Therapy: Can Therapists Form Inaccurate Beliefs About Men/Women?

If someone wanted to become a therapist, they may have the desire to work with people who have certain issues. This could relate to what they have had to deal with, or it might involve what they have seen other people suffer from.

When it comes to the former, this could show that one has worked through a number of mental and emotional problems. This could be a sign that their early years were a time when they didn’t receive the kind of care that they needed in order to develop in the right way.

The Catalyst

As a result of this, this would then have been what gave them the desire to assist others. Therefore, one would have been unwilling to allow what happened during this time to define them.

The pain they experienced could have been something that stayed with them forever and caused them to become a victim. But something within them had other ideas, and this is what has made the difference.

A Natural Affinity

Through having the kind of experiences they have had, it is then not going to be a surprise for them to want to assist others who have had the same experiences. There is also the chance that they want to work with children who are going through what they experienced.

This is then similar to what would happen if one was to work out how to get somewhere and they were then to share the route with other people. It could be said that this is due to human beings not only having the need to take, but also to give.

Another Reason

If their early years were not a time when they experienced a lot of pain, it could show that a family member suffered. Or, they might even have come into contact with other people whose early childhood was radically different to theirs.

Through being exposed to this, it would have made a strong impression on them, and this could then have been a time when they got in touch with their purpose for being here. To be of service to others in this way is going to be what gives them the desire to get the training they need to make a difference.

The Next Step

This could mean that they will end up going to university and getting some kind of degree. Once this is done, they could go to do even more training, and this whole process could take quite some time.

Nevertheless, if this is what one truly wants to do, they will be more than happy to go through this process. At the same time, one could simply end up taking a few courses and there will then be no reason for them to go to university.

The Goal

If one wanted to be a psychologist, it is going to be clear that they will need to go to university. There is going to be no way around this, and this is going to take a number of years.

On the other hand, if one wanted to become a behavioural therapist or a counsellor, for instance, this is not going to take as long. The same could be said if one was to train in a certain kind of therapy or healing technique.

A Number of Options

It could be said that one of the benefits of today’s world is that there are so many options, and this stop one from having to settle. So, through being aware of what they want to do, it will allow them to get the right training.

One take part in some kind of training and find that it is not what they expected, and they can then try something else. This could be seen as something that will cause them to waste time, but as long as they learn from what takes place, they will soon get to where they need to be.

Another Part

As part of their training they undertake, they may need to look into what baggage they are carrying, so to speak, and to deal with it. Through dealing with a lot of their own stuff, it will make it easier for them to assist others.

This is because if they don’t deal with anything and they try to be there for others, their own issues will get in the way. Instead of being able to see what is going on, one can end up projecting their own issues onto their clients.

Another Layer

There will then be what their client is going through and what one is seeing in them and this is going to make it harder than it needs to be. Someone could come and work with them and they could go away feeling even worse.

It could be as if they are unable to recognise what they are going through, and one could end up feeling invalidated. This shows why it is so important for someone to work through a lot of their stuff before they try to be there for others.

A Pattern

When one starts to see clients, they may find that more women than men come to see them about emotional problems. And, when it comes to the women who do see them, they could find that a lot of them have been abused by men.

What this could then do is cause one to believe that emotional problems are more common in women than men. Or, if a lot of these women have been abused, they could also believe that men are more abusive than women.

Stepping back

These experiences can then play a part in how they view men and women, and they could even pass this information onto other people. But while one can believe that this is the truth, it doesn’t mean that this is the case.

In a way, this would be the same as someone believing that everyone loves to swim just because they work at a swimming pool. Naturally, the people who don’t like to swim are not going to turn up at the swimming pool.

Therapy

When it comes to having therapy, this is often seen as a weakness, and this can then be why men rarely have it. Men are also less likely to talk about their feelings; whereas this is something that women often do.

Ergo, if a woman has emotional problems, there is going to be no reason for her not to work with a therapist. And, even if a man was abused, he would probably feel too shamed to reach out for support, and so it can be normal for a man to suffer in silence.
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Awareness

What this shows is how important it is to acknowledge the fact that there is a difference when it comes to how each sex deals with problems and the effect society has on them. As although something might sound accurate, it doesn’t mean that this is actually the case.