What qualities should a psychologist have? Even people who are far from this profession understand that a specialist in the problems of the human soul is somewhat different from them. First of all, the psychologist has the ability to live his days in a quality manner, and does not waste them. He seeks to systematically restore peace of mind, constantly working on himself. After all, if you do not do this, you can very quickly undermine the nervous system just because of a lack of positive emotions.
As a rule, most people turn to a psychologist only in critical situations, when they do not feel within themselves the strength to cope with the problem on their own. Let us consider in more detail the main personality characteristics of such a specialist.
Empathy
Thinking about what qualities a psychologist should have, it is necessary to note this property of a person. Being able to listen to a client is very important. It is necessary to create a confidential atmosphere in the room where the counseling process takes place. Otherwise, it will not be easy for a person who crosses the threshold of the office to relax and put his thoughts in order. An empathic hearing allows you to achieve high results regardless of the field in which the specialist works: in a children's educational institution, a state organization or is engaged in private practice.
Responsibility
What qualities should a psychologist-teacher have? First of all, this is patience. After all, one has to deal with stresses in children associated with adaptation in the team and various age-related changes. You must be able to take responsibility for the result. Psychologist’s mistakes can be very expensive for patients: making the wrong decision, aggravating the problem, and increasing anxiety. That is why it is necessary to try to avoid them whenever possible. Starting a professional activity, the psychologist must be sure to remember the responsibility imposed on him.
Responsiveness
A good specialist always tries to understand his interlocutor. Turning to a psychologist, each person expects to find support and understanding. As a rule, before seeking help, people try many opportunities to get rid of their fears, doubts and insecurities. Sometimes a lot of time passes before a person really begins to realize the need for change.
Thinking over what personal qualities a psychologist-consultant should possess, one should note such a characteristic as responsiveness. The ability to feel what is happening to the patient, to understand his feelings is very important. Choosing for yourself a profession aimed at helping others, you can not become a soulless robot who cares nothing except his own well-being.
Congruence
This concept means an invaluable acceptance. The psychologist should not try to criticize the person who is at his appointment. You can’t try to impose your point of view on him, to lead to the adoption of a specific decision. Many people ask: what qualities should a counseling psychologist have?
Of course, be emotionally flexible, get rid of internal criticism. Congruence implies that the specialist is trying not to condemn, but really understand his interlocutor.
Observation
What qualities should a psychologist have? In order to be able to identify the problem in time, the specialist should be extremely careful. Here you can’t rush and make hasty decisions. Each spoken word must be weighed for its relevance in this context. Observation is an integral characteristic of work. The more professional the psychologist works, the more carefully he will treat all the details and draw the appropriate conclusions.
Emotional detachment
It is necessary in order to be able to abstract yourself from the story that the client tells. This quality has visible advantages - it allows the specialist not to plunge into the patient’s inner world. Otherwise, the psychologist will not be able to preserve his peace of mind. Gradually, the body's defenses begin to deplete.
When you constantly encounter problems and emotional disorders among others, it is likely that you yourself will adopt some destructive patterns of behavior. For this reason, the psychologist must have strong nerves and protect his mental health. Emotional detachment allows you to learn to abstract from what is happening in particularly difficult moments.
Sociability
Self-control is not a guarantee of success in a professional activity. You need to be a communicative person, enjoy interacting with others. If a closed person comes to psychology, who himself has problems in communication, it will be very difficult for him to work with people. Perhaps he will be able to find out the reasons for the client’s problems, but he will certainly not be able to provide him real support.
Thus, when studying the question of what qualities a psychologist should have, it is necessary to turn to the question of self-improvement. Constant personal growth avoids prolonged anxiety, depression and fears. Since the psychologist constantly interacts with people, he must be able not only to provide real help, but also to protect himself from possible unpleasant consequences. This is not as easy as it sounds.