If you ever dream of becoming a psychologist, then you must be prepared for one of the toughest jobs in the market. Nothing comes easy. But psychologists have it rough just about every day they head out to work. But all that can change if you put your mind to what you are doing and use all the right skills into your work. You can now find an online psyd expert with little trouble who, if you are lucky, can help you face your psychological troubles and have you back on your feet in no time. You only need to find the right psychiatrist who exhibits all the traits of a good psychiatrist/ this article will open your eyes to some crucial traits that a good psychiatrist must have. Keep reading.
A good listener
Above all other traits, a good psychiatrist is one who listens to his/her patients. You want to have someone who dedicates his time to you. Focuses his whole attention on you to help you with your problem. A good psychiatrist does not only pay attention to what his patient is communicating verbally but also physically through body language. About 75% of an average person’s day is spent communicating something. For psychologists, this percentage is even higher. A good listener is the one who is going to fully comprehend what you are going through and know all the right words and solutions to your problems.
Look for someone who will hear what you are saying and gets to understand the underlying problem behind what you are communicating. A good psychiatrist will also be able to read other non-verbal cues like eye contact and even the rate of breathing in some occasion. This is the psychiatrist you want handling your case.
Discretion
Psychologists, like doctors and many other medical practitioners, have a solid ethical code they must always preserve the confidentiality of their patient’s cases. Your clients need to trust you to keep their secrets safe. After all, that is why you took the job. That is what psychology is all about. Psychologists meet all kinds of people in their offices every day and have to contend with the thought of knowing all kinds of things about people. A patient that trusts you to keep his/her secrets is one who will be open to you and let you get to the root of the problem faster. But the moment you break this trust with even one patient and your other clients find out, you will have lost any form of trust you had ever formed.
Ethics
A psychologist’s work is to change his patient’s life for the better. They deal with some of the most vulnerable people in the society. People at the brink of breaking down mentally. And the only way of helping these people face their problems and come out victors is by having a strong ethical code. You must never give up on any of your patients. You always work to ensure the safety and well-being of every one of your patients. This also helps stomp out biasness on which patients to work with and which ones to neglect. A psychologist’s ethical code drives him to treat each of his patients equally.
Non-judgmental
Psychologists are also required to support all their patients unconditionally throughout the whole time they are treating and counselling them. A good psychologist will never criticize his patient’s weaknesses or incorrect actions. Instead, these actions from the psychologist will only end up weakening the patient’s trust and regard. And this will make the patient undermine the psychologist’s advises and treatments which makes the whole recovery process less effective. As a psychologist, you must never discriminate or look down upon any of your patients. Remember, they came to you because they have a problem. And their coming to you for advice and counsel means that they already acknowledge that they are not okay. So, there is no need to rub that in any further. Instead, be supportive of them. Acknowledge their courage for coming to see you for an expert opinion on what is going on in their lives.
Empathy
This is yet another critical trait that all great psychologists have. The ability to listen to your patients, care, and understand what they are telling you. Then relate to their situations and environments by listening to their stories. You need to respect your patients’ autonomy and personal responsibility and relate to that. As you do this, you also need to act as the guiding and validating force for your patient’s health and well-being. And you can do this by supporting them unconditionally. You want to understand what your patients are feeling. Think of it as putting yourself in their shoes and living the world they are in at that precise moment. Doing this gives you a clearer picture of how to approach your patient’s situation and the best guidance and counselling to offer them.
Inquisitive
A good psychologist is also one who is naturally inquisitive. So, even as you listen to your patient taking in every bit of information your patient is telling you, you also need to prepare simple but directed questions for your patient. You need not be too poky with your questions. But ask the right questions that eventually leads to helping resolve your patient’s situation.
Patient
Last, all good psychologists are patient with their clients. Remember, your patient may be going through a lot at that moment. This is the time you need to pick your patience skills and exercise all manners of patience with them. Do not rush them to doing anything. This may only end up pushing them to a locked state. To make any true progress with your clients, patience is imperative. And you cannot survive without it in this job.
Final thought
There are many great psychologists in the world. All of which exercise these traits, and more. The good news is that most of these traits can be learned and take time to perfect. But with a little practice and patience, you will eventually get there and be one of the greatest psychologists the world has ever known. Never give up on your dreams. Work towards advancing your career in psychology.
