Is it difficult to find patients as a psychologist?

As a general rule, the profile of the psychotherapist is essentially vocational: it is made up of people who are very clear that they want to help those who need it. they are having a bad time, or they have a great personal interest in understanding the particularities of the human mind and the most important psychosocial processes.

This fact, which has its advantages and positive aspects, is also associated with some problems that many recent graduates or graduates in Psychology, the leap from the world of studies to the world of work tends to be complex. And even those who already have a Master's and Postgraduate degree to their credit often find themselves in situations where it is clear that they lack knowledge and other resources to maintain themselves in a sustainable way living from what they generate attending patients.

So, it is time to ask yourself: Is it difficult to find patients during the first months or years of engaging in psychotherapy? Or, on the contrary, is it just hard to “earn filming” during the first days? Let's see it in this article, in which we will also review some tips to attract people to your psychologist's office.

Is it very difficult to get patients as a psychologist?

Answering this question involves taking into account several nuances, most of which fall into two main categories: on the one hand, training and professional specialization; and on the other, persuasion and ability to gain visibility among potential clients or patients.

As regards training, it should be borne in mind that the university degree in Psychology, in the majority of countries, is intended as a context in which to learn about behavioral science human; It is not a business school or a place to receive training in the details and ins and outs of day-to-day life as a psychologist. It goes without saying that this basic training addresses the great general themes that Psychology deals with in broad strokes, so that from there the students choose and select their areas of interest in which they can focus their development as professionals once they are already graduates.

With regard to persuasion and visibility, we must not lose sight of the fact that to be a good psychologist it is not enough to do it well; We must also make it known that we know how to do it well. If our professional performance does not become known beyond the four walls of the psychology cabinet, the clinic or the psychotherapy office, our professional career will end sooner rather than later due to lack of patients, and we must not assume Of course, relying on the "word of mouth" of those who are served by us will be enough to maintain a flow of income enough. In addition to helping those who seek our help in therapy sessions as much as possible, there is more to do. Let's delve into it in the next section.

• Related article: "9 keys to Psychology applied to Marketing and Advertising"

7 key ideas to fill your psychology query

These are several keys that you must take into account so as not to stagnate in your attempts to have patients if you dedicate yourself to psychotherapy.

1. The beginnings are complicated, but the Internet can help you

Psychologists who have been in the profession for decades do not have to spend as much time actively seeking opportunities to make themselves known, given that having carved out an image and a history of appearances on the web and in the media, they have a passive flow of patients who come to them.

But If you are starting out, it will be essential for you to dedicate a part of your weekly working hours to making them know you. Nowadays, this necessarily involves having a presence on the Internet, and offering an image professional in the design of your page, in the photographs visible to your potential patients or clients etc We must spare no effort in offering accessibility to the most relevant information about who we are and how we work.

2. Training is key, also to get clients and patients

Today there is a wide range of Masters, postgraduate courses and even short courses aimed at psychologists., and this has its reason for being.

And it is that part of the usefulness of these training programs goes beyond giving you theoretical knowledge and practices to intervene in certain problems and satisfy certain needs that must be addressed from the Psychology; In addition to this, today many people rule out the possibility of going to a psychologist who has little training, and seek more complete or specialized profiles.

3. Collaborating with the media will help you

Before we have seen that it is essential to have a presence on the Internet. However, your marketing plan does not have to be limited to the digital world. To your website and social network profiles you should add appearance at least in the local press, on the radio or television in your municipality, etc. Especially since a part of the population uses the Internet little, something to take into account especially if you specialize in therapy for adults or the elderly.

4. Make sure you are communicating for your potential patients

Take care of the language register you useAnd don't forget that you are communicating not for other psychologists or for people who might be impressed by the use of jargon, but for potential patients; people who do not necessarily have a university education in behavioral sciences and who, not knowing you, do not has a special interest in reading everything you write if what you are communicating is not in itself something that arouses his interest.

5. Find your exact professional niche thanks to the Internet

Finally, remember that thanks to the consolidation of online therapy and online training, it is easier than ever to contact both patients who live far away, such as specialized masters and postgraduate courses in your area of ​​specialization that do not have to be taught in person at your city. This flexibility is something that you should take advantage of, especially since the rest of the psychologists are also doing it and they would take a great advantage of you if you were left behind.

Do you want to train in the practice of psychotherapy?

If you are considering continuing to develop your professional profile as a psychologist, you will be interested in the Master in Integrative Psychotherapy offered by Instituto Mensalus.

This training program lasts one school year and is available in face-to-face, online and mixed modalities, and its main peculiarity is that it allows you to learn hand in hand. of psychotherapists with consolidated professional careers in the world of mental health and who dedicate most of their time to patient care at the Institute itself Mensalus; In addition, students will be able to observe and participate in psychotherapy sessions with real patients. For more information about the Master, visit the Mensalus page.