The Expert in Anything Was Once a Beginner
Why We Should Invest in the Growth of New and Aspiring Therapists
You have to start somewhere. You've been struggling with the same issue for a long time. It's getting to the point where it is seeping over into different areas of your life. You're struggling to sleep at night, barely getting out of bed in the morning which results in you sitting in even more traffic on your commute and getting to work late. Everything feels like it's just falling apart and you know you need some help. People have suggested that you use your EAP benefits but those 6 sessions just aren't enough for you. You've scrolled through a few directories and found profiles of therapist that you believed you could work well with but after phone calls and emails to them, you just haven't heard back or they're full and not taking new clients. You want to get help, you really do, but you just don't know how to get started in therapy when it seems like there aren't any therapist.
The thing is there are therapist out there. In communities just for therapist there is constant talk about how to find more clients, how to reach that point of being full like many others in the profession. There are therapist responding over and over to post asking for a therapist to work with clients that other therapist have no room for. There are therapist out there but there's this gap or invisible bridge between those like you that need therapy and those therapists that are ready and willing to help.
Yet, there's something else that you may not be considering when thinking about finding a therapist and that's the tendency to overlook the newbies, or rookie therapist, typically, in the state of Texas at least, referred to as interns or associates. Now let's look a little bit more into who those therapist are without having to dive into the complexities of becoming a licensed professional.
When on the track to become a therapist you spend hours on hours learning all the theories and how to apply them in the therapy room. There's a lot of mock sessions with your peers to assist in developing the skills under the direct supervision of a licensed professional. Once, they have completed a big chunk of their education they are sent out into the world to start working with a small caseload of clients being closely monitored, sometimes in the same room, by a licensed professional. Once they've undergone that torture there is a little more freedom, larger caseloads and greater diversity of clients as they get ready to sit for licensure. At this point they're usually more comfortable seeing clients but are still under supervision. Once they have completed their internship, finished their course work and sat for their licensing exam they move on from being interns to associates.
Now, the associates have a license but they're still under the direct supervision of a fully licensed therapist with at least 5 years under their belt. The only difference between associates and fully licensed therapist is they still check in with a supervisor once a week and they have a few years less of experience. Sometimes it's hard to believe or trust those that don't have years of experience, but trust, the way that the education of therapist is set up , the therapist you could be working with knows their stuff.
It's a widely accepted adage that the expert in anything was once a beginner. We all have to start somewhere—and that applies to therapists, too. New and aspiring therapists have a wealth of information and potential to be able to share with others and transform lives. To meet the mental health needs of the future, we have to invest in the growth of those trying to meet those needs.
One thing that's important for all therapists—new or experienced—to remember is that they know more than they think they do. Therapist, at any level of their career do not have all the answers, but they have the knowledge and experience to help you in ways you may have never imagined possible. As long as they stay open to learning new things, there's no limit to what they can achieve as therapists and the transformations they can create with you.
Many therapists struggle with feelings of imposter syndrome. They feel like they're not good enough or that they're just pretending to be therapists. This can lead to a lot of self-doubt and hinder their ability to grow and become the best therapists they can be. However, it's important to remember that these feelings are normal and everyone experiences them at some point. With time and practice, new therapist learn to manage the negative thoughts and continue developing their skills as a therapist.
The Mental Health Needs of Today's World
The need for qualified therapists is greater now than ever before. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five adults in the United States experiences mental illness in any given year. One in 25 adults experiences serious mental illness that significantly interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. And yet, despite these staggering statistics, only 43% of adults with mental illness receive treatment.
There are many reasons why people don't seek out therapy, even when they know they need it. For some, the cost is prohibitive. Others may not have access to quality care in their area. And still others may feel embarrassed or ashamed to seek help. But whatever the reason, the fact remains that there is a significant portion of the population who are not getting the help they need—and that number is only growing as the years go by.
This is where new and aspiring therapists come in. By investing in their growth and development, we can help ensure that there are enough qualified professionals to meet the mental health needs of today's world—and tomorrow's. The things is though, in order for new therapist to grow, just like new doctors, new lawyers, anyone new to any field, they have to get hands on experience, they have to have people to work with.
The Benefits of Investing in New Therapists
There are many benefits to investing in new therapists—both for the therapist themselves and for those they serve. For starters, it helps to ensure that there are enough qualified professionals to meet the ever-growing demand for mental health services. It also allows new therapists to gain valuable experience and skills that they can use throughout their careers. And perhaps most importantly, it helps new therapists build relationships with you that can last a lifetime.
One of the best ways to learn and grow as a therapist is by working with clients. New therapists often have a lot of energy and enthusiasm, which can be contagious and help you feel more positive and motivated. They also tend to be more open-minded and less judgmental, which can allow them to connect with you in a deeper way. Working with new therapists can be a rewarding experience for both you and the therapist.
You may be hesitant to work with a new therapist for a variety of reasons. You may be worried that the therapist won't be able to help you, or that you won't be able to trust them. You may also feel like they're not good enough or that they're just pretending to be therapists. These feelings are normal and everyone experiences them at some point.
Many times people are concerned with a new therapist ability to actually be able to help them. They assume that the individual does not have enough experience or knowledge to be able to help them with facing the complex challenges that they are dealing with in their life. However, the reality is, even the most seasoned professional may not be able to help you. Part of the therapy process is finding someone that you can connect with and that may not be someone 15 years in the game. That may be that young, in experience, therapist that has only worked in simulated situations because they understand some of the things that you are dealing with due to their own experiences in life.
It's also important to make sure that the therapist whether new or experienced has knowledge of the issues that you are facing. Not every therapist can work with every population or with every area. It's important that your therapist has passion for working with the things that you are struggling with. Also real therapist are born not made, they have what it takes before even stepping foot in the classroom putting them in a position to be able to help you before they even get official letters behind their name.
Working with a Rookie
You may be wondering, now that you've chosen to give an intern or associate a try, what you can do to help make the most of your therapeutic experience.
1. Establish trust early on. Trust is essential in any relationship, but it is especially important in the therapist-client relationship. Remember that your therapist is still learning and may not have all the answers, but they are trying their best to help you. Give them a chance and be open with them about your thoughts and feelings. The more trust that you have in the relationship the more information that you will give them to work with and the better they are able to serve you. Therapist need for you to communicate fully with them in order to be able to really understand the place that you are currently in and what the best treatment will be for you.
2. Be patient. Therapy takes time and it may take a few sessions for your therapist to really understand you and your needs. Don’t expect miracles overnight, but trust that your therapist is working hard to help you reach your goals. In the first few years as a therapist, therapist are still getting the experience that they need to be able to really understand different patterns of behavior, they may not have an abundance of different cases to draw from and therefore may need to do a bit more research about your situation. Interns and associates have a supervisor that they can turn to when more challenging situations come up and they will be guided through how to approach different things in the therapy room with you. Give them time to get their thoughts together, they're working hard to be able to serve you in the best possible way.
3. Communicate openly and honestly. It is important to communicate openly with your therapist about what you are comfortable discussing and what you are not comfortable discussing. This will help them better understand you and tailor their approach to best meet your needs. Be ready to provide them with feedback on the things that are working for you, what you need more of and what you need less of. Always remember that keeping secrets from your therapist can slow your progress as they aren't working with all of the information that they may need to be able to assist you through the processing of your thoughts.
New and aspiring therapists play an important role in meeting the mental health needs of today's world—and tomorrow's. By investing in their growth and development, we can help ensure that there are enough qualified professionals to meet the ever-growing demand for mental health services.
