Yes, I Can Read Your Mind….and Other Special Psychologist Superpowers
The number one thing people ask when they learn I am a psychologist is, “Are you reading my mind?” At first, I thought it was something people said at bars. Wrong. I have heard this from so many people in so many contexts. So I just started saying, “Yes. Yes I can read your mind. I learned it during my third year of grad school.”
No, I’m not a psychic, though I can see where the confusion lies. In reality, therapy involves a great deal of vulnerability on the part of the client. In turn, the client relies on clinical judgment and intuition from the psychologist. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. Therapy involves a lot of hard work on the part of both the client and the psychologist. Yet this hard work could be one of the most rewarding things you ever do.
Making a first appointment with a psychologist is a big decision. Choosing to begin a process that will make you vulnerable and encourage you to examine your difficulties is not easy. However, the choice of engaging in therapy is incredibly courageous. It takes true dedication to know you might benefit from support other than what you have already done.
As humans we invest a lot of time and energy denying problems, ignoring inner turmoil, coping in less than healthy ways, and saying we are “fine” when we are not. This is natural and we all do it. To break through our walls makes us feel vulnerable. I truly believe it is this vulnerability that makes people fear a psychologist is reading their mind.
I assure you, we are not reading your mind. But someone is reading your mind. YOU ARE. Through therapy and facing someone who listens to problems and helps analyze solutions, it is you who is delving deep into your mind and heart. It may seem like a scary process. At the same time, if you truly want to live a fuller life, trudging through some muck may just get you there.
Remember, if you always do what you did, you will always get what you got.
With that thought in mind, here are a few other secret psychologist super powers:
Psychologists have superhuman hearts. We care. We care a lot. If you struggle, it matters to us.
Psychologists have x-ray vision for excuses. Yes, we know that when you say you were “too busy” to do your therapy homework, you are struggling with it. I promise, you can just say so. We make time for the important things in our life. And when time doesn’t naturally come, it’s probably for a reason.
Psychologists can help you heal faster than a superhero after a knock-down, drag out fight in your favorite action movie. It may seem like a movie or book, but therapy can help you unlock your own healing potential. And once you know how to do it, you can get through pretty much anything. Skills built in therapy last forever.
Psychologists can help you create superhuman awareness. Nothing is quite the same after therapy. And that is a beautifully amazing thing! Therapy helps you put your life, your difficulties, your victories, and your skills into healthy perspective.
Psychologists can fly. In airplanes. (I had to do it).
Note: Opinions expressed in this blog are based on my years of education and experience. These are general statements and should not be used in place of individualized assessment and treatment.
