Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Cleared out old blog links and adding new ones to the side... If anyone objects to either, please let me know!

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It's quite freaky for me to learn that some people want to be psychologists because they think that they can judge others.

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As a noob, training and learning to be a counsellor is painful.

My skills (which of course is limited at the moment) is openly challenged, i am fearful and anxious. There is a lot of pain to hear about and work with in the counselling room which i cannot "bring home" after a day's work. Mistakes are plentiful, disappointment in myself is cutting and sometimes sadly becoming a familiar feeling.

Yet, for now, it doesn't make me want to give up. Instead, it spurs me to want to be a better counsellor. I think it helps greatly that i have the support of colleagues and a good working environment. I noted that this feeling of wanting to be better isn't something i had to force myself to feel that i had to do. I didn't have to tell (or psycho) myself into thinking that i had to take all the negative feedback positively. The desire to improve just comes out naturally from my being.

Some might say, "you're not jaded enough", or, "you just wait". True to some extent. Burnout happens to many a counsellor, and it can happen subtly or drastically. I know i have to be consistently aware of my emotional and mental states, take stock of what's happening to be able to manage the issues as they come.

I wrote this as i was reflecting on what was happening in me and i wondered and then realized how crucial it is for counsellors to have a supportive friend or family member, a network that will help us release the pent up pressure inside. And i think, i'm pretty blessed. :)

For those who know me, i'm generally more of a pessimist, so saying this in all honesty surprises even myself!

7 comments:

Love Jam said...

why do u actually need to **study so hard** to be a psychologist so that you can judge others?

even a two year old kid doesn't need to be trained to judge people.

joline said...

Lucille:

i suspect it's because then they have a "valid" reason to judge.

i wouldn't rule out power as well.

Love Jam said...

still this kind of concept is alien to me. I mean why would I care about any judgments given to me by any psychologist who has been educated in what...scientifically proven valid research, theory and hypothesis?

If I were to meet that sort, :P I will make sure I give them high blood pressure every time they think of me.

joline said...

Lucille:

i think that's what they are not aware of. they think that it's about passing judgment.

for you, it's about science, for them, it's about the act of being critical about others. having the knowledge and "knowing humans" and being able to judge behaviour that gives the kick. kinda like self righteousness, in a way.

being a psychologist requires compassion and there's a lot of responsibility involved. so yeah, if u meet those snobby types, then, ahahha, good luck to them! haha...

zzen said...

haiz. who can dun judge or be judged by others? it is human nature to judge. super human effort to nt judge others, esp subconciously.society taught us to judge.

Joline said...

zzen:

Very true, very true indeed.

zzen said...

we are all taught from young to judge.but who r we to judge? we are all humans, noone is more superior than another. wat gives us the 'right' to judge others? puzzling, but many pple assumed tis right.