Many people want to enter the field of mental health because they want to help others. That is a wonderful quality to have, and it’s a great reason to become a therapist. There are many reasons to explore the field of mental health, and you may feel drawn toward helping others. Here are some signs that you could be a good therapist:
You’re Empathetic
A good therapist needs to care about the feelings and experiences of others. If you find yourself putting yourself in other people’s shoes or trying to see things from both perspectives, that could be a sign that you’d be a great therapist. Empathy is one of the most important attributes for a counselor to have because understanding that a person is experiencing pain or anger or frustration doesn’t mean that you know exactly what it’s like to be in their shoes, but a therapist can empathize and understand that these are difficult feelings for their client. If you are empathetic, that could be a sign that you would make a good therapist.
You’re a Born Mediator
If you find yourself mediating your friends’ conflicts and being the one to stay neutral, you could be a good therapist. If you notice that when your friends are having a disagreement, you feel the need to step in and help them solve the problem, that is an excellent attribute to have and can serve you well if you work in mental health. It means that you have a caring personality and are also good at seeing what the problem is that these two people are experiencing. Mediation is a great skill to have if you are working with couples or in family therapy. Mediators don’t necessarily have to go into mental health. Sometimes, a mediator can work in the field of law or educational advocacy. But, it could be very useful to have mediation skills as a therapist.
You’re Fascinated with Psychology
Some people love to know how human behavior works. If you find yourself being a psychology nerd or studying the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), that’s a sign that you may be a good therapist. You want to learn more about what it means to live with bipolar disorder or depression etc. You might want to understand how people cope with different mental illnesses. Part of being a therapist is being curious about the world of psychology and your clients. If you find that this is who you are, you could make a great therapist because therapists are always learning and growing; they want to know about how human beings tick.
You Have Mental Health Issues Yourself, or They’re in Your Family
People who make the best therapists are those that understand what it’s like to deal with mental health struggles. Either they have dealt with them personally, or they see them in their family. This is because they are looking at a client knowing that they have experienced perhaps similar struggles and can therefore empathize with them in a genuine way. A therapist who has experienced mental health issues is bound to be more compassionate than one who has never struggled in the same way. It’s not to say that you can’t be a therapist if you’ve never had anxiety or depression, but you can use your experience, if you’ve had these or other mental health issues, to inform your practice and be a more compassionate mental health professional. When you have anxiety or depression or any other mental health issue in your family, you’ve also probably learned how to be compassionate toward your family members, which can be helpful in your therapeutic practice.
Helping Others Can Be Done Online or in Person
Therapists can work with clients online or in person. If you’re considering becoming a therapist, you might want to look into online therapy. It’s an excellent place to work with clients all over the world and help them from the privacy of their own homes. If you feel drawn to the world of mental health, don’t ignore those messages. You can explore what it means to be a therapist, and maybe it’s the right field for you!
Marie Miguel Biography