?

I'm having major problems accessing the support I need. I have considered going private (I have relatives who would be kind enough to help if needed) but the difficulty I'm having is how to assess if a person is actually any good! Yes I understand there's an element of personalities "clicking" and working well together but I have also recently discovered that the treatment I was given in the past was poorly implemented - and that was supposedly qualified clinical psychologists - 3 of them!

So how are patients supposed to assess this - genuine question to hcp professionals. With particular reference to cbt and ocd.

Psychologists and cbt therapists don't need personal therapy anymore, which is a real shame. I work in the field and a lot of my colleagues are "rescuers", we all have issues in life and being human it just depends how much these impact on your job.
50% of therapists reported having depression in a recent NHS england study.

Clinical psychology and counselling (as a paid, employed counsellor for an organisation not a set up by yourself type) are incredibley hard competitive jobs and oppurtunities to train and then find jobs are like gold dust. You have to be really well accomplished and ongoing supervision is a must. Lots of people think they would like to be a counsellor and set off on courses but to actually undertake training and and find an employer is bloody hard (not least paying for supervision along the way). Lots of charities may use volunteer counsellors but most I have known have had rigorous standards and for those volunteering they hope eventually to get a paid job. When I worked for an addiction charity we had an amazing counsellor but her funding was cut because addiction therapists were expected to use CBT as a quicker and cheaper alternative. With over 15 years of experience she applied for a university post, there were over 300 applicants.

Yes people may be attracted to a career working with people in distress because of their own experiences. This does not mean they are bad at their job, often they have more insight and empathy. I have yet to come across a counsellor or clinical psychologist who has been anything but professional whilst in work. However all have been employed by a professional organisation.