Some of you may want to be a psychodynamic therapist, but you don’t know where to start. Read the information below to know more about psychodynamic theory and the way to become a professional therapist.
Educational Background
For those who want to be a psychodynamic therapist in the US, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, psychodynamic psychology, or other related fields. This degree is crucial for everyone who wants to be a counselor, whether they are opening a counseling center or working as a counselor in a specific institution. The good thing is that you can start practicing by only having the degree. For a professional aspect, you may continue your study and get your Master’s degree in psychology or related fields.
Read also: Types of Psychodynamic Therapy
The Process To Become A Professional Psychodynamic Therapist
Since you have to get your Bachelor’s degree before being a therapist in a psychodynamic therapy center, it means that you have to take at least four years. Then, you have to continue the study to get a Master’s degree. The process may take two or three years. It will be better if you can achieve a Doctoral degree. If you are willing to do it, you have to spend five to seven more years. The process is worth it to understand the psychodynamic perspective well before working as a therapist. It is because handling a patient with depression or anxiety is challenging. A therapist has to know the right methods to keep the patient comfortable. Indeed, the therapists have to find the best strategy to solve the problem and bring the patients back to the right path of life.
Another important thing before being a therapist is the clinical hours. It is an important requirement to give you more experience of how to apply the psychodynamic approach in real life, especially with your patients. You will receive a legal license as a psychodynamic therapist when you pass the required clinical hours. Commonly, you must pass through over 2.000 to 4.000 hours of supervised clinical experience to get a legal license as a psychodynamic therapist.
Skills You Need to Become a Professional Psychodynamic Therapist
You need to master several skills that support you to become a professional psychodynamic therapist. Let say you have to master speaking skills, listening skills, observational skills, and analytical skills. You will need these skills to handle your patients. Your patients may need you anytime they want. That’s why it is important to improve your compassion and flexibility skills. A therapist needs good interpersonal, leadership, and patience skills while handling his or her patients. You also have to master specific skills depending on the type of psychodynamic field you want to take. All the psychodynamic approach psychology skills help you to seek something you need from the patients to find the best solution. Learn more on BetterHelp.com.
Things You Do as A Psychodynamic Therapist
In general, you are about to start a psychodynamic counseling session to help patients to overcome their problems. The problems you have to handle are various, including abuse problems, interpersonal problems with family members, problems with colleagues, and even behavioral disorders. For example, you may help a temporarily disable patient who has a traumatic event or chronic anxiety to be more confident and live more independently day by day. Another thing that you will do is using art and music to help patients with chronic anxiety or any other cases overcome their problems. Some of you can also be a psychodynamic therapist that focuses on helping couples, families, or individuals to overcome interpersonal issues. The idea of being a therapist is that you are using your psychodynamic psychotherapy knowledge to help desperate or depressed people to not do things that may harm them or even make them die. You are about to help them to get hope in life, so they can continue their life and achieve dreams.
The point is that the process to become a professional psychodynamic therapist is challenging. You have to get the knowledge and skills by passing through a long educational journey. Indeed, experience has a crucial role because you are about to help people in a real case that may be different from the theory. The more experience you have, the more reputable your career as a psychodynamic therapist.
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