Question

what advice will you give a new clinical therapist?

Answer 1

• A new therapist is obviously anxious to take up their first case.The first thing to keep in mind is to calm oneself and tell that you are an expert at your job.Then its important for a therapist to stay awake and care.Being awake means being aware of subtle changes and emotions in your clients.It ould slightly difficult in the beginning but as time proceeds one would understand it.The therapist needs to be alert and ready to respond to their client promptly.
• Making mistakes initially is fine,one learns from them.As a new therapist one should not become risk aversive and fear making mistakes,as then you would not grow and learn in your profession.Each therapist has to develop his or her own voice and style and this could happen when you give yourself the permission to make mistakes.Self reflection will help in self growth.
• Also a new therapist is very excited in the beginning,and might feel they know it all and get carried away.The moment one thinks that one knows everything about a client, what they need, who they are, one would be dead in the water. One needs to stop and relearn how to listen and understand clients,since each one of them would be different.