Any therapists who suffer from SA????????????????????

vieda

New member
Hi,

Can I work as a therapist is I suffer from low self esteem? I am studying CBT as a post grad course, following completion of a psych degree. I am finding the course really tough at the moment as it involves filming mock sessions and then criticising our performances with one another. I have worked incredibly hard to overcome social anxiety in the past and I have made really significant improvement through CBT. I still suffer from low self-esteem and this course is pressing my buttons which makes me seriously doubt my credibility and worthiness as a good therapist. So can I truely be a good therapist if I have low self-esteem or will I be cheating my clients? I think you all get the gist. Cheers to anyone that listens!
 
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LoyalXenite

Well-known member
I also have this concern, i aspire to be a psychologist and am current doing my first year BA in psych. I am worried that i wont be mentally or emotionally fit to be a therapist, but at the same time i think that my problems will help me to be a better therapist because i can understand what people are going through a little better because i will have gone through similar.
 

Hellhound

Super Moderator
I believe you can be a good therapist because you'd understand what your patients are going through.
 

ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
Many Psychologists and Psychiatrist got into the filed for that very reason! Look up Kay Redfield Jamison. She wrote a book, An Unquiet Mind. I also read surveys of Psychologist and Psychiatrist that many of them go through major depressions during their career.

I wish I knew all of this in college. I was too ashamed to study Psychology. I would have been good. But, all is not lost. I'm on another career trajectory now.
 

21NZ

Well-known member
to be horribly honest, if you can't help yourself how can you help others? if my therapist had, had SA and couldn't overcome it, how could i trust them to help me?
 

Lalaith

New member
I'd say you can work as a therapist. As long as you can model the behaviours you are trying to teach your patients. Since you've made improvements with your anxiety, you're obviously able to use the techniques, so I see no reason you wouldn't be able to model them (even if you're not feeling up to it, acting still works).
Go for it!
 

Honda

Well-known member
You would be understanding to your patients' problems but how can you teach your patients to become better if you never put the effort to get over your problems?
 
I'm struggling with the same issue at the moment. I did the first year of psych, but am now in the second half of 2nd year of social work.

I think we can relate better to our clients, but at the same time I agree that unless we are able to help ourselves, we many not be much help to others. I often feel like the client at uni, instead of the helper, and a big part of the helping profession is relating to others, helping them feel comfortable and alleviating some of their anxiety.

Having said that, I feel that a lot of people that go into the helping professions are complete nutcases, but they've just learned how to fake it really well :p
Don't give up yet, you've made it so far! Did you do any work after completing your undergraduate?
 
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