How to become a psychologist: what you need to know to be a good psychotherapist, and where to start self-study if you have no education

Choosing a profession is one of the most difficult decisions a student has to make in 11th grade. A living example - the activities of adults who are nearby - can help in this situation. For example, in the same school there are teachers in various subjects, as well as an accountant, a deputy, a director, a social teacher, a speech therapist, and a psychologist. How to apply to become a psychologist and who is this profession suitable for?

In this article:

What does a psychologist do?

Where does a psychologist work?

What are the names of the areas of study for a psychologist?

Where to apply?

What exams should I take?

Characteristics of the profession: functions and tasks

Specialization is very difficult; it involves constant contact with different people. Some come to the appointment themselves, while others are forced. Difficulties in some situations cannot be avoided.

The services of such a doctor are in demand everywhere. Specialists in this profile work in law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, and large companies. Where, against a background of constant stress, employees or students may need psychological support.

The activity involves working with clients, conducting consultations, trainings, assessing personal qualities and mental state, and providing assistance in difficult life situations. Direct responsibilities are usually determined by the workplace and area of ​​specialization. For example, in a large company, a psychotherapist advises management on interaction with subordinates; in kindergartens and schools he monitors the mental health of children.

What to face

The profession of a psychologist has its pros and cons. Let's start with the advantages:

• The opportunity to help real people, in certain situations, to save lives, marriages, relationships.
• Creative path.
• Develops tolerance and tolerance.
• You can use the acquired knowledge in everyday life.

Flaws:

• Emotional burnout.
• Excessive contact with people.
• Difficulties in separating life and work.
• Continuous improvement of skills, advanced training required.

What does it take to become a psychologist?

First of all, you need to understand that choosing a profession is a big responsibility. In the course of his activities, a specialist, like any other doctor, should not cause harm to the patient. His distinctive feature is his love for people - a true desire to help them understand their problems and choose the right path in life.

Iron patience is the most important tool for successful psychotherapy. Only a truly passionate person can become patient. There are a lot of areas of such activity, so it is impossible to be a professional in all of them at once. A good start would be a self-education course, in which you should study available information on the Internet and popular science books.

Psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists - the difference

People often confuse psychologists with psychiatrists and psychotherapists - these are completely different specialties, although, of course, they have a lot in common. Any psychotherapist is well versed in psychology and can work, for example, as a clinical psychologist, since he has a medical education. A medical degree is the main difference between psychiatrists and psychotherapists. Psychotherapists work with healthy people (mentally) who are in a state of stress or neurosis, psychiatrists treat people with serious mental disorders. Both have the right to prescribe treatment and write prescriptions for medications. Psychologists for the most part, in addition to clinical and some others, receive a humanities education. Their main task is to help a person understand his problems and learn to solve them on his own, but they do not make diagnoses and do not prescribe treatment. If signs of mental illness are detected in clients, they recommend that they contact the above-mentioned doctors.

What qualities are required?

Tactfulness, the ability to empathize, and listen, of course, will be very useful to a future specialist. But intelligence and professionalism are the main characteristics necessary for effective work. In addition, in order to study a huge amount of general and specialized literature and absorb the information received, you need to have excellent memory, perseverance, logical thinking and willpower.

This work often leads to emotional stress. Therefore, a person who has connected his life with this profession must be able to abstract himself and isolate himself from the problems of patients. Otherwise, depression is inevitable due to mood swings, poor sleep and lack of rest. A psychotherapist must have good psychological and physical health.

Empathy is a feeling that is needed to work as a psychologist. The ability to understand your interlocutor and truly empathize with him is invaluable. A good specialist is distinguished by tolerance, he is always restrained, and has complete control over his emotions.

To learn how to help people with psychological problems, you should read more, constantly observe those around you and work hard. This doctor, like no one else, must understand that the missing skills must be developed.

What kinds of psychologists are there?

There are several varieties of this profession. Specialists in this field deal with a variety of problems and use appropriate techniques suitable for achieving certain goals.

Children's

His job is to help adults understand what is happening to their children. How can they overcome the difficulties that arise in communicating with him, how to establish contact and have a beneficial influence.

The pediatric doctor involves not only the child, but also his parents in the therapeutic process. All his activities in this case are aimed at identifying problems and the causes of their occurrence. He perfectly understands the psychological characteristics of children’s development, knows everything about the age-related crises that absolutely every little person goes through. After all, the psyche of children is completely different, so a special approach to such patients is needed.

School

As a rule, he works in educational institutions, where he observes the development, adaptation and behavior of his students. Qualified psychological assistance is very important during this period. Parents themselves are not able to cope with the numerous difficulties that inevitably arise at a young age.

The leading goal of an educational psychologist is to ensure the mental health of students. It helps them develop in the right direction, taking into account individual character traits. Corrects the realization of creative potential, stimulates interest in various social spheres. His responsibilities include ensuring a favorable climate for the development of children.

Military

This specialist devotes most of his time not to research work, but to practice. He is in constant contact with military personnel and their loved ones, so he is well versed not only in his profession, but also has the necessary knowledge about the life of officers and soldiers. It carries out its activities through constant monitoring, conducting questionnaires, testing, surveys and analyzing the information received.

Psychologist Daria Milai

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This is a very responsible specialization. The distinctive features of such a doctor are restraint and the ability to retain information. Every day he has to solve many questions and tasks, because the duties of a military psychotherapist include:

• psychological selection of those wishing to enter the service;
• development of methods that help strengthen discipline and patriotism;
• adaptation and rehabilitation of soldiers returning from the combat zone;
• training those who are about to go to hot spots;
• resistance to negative influence from outside that personnel may be exposed to;
• conducting consultations for military personnel and their relatives.

Clinical

This profile requires additional medical education. It is necessary for working with psychosomatics and providing assistance to physically ill patients. This doctor is knowledgeable in the field of pathopsychology and is able to diagnose mechanical disorders. His responsibilities include:

• carrying out work aimed at restoring health;
• elimination of deviations and difficulties in personality development;
• training physicians in aspects of social psychology and deontology;
• assessing the clients' condition and the effectiveness of the treatment interventions involved;
• conducting psychodiagnostic studies and monitoring patients who are susceptible to various types of disorders.

Psychologists' answers to your questions

How to find a good psychoanalyst? What is the difference between a psychoanalyst, psychologist and psychotherapist? Who is a good psychoanalyst? What is a psychoanalyst's appointment? Here we will try to explain the difference between these concepts and the differences in psychological counseling methods.

Our Center employs three specialists working in a psychoanalytic approach. These are a certified psychoanalytic psychotherapist Anna Fedeneva , a psychologist of the psychoanalytic approach Irina Makeeva and a clinical psychologist of the psychoanalytic approach Natalya Sorokina . These Center specialists have undergone special additional training in the method of psychoanalysis and have extensive experience in psychological counseling and psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

Typically, a person coming for a consultation and seeking the help of a psychologist for the first time does not understand the differences between a psychoanalyst, a psychologist and a psychotherapist. Even in Moscow, where the range of psychological services is quite widely represented and there is every opportunity to find the necessary information - and perhaps precisely because there is too much unstructured and contradictory information - people constantly confuse these concepts. about the differences between the concepts of “psychologist”, “psychotherapist” and “psychiatrist” on our website, and on this page we will talk about how seeing a psychoanalyst differs from consulting a psychologist or psychotherapist .

If we talk about the ideas of most people who are not related to psychology, a psychoanalyst is a psychologist who “analyzes our psyche” during an appointment. And it becomes unclear, how are other psychologists and psychotherapists different? Don't they analyze? Or is it somehow “worse” to analyze?.. In fact, any good specialist, no matter what method he prefers, will definitely do analytical work with you if necessary. And if you want to come for one or more consultations, you do not need to choose a specialist based on the criteria: psychologist, psychoanalyst or psychotherapist.

However, all this does not answer the question: who is a psychoanalyst in general? How does his appointment differ from that of other specialists – psychologists and psychotherapists? Let us briefly explain the situation in Russia: in our country, a psychoanalyst is a psychologist. In the Russian classifier of professions there is no profession “psychoanalyst”, there is only “psychologist”. Psychoanalysis is just one of the methods of psychological counseling that all psychologists must know. Some choose it as the leading method in their work, some do not. That is, among psychologists there are also psychoanalysts. And according to the law, a psychotherapist is generally a doctor, he is not a psychoanalyst or a psychologist . However, many psychologists, in the Western tradition, call themselves “psychotherapists,” which creates some confusion.

Since the concept of “psychoanalyst” came to Russia from abroad, and there a psychoanalyst is a doctor who has a medical education and knows the method of psychoanalysis, we, having watched enough Western films, also believe that a psychoanalyst is a doctor. This is not the case in Russia. The method of psychoanalysis is studied by all students of psychological faculties of universities, and then the specialist psychologist continues to improve as a professional in various methods. In particular, he can choose the method of psychoanalysis , undergo training and receive additional education, including European programs. In addition – and this is a must! – receive your own psychoanalytic psychotherapy (that is, go to an appointment with a psychoanalyst at least once a week for several years) and constant supervision by an experienced psychoanalyst. Preferably in Moscow or St. Petersburg, or even better, abroad, and only after all this can you really consider yourself a “real” psychoanalyst . But, since there is no official profession of “psychoanalyst” in Russia, not only graduates who have received a diploma in psychology call themselves this way, but, unfortunately, a huge number of other “specialists” who do not even have a basic psychological education. In particular, there are such statements: “the appointment is conducted by a chiropractor-psychoanalyst,” and even... “a fortune-teller-psychanalyst will tell the truth about the future!”

Now let's talk in more detail about the differences between a psychoanalyst and a psychotherapist. A psychotherapist in Russia is only a doctor (this is a medical specialty)! This is a psychiatrist who has completed a course in psychotherapy, passed an exam on it and received the corresponding document - a certificate of advanced training. This has nothing to do with psychoanalysis. At the medical faculties of medical universities, psychoanalysis is not included in the compulsory program. However, if a psychotherapist wants to become a psychoanalyst, he must go through the same path as a psychologist after receiving his education: study the method of psychoanalysis, undergo his own psychoanalysis and have a good psychoanalytic supervisor .

Let me give you an example: if you decide to find a math tutor for your child, you are unlikely to want to figure out who you have found - a specialist in number theory or differential equations. And you will be right - you just need a good mathematician. And preferably, a good teacher with experience in preparing applicants, and not an authoritative academician who has been deeply immersed in scientific activity for a long time.

Also in the case of psychological counseling, a good psychologist (psychotherapist) always knows how to use psychoanalysis in his work; do not look for a psychoanalyst. After all, anyone in Moscow or any other city in our country can call themselves a psychoanalyst - as we have already said, there is no such profession in the official classifiers. There are a lot of courses that provide “certificates” that may not confirm anything when tested, but it is almost impossible for a non-professional to understand this. The only thing that can be advised when choosing is to remember that the most important criterion is a good result. And a good result is a change in a person’s personality, his behavior, his reactions, even his character, a change in his views on the world, and sometimes in inadequate moral principles. And it’s good if you know someone with whom this happened, you see positive changes in the example - then the choice is not difficult to make. But if you don't know anyone:

1. It is advisable to choose based on reviews or on the recommendation of a good friend whom you trust and whose opinion you respect.

2. Be sure to pay attention to prices - the rule “the more expensive the better”, as well as the rule “why buy more expensive what you can buy cheaper” do not work. The prices for their services should be “reasonable” for you from a common sense point of view: if you feel that you are overpaying, this is not good, since you will have over-expectations (“expecting a miracle”), and you will not be able to afford more. shorter work hours if you need it; and if the cost of an appointment seems low to you, this is also bad, since you will not be able to evaluate a specialist, even if he is the best, and most importantly, you yourself are unlikely to try to work for this money, because not only a psychologist works at the appointment, but Of course you do too!

3. In the end, if you have absolutely no one to turn to for help, go to several specialists for an appointment and compare your impressions . Don't be afraid to trust yourself!

However, for those of you who still persistently want to understand the concepts, we will give here some explanation of how the method of psychoanalysis differs from all other methods of psychological practice:

Psychology is a young science (it is a little over two hundred years old), and psychoanalysis is the very first method of psychological, rather than medical, assistance to patients. Therefore, psychoanalysis has the longest history and the psychoanalytic school has the longest traditions. And this is probably why the word “psychoanalyst” also entered our language, like the words “psychologist” and “psychotherapist,” in contrast to other practical psychologists who have additional education and experience in other areas of psychological practice: for example, transactional analyst, Gestalt therapist, Jungian analyst, art therapist, systemic family therapist, existential psychotherapist, etc.

Although a psychologist-psychanalyst often commands greater respect from us, it makes sense to note once again that any certified psychologist with a higher education has probably studied psychoanalysis, among other methods. Quite often, people turn to the services of psychoanalysts because it is fashionable, they pay a lot of money, without understanding why. It is much better to find just a practicing psychologist of a good level. He is constantly improving in his profession: he takes master classes, seminars and participates in other forms of advanced training, where he learns to become even better at using various methods, including psychoanalysis. A good psychologist or psychotherapist must be in contact with colleagues, exchange experiences, be interested in the latest achievements of psychological science, and keep abreast of new research in his field.

All methods give results, and there is no need to look for a method that is suitable for you in your specific life situation, or to look for the “best” method, because the “best” method does not exist.

Main responsibilities

There are advantages and disadvantages to this work. The main disadvantages are the constant tension and stress that inevitably arise when communicating with patients. You should not forget about them if you want to become a practicing psychologist. The specialist's activities include:

• various tests carried out to determine the personal characteristics of clients;
• psychological trainings;
• consultations in difficult life situations;
• analysis of the influence of social, professional and other factors on behavior and thinking;
• studying the reasons resulting from the unsatisfactory condition of patients;
• therapeutic conversations, individual counseling;
• assistance in adaptation (at a new place of residence, in a different team).

How to become a family psychologist-consultant

This is not an easy task. After all, you have to work not with one person, but with entire families, the relationships in which are developing inappropriately. To competently help them get out of difficult situations and cope with numerous problems, a liberal arts education will not be enough. You'll have to constantly practice. It is better to start gaining experience while still a student. Various programs for volunteers that are aimed at helping people in difficult situations can contribute to their development. It wouldn’t hurt to take advanced training courses in the field of family psychology.

What does a child psychologist do?

An unfavorable emotional state can occur at different ages. You should not think that the help of a psychologist may be needed only closer to adolescence: internal conflicts can manifest themselves much earlier, and they do not always resolve themselves, without the intervention of a specialist. It will help with a range of problems such as:

• age crises;
• inability to establish relationships with both parents and peers;
• developmental delays, in particular speech impairment;
• fear of communicating with other people;
• fears, especially at night, leading to restless sleep;
• various bad habits.

The psychologist not only interacts with children, teaching them to cope with emotional and behavioral problems, but also advises parents, conducts educational work, explaining the peculiarities of the formation of the psyche, and the role that the family plays in this process.

How to become a consultant

First of all, you need to take care of getting basic education in this area. Then you need to undergo additional training at an institution that trains counseling specialists. Remember, obtaining this specialization requires regular practice. You should start training first of all on yourself, identifying and considering your own problems.

Face-to-face consultation

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Skype consultation

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Only after all the techniques have been worked out and brought to perfection can you find a job. Over time, the level of professionalism will increase, which will make it possible to think about private practice.

How to become a psychotherapist without medical help. education

The professional development of a psychologist can occur according to two branches of training: medical and humanitarian. It is enough for a general specialist to be a humanist. He will be able to work in a school, kindergarten, private company or research institute, that is, consult, provide psychological support, but not correct mental disorders. Only an educated physician can be an employee of healthcare institutions.

Advanced training courses for psychologists

Requirements for specialists are constantly growing, so in order to continue working, a psychologist must regularly improve his qualifications. Psychologists should update their professional skills at least once every 3-5 years.

Advanced training is one of the ways to develop professionally and improve competencies; additional educational programs are used for this.

Suitable courses may differ in duration and range of knowledge, for example, short-term courses last 16 hours, and long-term courses up to 250 hours.

The development of the Internet has made it possible to take advanced training courses remotely. In this case, the further education organization receives copies of the necessary documents and payment, and the student gets access to educational materials.

I want to be a psychologist: where to start self-study

To master psychology, you need to learn to feel people. This skill is honed over years and strengthened through practice. It is based on three main parts of conversation:

1. Personal space that every patient visiting a doctor has. Of course, no one likes it when someone else tries to get into it, especially by actively imposing their point of view. A competent specialist is obliged to establish a trusting relationship with the client and only then penetrate his territory.
2. Non-verbal. Not everyone is able to easily open up and immediately tell everything about themselves that is needed for further therapy. Some may deliberately provide false information out of fear of their true nature. In such situations, the psychologist resorts to facial expressions and gestures, which can tell a lot about a person. Noticing nonverbal manifestations, he changes his own behavior to make the conversation comfortable for the patient.
3. Listening skills. This is the most important skill needed to provide psychological support. Sometimes people come to an appointment just to talk, to express their emotions, to talk about what is painful.

The depth of knowledge of the healer of souls

• Understanding personality development in ontogenesis (personal development of the body from fertilization to the end of life).
• Human anatomy.
• Ethics - education, training.
• Philosophy.
• Logics.
• Sociology.
• Biology.

Specific skills

The following skills are important:

• Listen and understand the patient.
• Empathize, but at the same time do not take everything too seriously.
• Shut off from extraneous problems.
• Maintain distance if required by the client.
• Keep secrets, secrets.

Link to professional standard:

https://classinform.ru/profstandarty/03.008-psiholog-v-sotcialnoi-sfere.html

Who the psychologist will work with depends on the chosen focus. These could be preschool children, teenagers, families, mentally ill people in specialized institutions

Important

You will have to work using various conversational methods of getting to yourself. If we are talking about children, here you will need to be creative and use additional tools, for example, paints for drawing, plasticine for modeling, etc.

Labor operations:

• Diagnostics or testing. This process is based on familiarity with the personal characteristics of the human psyche. This involves tests, experiments, observation or interviews. It all depends on the specific situation.
• Consultation. A process of communication between a specialist and a client aimed at finding a catalyst and solution to a problem.
• Training. Active training of the patient using the method of emotional self-regulation, elimination of existing obstacles and personal growth through psychological exercises and games. The results obtained are discussed further.

What exams should you take?

If you have already decided on a profession and are now thinking about what it takes to study to become a psychologist, it’s time for you to plan your admission.

After 11th grade

A compulsory subject is Russian. Firstly, it is the state language, knowledge of it is the responsibility of all citizens. Secondly, a specialist in this profile needs to constantly communicate with people. Without the appropriate skills, this will not be easy.

The second exam is biology. It is directly related to the life of the human body. Without sufficient information about its structure, you should not even dream of a successful career.

The third is mathematics. There is no need to confuse psychology with esotericism or astrology and consider it something like entertainment. This is a difficult industry to understand, where you need to be able to calculate and think logically. In addition to the above subjects, social studies may also be required.

After 9th grade

Many colleges and schools accept students based on the average score of the certificate, which they receive by passing the OGE. The required subjects are Russian, mathematics and two to choose from. To enroll in the Faculty of Psychology, you must choose chemistry, biology or natural science.

University choice

If an applicant wants to engage in scientific activities in the future, it is necessary to find out whether there is an Academic Council at the university.

To gain basic skills, just inquire about the rating and the level of the educational and methodological basis. The main thing is to have accreditation, which will facilitate employment later.

Anyone who wants to fully understand the intricacies of the profession and gain theoretical and practical skills is better off enrolling as a full-time student. This way, you will be able to increase your knowledge every day with the help of competent and competent teachers.

Correspondence and distance learning

Distance learning methods are quite popular. But you need to understand that they are more relevant in terms of self-development. By giving them preference, you should not count on receiving a full education.

Already working applicants will benefit from the opportunity to obtain a specialty without interrupting their work activities. It will be necessary to interrupt it only for the duration of the sessions.

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Education Requirements

Although there are some opportunities in child psychology with a master's degree, most people find that there are more job options at the PhD level. There are several programs that offer degrees in child psychology, but many choose to pursue a Ph.D. or PsyD in clinical or counseling psychology.

After earning their degree, child psychologists must complete a supervised clinical internship, which typically lasts two years, and then pass state and national tests to become licensed in the state where they want to practice. For this reason, it is important to check the licensing requirements in your state.

Pros and cons of the profession

Often the decision to enroll in the Faculty of Psychology is made thoughtlessly. Not everyone understands the true essence of the things that they will face. Students often swallow information from textbooks without taking them seriously, but in vain. Before you finally decide, you should consider all the pros and cons of future activities.

Advantages:

• interesting work from the point of view of science and practice;
• the opportunity to help people;
• likelihood of becoming successful;
• high income;
• a way to understand yourself.

Flaws:

• low respectability;
• low salaries for entry-level specialists;
• tension, stress;
• lack of budget places in universities.

I want to become a psychologist: where to start my career

First of all, find a job in kindergartens, schools, social and psychological institutions, as this is a suitable start for young people. In the process of activity, diagnostics, correction, and prevention are carried out (you can develop your own methodology over time).

A person with the appropriate education will find a place in a hospital, clinic, dispensary or medical center. His responsibilities will depend on this.

Large trading companies are in demand for specialists who are able to develop corporate culture, control the team building process, assess the personal qualities of staff, and prevent conflict situations.

In addition, there is always a use for a psychotherapist in law enforcement agencies and military units.

Career

Depends on the ability of the psychologist himself to constantly improve and grow in the professional field, to expand the skills and techniques used. Its demand also plays a significant role. In the company, with due diligence, he will be able to rise from the ranks of an ordinary employee to the deputy head of the personnel department. If everything goes well, over time it will be possible to open your own office to provide psychological support to the population. All this is possible only with the necessary education and a tireless desire to constantly improve.