Behind the Couch: Are We Failing Mental Health Professionals?
After several months of interning in various clinical settings, I believed that psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, and clinical management staff would be treated with dignity and respect. After all, this is how we tend to treat doctors in our country, right? However, I realized that my assumption was only partially correct, as no two patients who walk into a clinic or hospital are the same. I witnessed multiple incidents where some of my colleagues were mistreated by patients. To illustrate this point, let’s consider a broader context. How many of us would feel comfortable telling our peers that we are going for a “mental health check-up” or visiting a therapist to talk to someone professionally? While these issues reflect society's attitudes, it's also essential to address the challenges faced by mental health professionals. Because both perspectives are important, let's delve deeper into the prevalent issues confronting these professionals.
It’s 8:30 in the morning, and most of us have woken up from our partial or deep sleep, and the first thing we do after switching off our alarm is either check our emails or go on various social media platforms right ? And as we are checking out the new content or reels of your favourite creator, you come across one reel which talks about the famous “Psychology Facts” saying - “According to psychologists, if you can’t sleep at night, then your crush/lover is thinking about you”. On the other hand, imagine an actual psychologist looking at the same reel who is currently pursuing their PhD and is almost very close to making some groundbreaking discoveries. Wouldn’t it make them doubt their strengths and studies? Especially when all these “so-called facts’’ are considered to be true by a lot of viewers online. Even though I am not yet a working mental health professional, I find some of the "pseudo-psychology" content concerning, such as "crash courses in psychology" or even an "AI model" pretending to be a therapist. This makes me wonder how it can possibly be fair for those of us who work so hard to gain knowledge and study for over seven years, only to see these "pseudo-psychology creators" making content based on their personal experiences.
In another incident, I once heard that "work-life balance is a myth." So when discussing the lifestyle of mental health professionals, we often overlook the fact that they are humans first and professionals second. And that it takes years of education and training for them to become a recognized expert in this field. After that, they dedicate countless hours each day to their work, including conducting therapy sessions, filing case studies, completing therapy homework, and attempting to take breaks between sessions. While we love our profession, I often wonder how mental health professionals manage everything. This is especially true for new therapists or psychology interns who must "pay" for their internships. While we gain a great deal of exposure, we are also vulnerable and exposed to challenging cases. So, how can we, as interns, cope with all of this? The issue of burnout and the emotional toll of hearing clients' stories is one of the least discussed problems faced by mental health professionals. This challenge affects both new practitioners and those who have been in the field for many years. While burnout is a common concern across various professions, it can be particularly significant for mental health professionals. Additionally, the act of listening to clients can often feel overwhelming. Although we receive training from our master’s programs on managing our emotions, the question remains: what happens after our formal education ends? And we step into the actual world.
Although this may seem like a rant for some or an informational session for others, I want to clarify that I am not complaining. My intention is to share my opinion on a crucial issue that often goes unnoticed. I hope that any mental health professionals reading this find some reassurance in knowing they are not alone on this journey. Your challenges and sacrifices do not go unnoticed! You are heard, and as you strive to do a great job, I encourage you to also prioritize your well-being. Sending love and support to everyone who needs it.
And for the ones who are looking for solutions for the same, I have attached a blog which mentions about the same below. Also let us know, if these solutions could possibly help us in potentially fixing these issues.Until the next blog post, take care, you wonderful human beings! And don’t forget to smile!
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