The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been a new experience for us all. I found that psychologists are currently facing many of the dilemmas and same uncertainty that our own clients have been expressing to us. This pandemic has made us all more vulnerable. We certainly feel that life as we know it has changed on our planet.
I have been practising psychology for more than 30 years. I have also been personally treated with psychotherapy for many years. It has made a huge contribution to the way I have treated my clients. My three decades of practice have also been a reflection of the positive outcomes this has afforded me. I have learned to have my own insight on how to manage the transference, countertransference and triggers associated with treating similar issues with clients. I have experienced a sense of my own healing process, especially during this time of social distancing.
Fears and reflection
COVID-19 has been a challenge that has transformed us; from working from home, to learning new technologies, home-schooling children, and intensively sharing the same physical space with family members. These are some of the issues that we encounter, and those our own clients speak to. Can we separate our own vulnerabilities from the ones our clients present with?
COVID-19 has allowed me to be able to understand my own fears in depth, along with the reactions and triggers. I found them to be connected to my own childhood. It has also taught me to understand my countertransference with certain clients. As a result, I’m able to understand and to be present with those clients, regardless of my internal feelings.
Reading on the topic has given me insight on the importance for psychologists to go through our own analysis. To paraphrase Michael Burge (Australian College of Trauma and Treatment Director), in his article Putting Therapists on the Couch (The Australian, March, 2005), therapists may seem to be pillars of psychological poise and strength to their clients, but they are not immune to becoming depressed, anxious and developing certain conditions that in some ways can parallel some of the problems they are trying to help people with.
Indeed, even Freud was convinced therapists are vulnerable to secondary trauma – the emotional and psychological effect of working with traumatised victims – which can undermine their wellbeing and ability to conduct effective therapy.
My career as a psychologist
When I enrolled to become a psychologist at a university overseas, I undertook a range of assessments and psychometric tests. One of the questions that the university’s assessment team asked was about why I wanted to become a psychologist. I felt challenged by the experience, and also by the fact I was encouraged to undertake psychotherapy myself as part of the learning process. In time, I came to understand how useful it has been for me.
Frustrations during my journey
Some experiences while undertaking my own psychotherapy in Australia involved undertaking interventions with therapists that included their own self-disclosure. This approach did not resolve my trauma and my frustrations got worse. I was paying fees to see a colleague, who was also debriefing by identifying similar issues with me too, which caused me more distress. This was quite disheartening to me. I wanted to be treated like another client with my own vulnerabilities, not as a psychologist.
Peer support and self-disclosure
Peer support is useful to debrief about client cases, or talk about what obstacles we have for certain interventions. I like to learn about other points of views or approaches. It is also my understanding that we have to be able to understand we are not there to dig into our personal lives with a group of colleagues. We know there’s some kind of stigma associated. We are mostly there to exchange or to confirm that the work we are doing is going well in order to support each other. Eventually we can show some ‘weaknesses’ or admit we can become vulnerable as to why client’s issues are impacting on us. This can remain dormant if we are not able to analyse ourselves.
What do we want as psychologists?
As psychologists, we are by nature compassionate individuals and we want to assist others in their own healing process. COVID-19 and my own psychotherapy treatment have taught me we are not superior in our knowledge, but that we should use our knowledge to assist ourselves before we help others. The impact of COVID-19 has reminded me of my own vulnerabilities, and given me an appreciation for what’s really important in life and our connection with significant others.
Seeking assistance as to the impact this pandemic has triggered in many of us should be done in a safe environment. Getting an external psychologist to help us during this challenge is ok.
The therapist needs to take into account that, having another psychologist as a client is not a threat. Therapists are to maintain their own professional boundaries and ethics.
Psychologists are also community members, parents, educators, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters. Understanding our triggers and ourselves will make a difference in our clients’ treatment. Self-care strategies are of course important, but sometimes not enough to manage deeper issues. Psychotherapy is another important tool to consider.
The author can be contacted at [email protected]