10 Essential Characteristics Of A Good Psychologist
Being a good psychologist is not always an easy task because this profession can be stressful and overwhelming.
Dealing with other people and their problems, sometimes serious, and helping them correctly manage their emotions can be exhausting. Among psychology professionals it is known that, especially those who are dedicated to psychological therapy, the first ones who should attend therapy sessions are the therapists themselves. This can help them be more objective when treating their patients.
Many times, the difference between being a good psychologist or a bad psychologist is found in the attitude, in following a series of principles or habits that improve good professional work. Psychological therapy may sometimes not work, but psychologists must prevent bad practices from being the reason why the patient has not benefited from therapeutic help.
But, What are the principles that a good psychology professional should apply? What should a good psychologist or therapist be like? Below we explain them to you.
1. Never judge a patient
Throughout his professional career, A psychologist may encounter patients who think differently from him in many ways Furthermore, some of the experiences that patients reveal may be difficult to understand for many people. But the psychologist or therapist must understand the situation, and despite not sharing the patient’s way of acting or thinking, he or she must never impose their opinion.
The psychologist is a professional who has been trained to provide the patient with the necessary tools to improve their psychological well-being. Therefore, a good psychologist neither judges nor criticizes his patients
Patients are usually people who need professional help for different reasons, but they are generally in a situation of psychological and emotional discomfort. A good psychologist allows his clients to feel comfortable in their sessions and appears accessible. This helps the patient open up and feel ready to overcome her fears.
3. Listen actively
The therapist must pay full attention to his patients, so you must not only hear what he tells you, but you must listen to him fully. This means that he must listen actively, that is, pay attention with all five senses to what the patient says.
Besides, the psychologist should not continually interrupt his patient during the session, because it is not positive for maintaining the therapist-patient connection. In this sense, it is essential that the psychologist provides excellent rapport in his sessions.
4. Be self-aware and sincere
The therapeutic relationship is not always easy because psychologists are human beings with their own emotions and thoughts.
But the good psychologist is self-aware and knows when he stops being objective and relies on prejudices when providing help to his patients. In addition, good psychologists are honest with both the patient and themselves, which helps guide the patient on the path to recovery.
5. Be in continuous training
A good psychologist is continually training, because you must be able to understand and care for your patients in the best possible way. Our society is constantly changing and technological advances are changing the way we interact with the environment.
To understand the current reality, it is necessary for the therapist to constantly update his or her knowledge. Training is essential to continue improving and to continue growing at a professional level.
The psychologist, in addition to having theoretical and practical knowledge for the correct development of his profession, You must be aware of your resources and limitations and of the ethical principles that govern the exercise of your profession There is a code of ethics that all mental health professionals must strictly follow and that guarantee a professional and quality service.
The social responsibility of the psychologist requires him to respect the dignity of his patients and preserve and protect fundamental human rights. Among some of the psychologist’s ethical obligations, we can find: using his or her knowledge to promote human well-being or maintaining professional secrecy.
7. Communicate effectively
Since psychologists deal with people, they need to master certain interpersonal skills and communication skills.
Well, one of the reasons why there is a good professional relationship between a therapist and a patient is good communication and understanding between both it is absolutely necessary for the professional to have a series of communicative resources that send their message clearly to the patient.
8. Be patient
One of the qualities that the therapist must possess is patience Throughout the therapeutic sessions there may be ups and downs on the part of the patient, something that can also affect the psychologist, by making him question his working method.
The psychologist-patient relationship is not always idyllic, and on many occasions the psychologist must be tolerant and patient, and must be able to transmit that patience so that the patient is aware that the ups and downs are normal.
9. Be empathetic
But the therapist must not only be patient with the person in front of him, but, to carry out his professional tasks successfully, he must be empathetic.
This means that You must be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to feel what you feel and think how you think In this way you will be able to understand the magnitude of the problem that the person is experiencing and will be able to help you. If the psychologist fails to be empathetic, he can minimize the problem that the patient is experiencing, which could lead him to use inappropriate tools.
The psychologist must understand that he cannot help the patient with all his reasons for consultation nor is he an expert in solving all the problems. One of the principles to be a good psychologist is know how to derive when necessary
Therefore, the psychologist must refer the patient to another professional so that the latter can benefit from the help provided by another health professional. If he does not do so, he is committing professional malpractice.
Do you want to learn the theory and practice of psychotherapy?
If you are interested in specializing in the field of psychotherapy, the Master in integrative psychotherapy offered by the Mensalus Institute which can be done online or in person, is for you.
This Master’s degree consists of one academic year, with two sessions per week and is offered both online and in person or in mixed mode depending on the student’s preferences.
This is a University Degree from the Nebrija University of Madrid especially aimed at psychologists who want to specialize in the Clinical Practice of Psychotherapy with an integrative theoretical positioning, with which each student will integrate the main professional tools in said field into their daily practice.
With a specialized teaching team, you will learn everything necessary in the field of integrative psychotherapy thanks to a complete and didactic program, which integrates both theoretical and practical content.
