Psychologist is a specialist who studies the human psyche and provides him with psychological assistance in different life situations, with various psychological disorders. The psychologist received a higher humanitarian education in the specialty "Psychology". After graduating from a higher educational institution, a psychologist undergoes additional professional retraining in a direction in psychology that interests him, as well as courses for mastering various methods of psychological correction.
Psychology ( psyche - soul) is a science about a person - his consciousness, feelings, desires and behavior, about how what is called the soul works. Psychology is an applied science, which means that it can be considered as an important application to other sciences and disciplines. Psychologists work almost everywhere where people work ( even where technology does the main work, the human factor cannot be excluded).
Psychologists can work in the following institutions:
- educational institutions- schools, kindergartens, higher educational institutions, colleges;
- health care institutions– polyclinics, health centres, hospitals and clinics ( psychiatric, narcological, oncological neurological and others), rehabilitation centers, antenatal clinics, psychological assistance centers and a trust service;
- legal organizations- legal centers, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, correctional institutions, forensic examination and other organizations of a similar type;
- production and other organizations banks, firms HR or management department), civil aviation, a railway depot, a military regiment and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Psychologists may also be in private practice ( work for yourself).
In addition to the psychologist, the following specialists deal with the human psyche:
- psychiatrist is a doctor who deals with diseases of the brain that violate the human psyche ( the cause is a disease, the effect is a mental disorder);
- psychotherapist- a doctor or psychologist specializing in mental disorders ( the cause is the malfunctioning of the psyche, that is, unresolved problems, and the consequence is a disease), and using various methods of psychotherapy for this.
Psychologist, psychotherapist and psychiatrist differ in different approaches to the same mental suffering.
If the question with the psychiatrist is more or less clear ( he is a doctor), then what is the difference between a psychologist-psychotherapist and an ordinary psychologist is not always clear, because they often use the same diagnostic tests and very close "in spirit" treatment methods. The difference is small, but it exists. According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, as well as some other republics of the CIS, only a doctor has the right to be called a psychotherapist, at the same time, in the United States of America, not only doctors, but also psychologists, as well as social workers can engage in psychotherapy after obtaining the appropriate license and practice under supervision. The main difference, however, is the right to prescribe medications, which only psychotherapists have.
A doctor of almost any specialty can become a psychologist, in order to provide patients with qualified psychological assistance in addition to medical care.
Psychiatrists, psychotherapists and psychologists often work together, as, for example, an attending physician, a diagnostician and a consultant physician work together.
What does a psychologist do?
Psychologists are engaged in either pedagogical activities or provide psychological assistance, that is, they identify and help eliminate psychological problems. If the work of a psychologist is limited to consulting, he is usually called a consultant. A psychologist works with everything related to the human psyche, that is, his inner world or soul. The concept of "soul" among the ancient Greeks is described in deciphering the letter "psi" ( ψ
). It was this letter that became the symbol of psychology. It is believed that this trident-shaped letter represents the three parts of the human soul - earthly, heavenly and spiritual. If we reformat this into psychological terms, then we get such concepts as will ( desires, instincts), emotions ( the senses) and reason ( mind, thoughts). The same concept underlies many religions ( Trinity).
The work of the psyche
| "Department" of the psyche | mental processes | mental states |
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| Intelligence | cognitive |
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| The senses | emotional |
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| Will | Regulatory |
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Depending on the activity, the following psychologists are distinguished:
- Psychologist in kindergarten- monitors the development and mental health of children. The psychologist works not only with children, but also with parents and educators.
- School psychologist– carries out psychological diagnostics and correction of students, advises parents and teachers on the state of mental health of children. In addition, there are special classes at the school, conducted by a psychologist.
- Family psychologist- helps to resolve conflict situations between parents and children or a married couple.
- Psychologist-consultant- gives recommendations in various areas where psychology is applicable ( psychologists-lawyers, business psychologists, coaches and so on).
- Psychologist-professional consultant- advises a person at work, determines his psychological portrait, helps to solve the problem of losing interest in his favorite work.
- military psychologist - works in the Ministry of the Interior and in military regiments, is engaged in the protection of the mental health of command and personnel. Particular attention is given to employees who have been in hot spots.
- Trust Service Psychologist- Works in the emergency psychological service.
- sports psychologist- increases the level of motivation of an athlete, psychological endurance, conducts classes among the team, helps to resolve interpersonal conflicts.
- Medical ( clinical) psychologist is a specialist who has received the education of a psychologist ( at a medical or humanitarian university) and studied medical disciplines related to psychology ( psychiatry, neurology, narcology), but is not a doctor. This specialist studies the relationship between the disease and the mental state, consults patients and their attending physicians.
- Rehabilitation psychologist– works with adolescent children who are experiencing difficulties in adapting to society, conducts their training, correction and restoration of impaired functions;
- Psychologist-perinatologist– works in a antenatal clinic and provides psychological assistance to women during pregnancy, childbirth ( Painless Birth Courses), after childbirth, during breastfeeding. In addition, this psychologist works with surrogate mothers, women who want to have an abortion, cannot get pregnant or bear a child, and other problems that are associated with the concept of "mother and child".
- neuropsychologist- studies mental processes from the point of view of the functioning of the brain. Basically, a neuropsychologist works with the cognitive functions of the brain, that is, cognitive processes, especially if they are underdeveloped. She mostly works with children. The neuropsychologist determines the readiness of the child for school, the correspondence of cognitive mental processes ( attention, memory, speech, etc.) age, reveals the reasons that disrupt the process of learning and behavior of the child.
The psychologist is engaged in the study of various objects that relate to a person as a person and his role in society. The main goal of a psychologist is to study human behavior, to find out why a person behaves in a particular situation this way and not otherwise.
The psychologist deals with the following psychological problems:
- personality problems- any discomfort that a person is experiencing ( stress);
- interpersonal problems- violation of harmony and mutual understanding in relations with other people;
- drastic life changes- changing the status of a person in society;
- age crises. periods of a person's life during which the restructuring of the psyche takes place;
- psychosomatic disorders - type of psychological disorders that manifest themselves in the biological ( bodily) level, develop both in adults and in children;
- learning and work problems violation of such mental processes as the focus of attention, perception ( information), thinking, memory.
All these problems are interconnected and go one into another. So, for example, psychotrauma can disrupt harmony in relationships, a violation of harmony in relationships can lead to “personal” stress and disrupt performance. Psychosomatic disorders are one of the manifestations of age-related crises, and age-related crises, in turn, can occur as a result of disharmonic relationships. That is why psychologists differ from each other not only in the “problems” they deal with, but also in the principle of applying psychology to a certain area of life and taking into account age.
Personality problems and "personal" problems
The psychologist considers a person as an individual with his needs ( Who am I?) or as a social object that performs a specific function ( What am I doing?). Personality is a person from the point of view of society ( I am part of society). An individual is a person with his individual psychological characteristics and self-consciousness ( I'm not like others). The individual's problems are "personal" tasks, the overcoming of which leads to personal growth. Personality problems or personal problems are problems of social integration and adaptation ( personal growth).
The personal growth of a person is not always visible to others, as it is associated with the internal struggle of a person. However, personal growth ultimately leads to personal growth—accomplishments that other people can see. That is why these concepts are often combined.
Mental personality traits include:
- orientation- motivation, desires, interests, aspiration, inclinations, worldview, beliefs;
- temperament- congenital type of response of higher nervous activity;
- character- a "collection" of personality traits that determine a person's attitude to himself, to people around him, to the world, to work ( are acquired personality traits, as opposed to temperament);
- capabilities- individual inclinations of a person to a certain type of activity ( makings).
If any character trait is more pronounced than the others ( pointed), then such a state is designated as character accentuation. A personality with an accentuation of character is called accentuated. This condition is not considered a pathology, but is an extreme degree of the norm.
Freud proposed a scientific version of the concept of personality.
According to Freud's concept of personality, there are:
- Id or "It"- the unconscious, which includes instincts and desires that require immediate satisfaction ( no control);
- Ego or "I"- the consciousness of a person or his mind ( reason), while the "I" controls the desires of the "It".
- Super-ego or "super-I"- superconsciousness, which includes spiritual values, religious feelings or conscience, morality, while the "super-I" controls the "I".
Freud believed that psychological conflict arises from the constant struggle of these three components, in other words, when desires and opportunities to satisfy them do not coincide ( permissions).
Communication and relationships
Communication is one of the human needs. On the other hand, communication can become a source of stress and cause mental disorders. A person who knows how to communicate correctly can create relationships. At the same time, the ability to communicate and build relationships is the same skill as other human abilities. The psychologist in this case is like a programmer who adapts two devices to work together - synchronizes, helping people change the settings of their psyche.
"Extreme" stress
Stress strengthens the mind, just like regular exercise strengthens the body. However, if the stress is "excessive", the psyche can "break", which is why the term "psychotrauma" is also used in psychology.
Each person has his own threshold of stress, which he can withstand while maintaining performance. This is called stress tolerance. The level of stress resistance is an individual parameter ( by analogy with physical activity, these are, as it were, different weight categories), that is, one person overcomes this situation “easily” ( it's not stressful for him), and the other cannot “transfer” this. At the same time, psychotrauma occurs to one degree or another in all people who have experienced extreme situations - whether these are more or less common stressful situations for all people that threaten the life and health of the person himself or his loved ones. At the same time, the negative consequences in people who have experienced extreme situations are also different in severity.
Age crises
The age crisis is a period characteristic of each period of life, which is necessary for the transition to a new level of functioning of the psyche. This is a kind of upgrade or improvement of the "computer" system of the psyche. An age crisis, unlike a personal crisis, occurs for everyone. You can either get out of the age crisis “in plus”, that is, with a new skill, or be left with a gap that will immediately or a little later affect a person’s behavior.
In psychology, the following age crises are distinguished:
- Crisis of the first year of life 1 month - 1 year) - the child receives almost all information through feeding ( pleasant emotions while eating), which is why Freud calls this stage oral.
- Three year old crisis 2.5 - 4 years) - the child learns to control his urge to urinate or empty his bowels, therefore this stage is called anal. The main motto of the child during this period is “I myself”, therefore aggression, negativism, stubbornness, and protest often occur.
- Crisis of the age of seven 4 – 6 years) - this period is necessary for the child to realize his belonging to a certain gender ( phallic stage) and for the formation of adequate self-esteem ( balance between initiative and recognition of parental authority).
- crisis of adolescence 12 – 18 years old) - the transition from childhood to adulthood is the most difficult, and therefore is considered the most critical. In humans, the main desires are to get rid of parental care and integrate into the “pack” ( peer group).
- Middle age crisis ( 30 - 32 years old) - reassessment of life, the correctness of the choice made ( crisis of the "meaning of life"). During this period, a person must solve the problems of self-expression, accept himself and realize his professional potential ( What have I achieved so far and what haven't I achieved yet?).
- pre-retirement crisis about 55 years old) - the main interests are health and universal values ( justice). The person begins to wonder what he will do after the transition to retirement.
Psychosomatic disorders
Psychosomatic disorders are physical manifestations of stress, when psychotrauma disrupts the mechanisms of regulation of internal organs and a "failure" occurs. Psychosomatics ( soma - body, psycho - soul) today is one of the sections of clinical ( medical) psychology.
According to psychosomatic psychology, any physical illness arises due to an unresolved mental problem, while for each illness there is a “own” problem ( it is in a sense an "escape to the disease" from problems, often unconscious). There are even special tables of psychosomatic disorders. Many expressions used in everyday life reflect the connection of emotional experiences with the body, for example, “I don’t digest it,” “put it in my pants from fear,” “I feel it with my liver,” and so on.
Problems of learning and performance
To learn and work with information, the brain uses its "higher functions" or cognitive mental processes. These include perception sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch), thinking ( analysis of incoming information) and memory ( saving in the "database" of the brain). All this also requires the ability to keep attention on the object. It is important that the psychologist deals with these problems in people who are clinically ( medically) have no reason to violate these functions.
How is a psychologist appointment?
Seeing a psychologist is different from seeing a doctor. A psychologist never asks the question “what are you complaining about?”. Consultation with a psychologist takes the form of a conversation. If a psychologist practices psychoanalysis, then there is usually a couch or sofa in the office. However, most often the client ( so called a person who turned to a psychologist) and the psychologist sit next to or opposite each other. The interest that the psychologist shows comes in the form of an offer to tell about something in more detail ( do you want to talk about it?). If a person does not want to talk about something, then the psychologist does not force them. At the same time, the psychologist is always willing to listen. A consultation with a psychologist is carried out both in order to identify the cause of the problem, and in order to solve this problem.
A conversation with a psychologist consists of the following steps:
- acquaintance- the stage of establishing emotional contact, the psychologist listens and empathizes;
- clarification of the reason for the appeal- the psychologist finds out what exactly the problem is, how the client sees it;
- clarification of the client's goal– joint preparation of a plan to overcome a stressful situation;
- search for alternatives- a psychologist can offer various methods for solving psychological problems;
- mood for active action active psychological support) - the psychologist gives confident arguments that set the person up to take action to solve the problem.
The psychologist receives information not only from the words of the client, but also non-verbal ( without words) ways.
The psychologist draws attention to the following non-verbal "signals" of the psyche:
- visual contact- contact may temporarily stop if a person speaks on a sensitive topic ( this does not mean that the psychologist must constantly maintain eye contact);
- language of the body- gestures and a change in the posture of the body or its individual parts during a conversation indicate an internal conflict or intentions;
- intonation, rate of speech- indicate the emotional state of the client.
How do psychologists behave at the reception?
| What does a psychologist do? | What does a psychologist not do? |
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What problems do you see a psychologist with?
The problems that a psychologist deals with are called psychological. A psychological problem is an unhealthy psychological state, in other words, it is a discomfort or an unhappy state. The state of happiness or comfort is the natural state of the human psyche. Such a psyche easily overcomes the difficulties that arise and solves the tasks assigned to it.
The psychological health of a person includes:
- positive attitude towards my own friend);
- positive attitude towards the world the world is my friend);
- ability to introspection;
- critical self-assessment ( conscience);
- self acceptance ( lack of self-flagellation);
- responsibility for the decisions made;
- adequate self-esteem self-esteem);
- striving to improve yourself and your skills ( improving the "version" of oneself);
- passage of age-related crises without negative consequences ( education);
- the ability to set goals and achieve them;
- the ability to create and maintain relationships with people;
- ability to adapt to changing external circumstances acquiring new skills);
A mentally healthy person manages all these processes, he learns this throughout his life, overcoming stressful situations.
A common cause of psychological problems is psycho-emotional stress - emotional reactions and thoughts with a negative connotation, which the psyche perceives as a “beware of danger” signal. But stress itself is not synonymous with psychological disorders. In fact, stress is a "friend" of the psyche, since a stress reaction occurs with one single purpose - to respond to an irritant ( stress factor) and adapt ( learn to deal with it).
All stressful situations can be grouped into the following groups:
- problem- a discrepancy between the desired or necessary and what is at the moment ( goals and realities);
- conflict- this is a discrepancy between the interests of two or more people or different components of the human personality ( "it, "I", "super-I");
- a crisis- the transitional period that is necessary to acquire a new skill.
A psychologist helps a person to go through these situations with the greatest benefit for himself, to overcome psychological discomfort - a feeling that a person experiences if his psyche is unwilling or unable to change his habits in order to get what he wants ( goal, harmonious relationships, new skills).
Problems that should be addressed to a psychologist
| Psychological problem | The reasons | What diagnostic methods does the psychologist use? |
| Problems of a personal nature |
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| Lack of self-esteem |
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| Difficulty making a decision |
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| Emotional imbalance, irritability |
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| Apathy (loss of interest in life or its individual areas) |
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| Chronic fatigue |
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| Soul feelings ("losses") |
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| Fears and anxiety states |
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| Dissatisfaction with one's own life |
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| Suicidal tendencies |
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| Addiction (nicotine, alcohol, drugs, computer and gambling, internet addiction) |
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| pathological attachment (excessive emotional attachment to another person) |
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| post-traumatic syndrome |
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| Occupational stress |
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| The phenomenon of professional burnout |
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| Study stress |
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| Interpersonal problems |
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| Disharmonious relationship of a married couple |
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| Conflicts between parents and children |
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| Difficulties with adaptation in the team (school, work) |
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| Loneliness |
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| Problems with members of the opposite sex |
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| Relocation, dismissal, retirement, divorce |
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| Psychological problems in children and adolescents |
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| Aggressiveness |
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| Nail biting habit |
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| Thumb sucking habit (especially over the age of 5) |
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| Autism, Asperger's or autistic personality traits (withdrawal, impaired ability to communicate) |
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| Anxiety |
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| Hyperactivity and attention deficit |
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| Poor learning |
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| Escape from home, vagrancy |
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| Teenage rebellion |
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| Psychosomatic illnesses |
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| Overweight |
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| Lack of appetite |
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| Functional dyspepsia syndrome (stomach pain, nausea, vomiting without objective reasons) |
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| Constipation |
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| emotional diarrhea |
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| Neurodermatitis |
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| High blood pressure, palpitations (without objective reason) |
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| Hyperventilation Syndrome (shortness of breath and panic attack) |
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| sexual disorders (frigidity, premature ejaculation, impotence) |
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| Stuttering in children |
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| Nervous tics in children |
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| Urinary and fecal incontinence in children |
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What kind of research does a psychologist do?
Research conducted by a psychologist is called psychodiagnostic. To diagnose the state of mind, the psychologist uses tests, questionnaires or methods that involve the performance of any tasks. The psychologist identifies with the help of tests either the causes of psychological disorders, or the tendency to these disorders. There are no universal tests, so psychologists use several tests and methods at once. The psychologist does not reveal psychosomatic disorders. Whether the physical symptoms are serious medical conditions or not is up to the doctor to decide. The psychologist reveals the psychological factor triggering the disease.
Tests performed by a psychologist
| Test | What reveals? | How is it carried out? |
| Professional projective tests |
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| Rorschach test |
| The subject is shown 10 abstract pictures that look like ink blots. Some pictures are black and white, while others contain colors. A person must describe what he sees in the pictures - a person, an animal, an inanimate object, something fantastic. Can be used from 12 years old. |
| Luscher color test |
| The Luscher test allows you to diagnose the psychophysiological state of a person at the moment. To do this, the client is shown 8 cards with different colors ( blue, green, red, yellow, purple, grey, brown and black). The subject must arrange the cards in descending order of sympathy for different colors. |
| Thematic Apperception Test |
| A person is alternately shown pictures with different plots. The subject needs to tell what he sees on them, describe the feelings of the people depicted there, his feelings from the picture. The story is recorded on a voice recorder, after processing the results, the recording is erased. Test topics can be different - "profession", "happiness" and so on. |
| Sondi test |
| This projective technique is carried out using a set of 48 standard cards, which depict portraits of people who have had a mental illness. The subject is given cards of 6 series. Each series has 8 cards. In each series, a person must choose the two most liked ( least unpleasant) portraits and the two most unpleasant ones. It is believed that positive or negative choices reflect unsatisfied needs, and the lack of choice reflects satisfied ones. |
| Rosenzweig frustration test |
| During the test, a person is shown 24 cards, which depict two talking people in a frustrating situation ( disappointment, failure). The dialogue is incomplete, since the card only says what one person says to another in a certain situation, the answer of the second must come up with the subject himself. There are children's and adult versions of the cards. |
| Sentence Completion Technique |
| The subject is given a form on which sentences are written that need to be completed. The number of sentences can be from 10 to 60, depending on the age and purpose of the test. You need to write without thinking, the first thing that comes to mind. |
| Projective anxiety test for children |
| The child is shown 14 pictures, which depict a girl or a boy in different situations ( they are doing something), and the facial expression of the main character is not completed. The child is asked whether the expression on the face of the girl or boy in the picture is cheerful or sad. |
| Drawing projective tests |
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| Test "House-tree-man" |
| A person is offered to draw a house, a tree and a person on a piece of paper using colored pencils. |
| Test "Self-portrait" |
| A person is required to draw himself in full growth. |
| Test "Family Drawing" |
| Subject ( most often it is a child) is invited to draw his family. |
| Test "Non-existent animal" |
| A person is offered to draw an animal that does not exist in nature. The test is most often performed in children, but for adults it is no less informative. After the animal is drawn, the subject is asked to give it a name and tell where it lives. |
| Questionnaires |
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| MMPI Questionnaire (Minnesota Multidisciplinary Personality Inventory) |
| The questionnaire contains 566 statements, which are divided into 10 working scales. For each statement, the subject must answer and choose one of the options - “true”, “false”, “I can’t say”. The experimenter enters all answers on the registration form. In addition to the answers, the form notes the time that the person spent on the test. There are also additional scales for this test. The test is given to persons over 16 years of age, with a sufficient level of IQ ( above 80). |
| Questionnaire Shmishek |
| There are questionnaires on various topics. The number of questions on the form varies depending on the test. Questionnaires may contain polar statements ( you have to choose one of them) or one statement with different answers ( yes, no, often, rarely, sometimes, never). Some questionnaires offer to assess how the statement corresponds to the experiences of the person in points. |
| Beck questionnaire |
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| Spielberger scale |
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| Eysenck personality questionnaire |
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| Rean's Questionnaire |
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| Holmes and Ray Questionnaire |
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| Rotter Questionnaire |
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| Leary questionnaire |
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| EOF Test Cattell Questionnaire (16 factor) |
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| Interpersonal Relationship Questionnaires |
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| Modified Autism Screening Test and CARS Autism Scale |
| The screening test has 23 questions for parents to answer. The autism scale contains options for the child's behavior in different situations that you need to choose ( each option is scored). |
| Tests for cognitive functions of the psyche |
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| Schulte table |
| Each cell of the Schulte table contains numbers from 1 to 25. The subject is given 4-5 such tables, in each of which he must name and show all the numbers from 1 to 25. The experimenter records the time required to complete the task. |
| Raven's Progressive Matrices Test |
| The test consists of 5 series of 12 tasks. The general principles of tasks are to find or calculate the missing fragment or figure. |
| Methodology 10 words |
| The experimenter reads 10 words to the subject, which the latter must remember and reproduce. |
What methods does a psychologist use?
Psychological assistance provided by a psychologist is to give a person objective information about the state of his psyche, about the causes of his problems, and also to have a psychological impact in order to restore spiritual harmony and increase the ability to endure stress. Psychological impact is any effect that affects the psyche - any external or internal factor that changes mental processes. The psychological impact that a psychologist has has the goal of a beneficial effect on the psyche.
Psychological assistance is of the following three types:
- psychological counseling- aimed at changing thinking and forming a new position, worldview, values ( obtaining new information and training);
- psychocorrection- changing the parameters of the psyche by developing new skills ( training, education);
- psychotherapy- a more thorough and deep psycho-correction aimed at restoring psychological health in general.
It is believed that a psychotherapist is engaged in psychotherapy, and a psychologist is engaged in psychocorrection ( even if the same method is used).
Usually, different methods include both psychological counseling and psychocorrection at the same time, while trainings are created, the name of which corresponds to the goal. For example, “How to find your place in life?”, “How to succeed?”, “How to achieve personal growth?”, “How to give birth without pain?”, “How to learn to communicate?” and so on. Most of the methods can be carried out both in the form of individual and group sessions.
It is important to note that a psychologist can and should provide psychological assistance to people who have severe mental disorders, but only in conjunction with a psychiatrist who will provide medical care ( prescribe medications, monitor the general condition). The same applies to psychosomatic disorders, the severity of which the psychologist cannot determine. Diseases are treated by a doctor, and a psychologist helps to eliminate the psychological causes of the disease. Nevertheless, for some disorders, doctors refer a person to a psychologist, since the prescribed treatment brings only temporary relief or the doctor does not find any objective reasons for the symptoms ( such disorders are called functional).
Methods of psychocorrection
| Methodology | How it works? | What psychological problems does it help with? | Approximate duration of the event |
| Gestalt therapy | "Gestalt" in German means "form". A form consists of a figure and a background. The figure is a person, and the background is his problems ( situation, environment). The gestalt form includes a need and its satisfaction. If the gestalt consists only of need ( no satisfaction), then it is called incomplete. Gestalt therapy helps a person to see ( realize) yourself apart from your unresolved gestalts - this helps to resolve or complete them ( talking to a problem). The principle of Gestalt psychology is the awareness of problems in the present, even if they were in the past ( I can only decide what I feel here and now). |
| The average duration of the course is 2 - 2.5 months ( usually 1 session per week). |
| Psychoanalysis | Psychoanalysis helps to find out the unconscious mechanisms that control human behavior. According to psychoanalysis, many problems are not recognized by a person, but continue to exist in his subconscious ( an example would be a background process on a computer that disrupts other programs). If the causal situation ( psychotrauma) is realized by a person, then this is often enough to solve a problem that worries a person. |
| Psychoanalysis has been going on for quite some time. It may take several years to uncover the unconscious mindset. |
| Art therapy and art therapy | The principle of art therapy and art therapy ( music, dance, visual arts) is based on the fact that during creative work, the process of self-regulation is activated in the brain, and energy begins to be distributed harmoniously. As a result, resources are available to solve problems. |
| Art therapy sessions can be held, depending on the needs of the person, for a long time. The effect becomes noticeable after the first sessions. |
| Client Centered Therapy | This type of therapy provides for the absolute invaluable acceptance of the client by the psychologist and empathy for him. This gives the client the opportunity and strength to discover their own potential during a dialogue with a psychologist. The principle of operation is similar to accompanying a person during a trip ( into yourself) - there is a common interest, the route is studied by both, but the conclusions are made by the client himself. |
| The number of sessions depends on the depth of the desired changes, on average 10-15 sessions are performed. |
| Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP Therapy) | NLP therapy works on the principle of a conditioned reflex. To change the habitual model of human behavior, the psychologist forms a new conditioned reflex with the help of a word or "anchor" - a stimulus that causes the desired state. When the stimulus is repeated, the state is triggered and the person behaves according to the new behavior model. |
| A new model is laid down over several sessions. |
| cognitive-behavioral(behavioral)therapy | Cognitive therapy changes automatic settings ( thoughts), which arise as a reaction to what is happening ( a vivid example is the reaction to signs and superstitions). Behavioral therapy is aimed at changing habitual actions. The psychologist does not evaluate the correctness of conclusions and habits. The client himself decides how much they help or hinder him in life, after which the psychologist helps to change attitudes and behavior. |
| The course of therapy is 5-10 sessions. Each session lasts approximately 1 hour. 1 - 2 sessions are held per week. If stereotypes of thinking have "taken root", then therapy can take longer. |
| Autotraining | Auto-training works on the principle of self-hypnosis of the desired state. For this, settings are used that a person himself pronounces to relax or tune in to the desired sensations. |
| Training should be carried out regularly until the effect is fixed, and then periodically to maintain it. |
| existential therapy(analysis)and logotherapy | Existential Analysis ( from the English word "existence" - existence) and logotherapy ( logos - meaning) deprive the psychological problem of meaning, since a person transfers his attention and the meaning of his existence to the belief of being or existence. In addition, logotherapy identified 2 more methods. Method of paradoxical intention ( intentions) works on the principle of "wedge by wedge", that is, a person is required to perform an action that provokes a problem. Dereflection technique ( distraction or ignoring the problem) eliminates hyperreflexia, that is, increased concentration on the problem. |
| The duration of therapy depends on the depth of "digging". If a person needs to solve some specific problems, then a few sessions are enough. On average, the number of sessions is 10-15, but for deeper changes, about 50 sessions can be performed. |
| Game therapy | With the help of game techniques, the child solves problems, thereby learning to overcome internal conflicts, as well as communicate with other children and adults ( in group therapy). |
| The number of sessions is set according to age and problem. |
| Ericksonian hypnosis | Ericksonian hypnosis is not hypnosis in the full sense of the word, as the person remains conscious during therapy ( psychologists are not licensed to perform classical hypnotherapy). Ericksonian hypnosis is a kind of trance state ( half asleep), during which the client and psychologist can communicate, while the client's attention is turned inward ( it's like meditation). In such a state, it is easier to turn to the unconscious, which is what the psychologist does. |
| The course of therapy is 6-10 sessions. Each session lasts approximately 1 hour. |
| Family Psychotherapy | Family psychotherapy is a "debriefing" in family relationships, traditions, accepted norms of behavior in a family or couple. The psychologist offers new ways of interacting with a family member. |
| The duration of therapy depends on the type of problem. |
| fairy tale therapy | The method works on the principle of a mini-performance using puppets and applications. The plots of tales reflect unconscious psychotraumas and life scenarios that control human behavior. Playing and changing the script during play therapy, a person learns new patterns of behavior. |
| Fairy tale therapy is a kind of upbringing style, therefore it can be carried out for a long time until the problem is solved. |
Recently, very often I began to encounter the fact that most people do not quite understand who a psychologist is and why he is actually needed. Very often, the activities of a psychologist are confused with the activities of a psychiatrist. Let's just figure it out.
In the life of each of us there are times when it is difficult to independently understand the current situation, and sometimes we cannot find a solution and a way out at all. In such situations, you may need the help of a professional psychologist.
Many, puzzled by this question and the search for their psychologist, meet with the prevailing stereotype, namely:
1.- “Are you going to see a psychologist? Yes, only psychos go to them, ”or
2.- “I won’t tell anyone that I’m going to see a psychologist, because only weak people go to them," or
3. - “I am my own psychologist” or “my friend (girlfriend) is the best psychologist for me”, or
4. - "Psychologists see people through."
And now about all this in more detail ...
Who is a psychologist and who turns to him?
1. Psychologist - a specialist with a humanitarian education who works with healthy people who need help in various life situations (family relationships, difficulties in parent-child relationships, loss of loved ones, etc.).
Thus, we figured out that absolutely normal people go to psychologists.
Why does this stereotype arise? Very often, the activities of a psychologist are confused with the activities of a psychiatrist. Since we now know who a psychologist is and what questions they ask him, let's figure out who a psychiatrist is.
Psychiatrist- in a doctor with a medical background who works with people who have various diseases and confirmed diagnoses, such as, for example, schizophrenia. Thus, a psychiatrist is the same doctor as, say, an ophthalmologist, ENT, etc. People who need medical help and treatment turn to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist prescribes medications if needed. A psychologist does not have the right to prescribe medications and does not treat anyone.
So, with the first point sorted out. If we have situations in life that we cannot resolve on our own or we have intrapersonal problems, then we go to a psychologist, and everything related to mental illness is to a psychiatrist.
2. I do not agree with the opinion that weak people go to psychologists, but rather the opposite. A weak person will not come to a psychologist. A weak person, as a rule, does not look for a solution, but tries to get away from the situation by shifting responsibility onto others, blaming everything and everyone, trying to "forget himself" with the help of alcohol or drugs.
In order to recognize your problem and find a desire to solve it, you need to be a strong person, have courage, mental strength. Even such strong people cannot always solve their mental problems on their own. When we have a headache, we go to a therapist; when our leg hurts, we go to a surgeon. We turn to a specialist who can help us. The same is true of our souls. If we need help in resolving our mental problems, we go to a specialist - a psychologist.
3. It's great when you yourself can solve all your problems both in your life and in relationships with children, with others. But again, I repeat, we cannot be specialists in all areas, so when we need help in some narrow specialization, we ask for this help. And even if one of us is an excellent specialist in his field, he still turns to other specialists for help. Even psychologists themselves very often turn to their colleagues for advice. And we are not talking about the incompetence of a psychologist. It can be difficult to look at ourselves objectively, from the point of view of the psyche, because in this case we will see ourselves from our own picture of the world, through the prism of our individual perception.
4. Psychologists are not magicians, not psychics and not clairvoyants, so they cannot predict your future. The main diagnostic method is observation. During the conversation and observation, the psychologist may notice stereotypical behavior and ways of responding, but one should not expect any supernatural abilities. All the information that a psychologist receives, he receives from a conversation with a client and thanks to his theoretical and practical knowledge of the human psyche, which help to analyze the current situation and find ways to resolve it.
Please rate this article: - Rate - Excellent Good Not bad Bad AwfulToday, psychological services are very popular all over the world. However, there are a number of countries in which going to a psychologist is at best an "exotic excess", and at worst it becomes taboo. Unfortunately, such countries, to some extent, include the CIS countries. Why? Most likely, no one will give an exact answer to this question. It can be said that people avoid psychological help because of a number of myths that arose as a result of “folk art” and exist to this day. In this article, we will try to dispel some of these myths and show you, dear readers, that going to a psychologist is not something shameful and unacceptable.
Myth No. 1: “If I need help from a psychologist, then I am mentally ill”
First, let's understand the concepts.
Mentally ill person- a person suffering from mental disorders in various manifestations and requiring MANDATORY medical treatment.
Mentally ill people are treated by psychiatrists. They and only they have the right to diagnose and prescribe medications to help the patient cope with mental disorders. In some cases, with a mental illness, a person may seek psychological help, however, in this case, the psychologist and psychiatrist act together. The psychologist in this case can only have a corrective effect on the patient. For example, behavior correction, however, is a separate topic and we will not touch on it in this article. Now let's talk about what a psychologist is.
Psychologist- This is a specialist who studies the manifestations and forms of mental phenomena of a person in various areas of human activity. A practicing psychologist uses his knowledge for applied tasks, as well as for the purpose of providing psychological assistance, support and support. A psychologist is not a doctor! He does not have the right to make psychiatric diagnoses, as well as prescribe medications.
As a rule, a psychologist accompanies a client during personality crises, helping him to survive a difficult time in his life. Psychological assistance is usually based on working with feelings and emotions. Also, a psychologist can assist in resolving interpersonal conflicts or in solving problems with raising a child, as well as much more.
What I would like to add at the end: psychologists mainly provide their services to people with an absolutely healthy psyche. People who need help in solving everyday, so to speak, emotional problems. Agree, all people have such problems.
Conclusion: If you need the help of a psychologist - this does not mean that you are a mentally ill person - do not be afraid!
Myth No. 2: “Why should I go to a psychologist if I can discuss my problems with friends?”
Undoubtedly, people who have true friends who are ready to listen to them in difficult times have some advantage over those who, alas, have no such friends.
However, there is one very big “BUT!”. Most likely, your friend does not have all the necessary skills and techniques to provide competent psychological assistance. A friend, of course, can support and improve your mood, but he is unlikely to be able to relieve you of feelings of guilt, resentment, anger, or help you survive a personality crisis. And where do you find a friend who is ready several times a week, for a long time to talk about your feelings on the same subject? With all the love for you, a friend has his own life, his own family and his own problems.
Conclusion suggests itself: Even communication with the most faithful friend will not replace competent psychological assistance from a professional psychologist.
Myth #3: “Counseling with a psychologist–it is something akin to magic, esotericism or a priest's confession"
In fact, in our opinion, this is the most ridiculous misconception of all that are given in this article. Understand that in psychology there is no concept of sin, and, therefore, you simply will not have anything to confess. At consultations, they do not read tarot cards and do not predict your fate. A psychologist will not help you open some chakras and will not force you to do yoga. There are a number of areas in psychology that include working on your body. Their common name is Body Oriented Psychotherapy. And accordingly, sometimes they require some physical exercise. But now we are talking about classic psychological counseling. Generally speaking, psychological counseling is primarily aimed at maintaining the emotional health and well-being of the client.
Conclusion: psychological counseling is a separate area of services, in no way connected with magic, esotericism and religion.
Final word
In fact, there are still a huge number of myths associated with the profession of a psychologist and psychology in general. We have selected only the most common ones. In our opinion, it is they, in most cases, that prevent a person from asking for psychological help. We hope that you liked our article and found it useful. Also, we hope that as a result of reading this article, your attitude towards psychology and psychological services has begun to change. And, of course, we hope that soon this attitude will change in all countries that are still incorrectly aware of the possibilities and benefits of psychological assistance.
