7 common fears in a Psychotherapist (and how to manage them)

The profession of therapist is as exciting as it is complex. Accompanying other people in their processes is challenging, since it is a path in which various obstacles can appear. That is why even the most experienced therapists can go through moments of doubt and difficulty.

Becoming a psychotherapist requires a long training path. To the study of the degree we must add the completion of a master's degree and subsequent courses and training to keep up to date. All this seems to be insufficient for many professionals to feel really sure of themselves. Most can deal with the constant feeling of not being enough, of not really being able to do their job.

The truth is that clinical reality and all the complexity that it entails cannot be collected in books. Therefore, there are many lessons that are achieved thanks to the experience itself.

On the learning path, it is natural for psychotherapists to feel fear. Beyond their degree, they are people with their own fears and insecurities, which can surface at certain times.

In this article we are going to talk about the most common fears that a psychotherapist may have, and we will see tips on how to manage them.

7 common fears in a therapist (and how to manage them)

As we have been commenting, there are many therapists who feel insecure when they are practicing their profession. Carrying out a therapy process is somewhat complex, since various obstacles may appear along the way. That is why fears on the part of the professional are common, some of them being especially common. Next, we are going to discuss the most frequent fears felt by therapists and how it is possible to manage them.

1. fear of going blank

A therapy session requires large doses of concentration. The professional must listen carefully to the patient and know what to say at all times. While this dynamic becomes natural and easier with experience, there is always a certain fear of going blank. The psychologist may feel that he does not have an answer to what his client conveys to him. This can make you feel frustrated and even make you feel like a bad professional. In these cases, the most important thing is to be authentic. As a psychotherapist you should not and cannot have an ideal answer for everything. Sometimes you may not know what to say. When this happens, conveying that it is so to the other person naturally will help not to make that moment problematic.

• Related article: "10 essential characteristics of a good psychologist"

2. Fear of not being able to help the patient

It is true that psychologists cannot know everything. For this reason, professionals usually specialize in certain areas, since this way they guarantee a quality service to their patients.

However, it is true that in some cases this fear is more related to a lack of self-confidence than to an objective absence of knowledge. The fear of not being qualified is normal, although it often dissipates as the therapeutic process progresses.

In any case, if as a professional you feel this way and you see that these feelings remain, the best thing you can do is refer to another professional. Referring should not be interpreted as an abandonment of the patient or a way of putting the blame on another. Rather, a referral should involve finding a trusted professional who you know can help that person, in order to refer them to that professional with certain guarantees.

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3. fear of making a mistake

If you make it your goal to achieve total perfection, chances are you'll end up frustrated and exhausted. The profession of a psychologist is complicated and learning to function as a psychotherapist requires time, experience and patience. It is natural for you to make mistakes even when you have been in this sector for many years. Instead of putting the emphasis on not making mistakes, it is preferable that you try to enjoy that process of learning, making those stumbling blocks a way of learning that serves you in the present and in the future. future.

4. Fear of not being in tune with the patient

Beyond the techniques and the work approach that best suits your style, an essential ingredient for the therapy to follow a satisfactory path is the bond with the patient. The bond is what allows there to be a climate of trust, respect and harmony, which allows to have an adequate base to do the rest of the work.

Of course, it's not always easy to bond with a patient. According to our own way of being and values, it is natural that we feel an immediate connection with some people, while with others, getting to this point requires more work. However, professionalism as psychotherapists must make us open and capable of going beyond the superficial to connect with that patient.

Of course, in some situations it may be impossible for you to feel that connection with the patient. In this case, if he himself does not make the decision to quit, the most honest thing to do is for you to close that process and refer it to another professional. Psychologists cannot be absolutely neutral, we have our own style, criteria, values... that can make bonding difficult in some cases. Sometimes the phenomenon of countertransference can occur, in such a way that something in the person and his or her history removes us and leads us to have biases in our professional performance.

• Related article: "Therapeutic Alliance: what it is, how it influences therapy and how it is created"

5. fear of being afraid

The curious thing is that many psychotherapists are afraid, precisely, of feeling afraid. Usually, society has an image of the psychologist in its mind as a neutral, distant, cold figure capable of keeping her emotions at bay.

However, nothing is further from reality. Psychotherapists are, first and foremost, people. People who feel, who have their own life story, fears, doubts and passions. Reflecting that more personal part to the patient does not have to be synonymous with being a worse professional. In fact, appearing genuine and natural is much more beneficial for the therapeutic bond. When this fear appears, remember that feeling fear is normal, whether you have been in this profession for years or have just started your career.

6. fear of criticism

Starting a profession like this is quite a challenge. When working in a team, this inevitably means exposing yourself to criticism. Accepting that others can give us constructive criticism is essential, since it is thanks to them that we can identify and correct our possible mistakes. Of course, this does not imply those malicious criticisms that are raised in an unassertive or disrespectful way.

7. Fear of not knowing how to separate work and personal life

The profession of psychologist is markedly vocational. People who engage in this work do so out of a genuine desire to help others. Generally, those who practice psychology have certain qualities such as the ability to communicate or empathy.

Putting yourself in the shoes of patients and understanding their pain is part of the job. However, it is important to know how to set limits to correctly separate work and personal life.

Some psychologists believe that by bringing their patients' pain home they make better therapists.. However, nothing is further from reality. A good therapist is not only one with great knowledge and vocation, but also one who knows how to take care of himself and his own mental health.

In any other job, the need to disconnect is evident. However, in caring professions like this it's easy to forget the importance of good boundaries. In this sense, it is key that from the beginning you can frame the conditions of the therapy with your patients. In this way, people who ask for your help will know that you are not a robot available 24 hours a day.

• You may be interested in: "Burnout (Burn Syndrome): how to detect it and take action"

conclusions

In this article we have discussed common fears that therapists may experience, whether they are just starting out or have been in their profession for years.

Undoubtedly, the profession of psychologist is complex and exciting in equal measure. Beginning to practice in the field of psychotherapy requires, from the outset, a broad training path with a degree, master's degree and various specialization courses and continuous training. Despite everything learned, many professionals feel insecure in practice. They continually perceive that they are not enough, that they are not able to help, that they are going to make mistakes, etc. Generally, these fears are associated more with a lack of self-confidence than with the actual absence of knowledge. It is because of that fears are common not only in novice therapists, but also in those with more experience.

When working in the field of psychotherapy, professionals often express fear of going blank and not having an ideal response to what their patient says. They may also fear not having enough knowledge, feel fear and vulnerability, receive criticism, not being in tune with that patient, making a mistake or not being able to separate professional life from staff.