Psychological support - what exactly is it? Psychological help for the elderly

It is no longer misunderstood as a sign of mental illness.

People are increasingly ready to accept such a phenomenon as psychological help, go to consultations with a psychologist (similar to Western countries where it has generally become the norm to take care of your mental well-being as well as your bodily well-being). At the same time, many do not fully understand who a psychologist is and what he does, what exactly this specialist can give in the process of joint work.

Possibilities of psychological assistance

So what does a psychologist do?

A psychologist helps a person to determine what is a problem and what is not.

This applies not only to the specific situation with which the client applied, but also to the development of such a diagnostic skill for the future (that is, the client will be able to independently determine in the future where there is a problem and where it does not exist, based on clear evaluation criteria)

The psychologist at the consultation provides his client with the opportunity to understand the causes of the existing problems.

It often happens that a person incorrectly interprets the reasons for the emergence of a problem, does not see all the reasons, or focuses on the wrong one. build a clear scheme for the development of the problem or an individual mechanism for launching it (a standard “trigger”), significantly deepening your understanding of the existing problem.

The psychologist, together with the client, develops ways to solve problems and helps the client follow the chosen path from beginning to end.

Some people believe that in order to solve a problem, it is only necessary to understand its causes. This is not so, which can be easily proven. Let's say you have a fear of dogs, and you find out that this fear was triggered by a specific traumatic situation from the past (for example, you were bitten by a dog), and you also have an unmet need for physical security (which causes new fears to form). You have understood this very clearly. Well, is the problem gone? No, because just understanding these reasons does not give you the opportunity to solve the problem (trauma from the past has not been worked out, the need for security has not yet been satisfied). Therefore, it is necessary to work with a psychologist to work out the causes of the problem found. What will the psychologist do with the client in this case? Assistance will include different ways problem solving, choice the best option and accompanying the client on the chosen path from the beginning to the very end, until the goal is achieved.

The psychologist helps to express the unexpressed, get rid of the accumulated, return the lost and acquire the desired.

Psychological help sometimes it resembles magic, despite the fact that it is based on quite clear mechanisms for the functioning of the psyche. Why? Yes, because the result is sometimes so amazing that you can’t even believe it. What does a psychologist do that can be called a miracle? For example, in many cases Can return lost feelings to a person, recover from chronic diseases (psychosomatics), after for long years searches for one consultation to discover the meaning of your life or your purpose, to increase your income several times over, or to suddenly get rid of the fear that haunted you for many years. The author of this article is an avid materialist, and therefore fundamentally does not use pseudoscientific and near-scientific methods in his work. And at the same time, more than once it was possible to encounter things that would seem simply incredible to a beginner in psychology. And there is nothing magical here - it's just the work of a specialist who knows the intricacies of the functioning of the psyche, as an auto mechanic knows the intricacies of a car.

A psychologist provides a person with support, acceptance and understanding, which are difficult to find in Everyday life even the closest people.

From this article you will learn:

When is psychological help needed for the elderly?

What are the methods of psychological assistance to people in old age

How to provide psychological assistance to a self-lying elderly person

What problems can you face when helping the elderly?

Who else besides a psychologist and relatives can provide psychological assistance to an elderly person

We all experience stressful situations from time to time. While we are young, we can easily cope with them, but in old age it becomes much harder for people. Sometimes even the care and support of relatives is not enough to console a pensioner. Psychological assistance to the elderly is a rational solution in such a situation.

When do you need mental health care for the elderly?

Firstly I'm talking about financial issues. Pensioners, as a rule, are unable to work, and, therefore, cannot always provide themselves financially. In addition, a sharp deterioration in the quality of life and working conditions in our country has affected all categories of the population, especially people of retirement age.

According to statistics, it is the elderly who are the socially unprotected category of the population. They need special attention and governmental support. Many of them lost all their savings in one day, and this money was intended to provide "a decent old age and funeral." For pensioners who find themselves in such a situation, socio-psychological assistance is simply necessary.

Everything they believed in, their ideals and achievements, were devalued. Pensioners have found themselves in a position where the young population does not show them respect, moreover, there is an opinion that the elderly have become a "burden" for workers. Psychological assistance to the elderly allows them to cope with inner feelings and anxieties.

Secondly, the moral relationship between an elderly person and society leaves much to be desired. An elderly man retired, because of which his social circle narrowed sharply. After the death of one of the spouses, pensioners, as a rule, spend their lives alone. Psychological assistance to the elderly in a situation of loss loved one allows them to gain the strength to start living anew.

Character traits that become more pronounced in old age, and sclerotic processes complicate the situation of pensioners. They have emotional-volitional disorders, depressive states. Vital tone falls, all kinds of diseases develop. According to experts, the deteriorating state of health of pensioners is determined by their pessimism about the future. The provision of psychological assistance to older people who need support is a manifestation of the state's concern for the elderly.

The most difficult thing is to extend an independent and active life in old age. As a rule, older people put their lives on pause after retirement. This is due to the fact that they labor activity limited, they change their habits, reconsider their value orientations. Pensioners have social and everyday difficulties, problems with adaptation to their new position and conditions. Of course, psychological assistance to the elderly in Russia is provided to many elderly people, thanks to which they manage to take a fresh look at themselves and their lives.

Senior citizens are especially socially vulnerable. We are talking primarily about economic factors. The elderly receive a small pension, and getting a job is not so easy.

Traditional family foundations are gradually being destroyed. This has led to the fact that the older generation is not treated with respect. Many older people live separately from their children and grandchildren. They have to fight alone with diseases and problems. Previously, young family members took responsibility for grandparents, but now state institutions take care of this.

According to statistics, women live 12 years longer than men. That is why there are so many older single women.

Loneliness is no longer the problem of an individual who has not been able to adapt to society. Today it is a serious social issue.

Older people become lonely for many reasons. We are talking about individualism, egocentrism, isolation, alienation. Pensioners suffer because of their loss in society. Loneliness is accompanied by depression, and sometimes active protests.

Third, the problems associated with the poor health of pensioners are extremely important.

Due to chronic diseases, a person loses the ability to self-service. He has difficulties in communicating with children, grandchildren, friends. The elderly person becomes irritable and touchy. Senile depression can lead to suicide or leaving home. It is important to understand that they are very lonely, and it is difficult for them to endure their alienation, the presence of illnesses, weakness. Psychological assistance to older people in a difficult life situation, of course, is needed, but sometimes it is also required by his relatives.

Fourth, it is important that pensioners can rarely organize interesting leisure activities for themselves. And the needs for interesting entertainment, hobbies persist. It is important that their cultural and moral needs are met. Psychological help for the elderly social sphere allows pensioners to adapt to their new role in society.

Every fifth citizen of the Russian Federation is a pensioner. Every family has at least one elderly person. Therefore, the problems of the elderly have become universal. The elderly need increased attention from society and the state.

Features of the behavior of pensioners, on the basis of which assistance to the elderly is built

Old age is the final phase of human development. In other words, the body begins to age, which is manifested by involutional signs. Appearance a person deteriorates, his vital activity decreases, mental reactions and psychological characteristics change, physical capabilities are limited. Psychological assistance to older people who are faced with such changes is especially needed.

Becoming a pensioner, a person changes his attitude towards society. There is a reassessment of values, he takes a fresh look at such concepts as happiness, kindness, the meaning of life, etc. The well-being of pensioners depends on what kind of atmosphere has developed in the family, how family members distribute responsibilities among themselves.

Precisely define the chronological boundary that separates mature age old age is impossible. The fact is that each person has his own characteristics. We are talking about character, physical data, psychological and mental stability. The processes of perception are weakened, motor activity becomes more difficult, memory deteriorates, but these processes proceed differently for each person. Some older people remain creative and mentally active in old age.

Young people tend to give a positive assessment of their future. The fact is that the main achievements, successes, best moments they are waiting ahead. This attitude to life helps them think positively, which determines their behavior.

An older person evaluates his perspective differently. For him, the end of life is something quite real and close. His thoughts concern the past, he is psychologically preparing to leave this world.

The formation of stereotypes of old age is determined by the position of older people in society. As a rule, this stereotype applies to all elderly and elderly citizens. The following stereotypes are distinguished:

positive stereotype. Older people are treated as those who have great life experience and wisdom. These people need to be respected and taken care of.

negative stereotype. A pensioner is considered an unnecessary, superfluous, useless "freeloader", and his experience is outdated, inapplicable in our time.

Alas, modern society perceives old age in a negative way. The fact is that a painful form of mental aging is quite common. In addition, pensioners show mental and physical illness. However, pain in old age is quite normal. In an elderly person, memory and intellect are weakened, characterological defects are formed, that is, he becomes stingy, grumpy, etc. Pensioners, as a rule, are passive, have a limited range of interests.

Some researchers, on the contrary, praise old age. They talk about the spiritual evolution of an elderly person, about the aging of a biological organism, which is accompanied by the development intellectual potential. In other words, old man physically weakened, but spiritually he develops. Pensioners experience a feeling of complete satisfaction with themselves and the world around them. They themselves call their state of happiness.

That is, some older people live a happy old age, which is a favorable psychological state and brings a lot of positive emotions. These pensioners are engaged in active mental activity, comprehend the meaning of their lives, know themselves. They develop a new valuable life attitude, which involves complete self-satisfaction, outside world, life circumstances.

According to the third group of researchers, old age is a combination of positive and negative aspects. Of course, a person ages, but this process is accompanied by certain positive changes. An elderly person can develop many of his abilities, reveal his talents.

Each person reacts to their own aging differently. The pensioner forms an attitude to the fact that past opportunities have been lost, to a new position in society. The personality of an elderly person is transformed, but at the same time, its features are preserved. Old age is not accompanied by a change in personality characteristics, its moral and social qualities.

Adaptation to a new situation becomes more difficult if a pensioner, even in his youth, preferred to refuse to solve current problems, did not use favorable opportunities. As a rule, passive people who are accustomed to following the instructions of others cannot adapt to new living conditions. Having retired, they feel lost, helpless and perceive old age as part of a negative social stereotype.

According to American psychologists, the following five individual types of aging are distinguished:

Regression. The elderly person returns to the past form of behavior. He "childishly" demands that he be helped with daily activities. At the same time, his helplessness does not depend on the state of his health;

Escape. The pensioner changes his place of residence to avoid the need to solve problems;

Insulation. An elderly person becomes passive, does not participate in the life of society;

The aged aspires attract the attention of others;

Pensioner seeks to participate in public life , does not pay attention to health problems, the presence of ailments.

In some situations, an elderly person revolts against the aging process, desperately tries to preserve his youth, is afraid of death. Sometimes older people calmly perceive their old age and safely live this stage of life.

It is important to understand that a person's attitude to old age depends on what his life was like. life path at the previous stages. Prosperous old age is determined life values, attitudes, personality traits. Working with older people requires knowledge about their social status, mental characteristics, material and spiritual needs.

What are the methods of psychological assistance for the elderly

Consider the methods of psychological assistance to the elderly:

Psychological education

Such psychological assistance to the elderly involves the study of special literature (brochures, memos, etc.). The literature contains information about the difficulties faced by pensioners, about psychological features advanced age. This method is accessible, but does not imply the possibility of an individual approach to each elderly person.

Consulting

Psychological assistance to the elderly is provided orally and is characterized by an individual approach to each client. The counseling process allows you to expand the idea of ​​a pensioner about old age, lifestyle in retirement, helps an elderly person get rid of psychological problems.

Do not lock yourself into yourself and your problems. An older person needs to communicate with other people more often;

It is important not to succumb to apathy. The fact is that it is precisely because of it that there is a decrease in activity, anxiety states, thoughts about an imminent departure from life, etc .;

You can't feel sorry for yourself. If an elderly person has a desire to feel sorry for himself, then he needs help, offer to take care of others;

It is important to keep positive attitude. Despair - main enemy an elderly person, because if you constantly think that “life is coming to an end”, then you can become depressed.

group work

As a rule, the groups include older people who have a negative attitude towards their retirement age.

We list the main principles according to which groups are formed:

Industrial. Organizations and businesses are preparing older people for the upcoming retirement period. This principle has an important advantage over others. The fact is that many members of the group already know each other, which means that psychological assistance to the elderly will be more productive.

Territorial principle(at the place of residence). This principle has one indisputable advantage. Psychological help for the elderly will be especially useful, because after the end of the course, the members of the group will continue to communicate with each other, because they live close to each other.

Groups in which psychological assistance is provided to the elderly can be formed both on a territorial and production basis.

The program of work is determined by the characteristics of the group. Some pensioners need communication training, creativity training, etc.

Psychological assistance to the elderly allows pensioners to adapt to the new conditions of their life.

The learning process helps retirees feel comfortable in an ever-changing environment. Unfortunately, the ability of pensioners to learn is often underestimated. However, older people acquire new skills and do it quite successfully.

Psychological care for older people in Europe is provided through cognitive skills training, which is considered the most effective method psychotherapy. This training is simple and understandable for older people. Psychological assistance to the elderly makes it possible to compensate for mild cognitive deficits. Pensioners solve crossword puzzles, study languages, history and other disciplines, attend lectures, interest clubs. Thanks to this, their memory, attention, logical thinking improve significantly.

According to foreign experts, one should be careful when using such psychotherapeutic methods when working with pensioners. Group psychological assistance to the elderly contributes to a deep understanding of oneself, an adequate assessment of one's situation. The elderly are aware of their age features, and this can cause anxiety, concern, depressive states. Group techniques have contraindications. Such psychological assistance to older people can also be harmful if they have hearing loss, they are in a state of depression, etc.

Group psychological assistance to the elderly is useful if the participants are united by common concerns, interests, problems.

By the way, older people like to take part in excursions, picnics, walks, board games.

The Older People's Club invites its members to take up carpentry, modelling, gardening, picking herbs, etc. Senior citizens participate in competitions, exhibitions and sales. The proceeds go to the club's budget. Items made by the elderly are used by the club for their own purposes, donated to the needy, etc. The clubs organize meetings of collectors and other events.

Providing psychological assistance to the elderly

Consider what the psyche of a bedridden elderly patient is. A person who is sick for a long time perceives the world negatively. He forgets what positive emotions, vitality. The pensioner suffers from his physical limitations, painful sensations. He is afraid, he feels helpless. He experiences these feelings all the time. For this reason, he is in a state of stress, which turns on the system of biochemical regulation in the body.

The patient thinks about his uselessness, feels like a "burden" for loved ones. Recovery processes, as a rule, are delayed, which creates the illusion that the treatment is pointless, since it does not bring any results. The patient falls into despair, he develops depression. Of course, depression is not conducive to recovery. This disease gradually deprives a person of the ability to resist and fight diseases.

Usually a patient who has come to terms with his situation ceases to carry out rehabilitation measures. It is important that at this moment the pensioner is not left alone. Psychological assistance to the elderly in such a situation is simply necessary. It is desirable that the patient concentrates on his successes, which he managed to achieve during the rehabilitation.

It is important that the elderly person remain enthusiastic and strive for recovery. Relatives should encourage him and support him in every possible way. It seems that recovery is a completely natural goal for the patient, but in fact it is not. A person must decide for himself that he wants to recover.

However, you need to understand that coping with a cold is easier than with a disease that torments the patient for many years. The longer a person suffers from an illness, the less purposeful he becomes. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen his faith in the possibility of recovery. Psychological assistance to the elderly allows you to support patients who are already desperate and have lost faith in themselves.

To achieve your goal, you have to develop a plan. It is divided into sections, and then proceed to action. Do not puzzle a sick person with large-scale goals. The fact is that it takes several years to achieve such a goal, and the elderly need positive result already in the near future.

You can set him a task that he can handle within a few days. For example, learn to turn in bed, sit up, etc. Just talking about recovery is not enough, you need to act. To cope with the fears that prevent this, psychological help may be required for older people.

Of course, the patient will not perceive what you are trying to convey to him if you constantly reproach him. Try to argue your proposals, tell in detail what exactly is happening with his body, and how he can help himself.

Break your goal down into steps. To do this, you will have to delve into the essence of the disease, draw up a treatment plan, strictly follow the doctor's recommendations. Study the drugs prescribed by the doctor, the recommended methods. If you understand what is happening with the patient, then you can convey to him how to deal with the disease.

The main obstacle to recovery is self-pity. Alas, older people tend to feel sorry for themselves and this prevents them from following the treatment plan. Of course, a bedridden person evokes our sympathy.

Of course, it is quite natural to experience such emotions, and they help the relatives of the elderly to unite and support him at a difficult moment in his life. However, sometimes such feelings become hypertrophied, which makes the patient perceive his illness as something insurmountable. The patient begins to think that the situation is hopeless.

And, of course, these thoughts make him feel sorry for himself, which robs the patient of the last strength. He becomes more irritable, receptive, touchy, pessimistic.

He doesn't want to do exercise, which leads to a stop of the recovery process. Psychological assistance to the elderly in such a situation can act as a lifeline that allows you to set the patient in a more positive way.

To encourage the patient, you need to familiarize him with positive feedback about recovery after suffering a similar illness. Try not to focus on the negatives, but on the contrary, pay attention to the successes. Tell the patient about people who have had the same illness and recovered. Convey to him how important it is to fight sad and hopeless thoughts.

What are the challenges you face when helping an elderly person?

Psychological assistance to the elderly allows pensioners to take a fresh look at themselves and the world. However, working with the elderly is a tricky business, because patients are “complainers” who are not ready to accept responsibility for their current situation. In addition, they are unwilling to act to solve their problems. As a rule, the opinion of a pensioner is very categorical and categorical.

His world is filled with formed norms, ideas, concepts that he does not want to revise. His ideals become a support for him, which allows him to maintain inner peace in a situation where the surrounding reality strongly does not meet expectations. Older people cannot change their beliefs, think flexibly. Of course, older people need psychological help, but they are not always ready to face the truth.

Elderly clients do not respond well to psychotherapy methods that involve changing behavior, thinking, perception of themselves and the world, as they do not want to accept their responsibility for the current state of affairs. For this reason, psychological assistance to the elderly is not always effective. Moreover, pensioners often devalue the actions and professionalism of a psychologist.

Psychological assistance to the elderly is complicated by another point. Retirees tend to live in the past, comparing the current situation with the one they have in their memories. It happens that a psychologist reminds them of some person from the past, and they transfer their attitude towards that person to a specialist. The imposition of any role negatively affects the counseling process, and it is quite difficult to overcome it, because older people are quite rigid in their judgments.

Psychological assistance to the elderly involves a shift in focus from the opinion that “old age is not a joy” to a positive understanding of this wonderful period of life. A pensioner must understand that old age is beautiful, like any other life stage.

Who can provide psychological assistance to the elderly except a psychologist and relatives

A modern boarding house for the elderly is a comfortable center where guests are served by highly professional specialists. The institution is distinguished by favorable living conditions, qualified medical care, healthy eating. Of course, the boarding house also provides psychological assistance to the elderly.

The boarding house offers its guests:

Creative activities, interesting communication;

Interesting activities aimed at the rehabilitation of patients;

Opportunities to meet cultural interests;

Participation in public life.

Psychological assistance to the elderly involves activities that contribute to the painless adaptation of pensioners to life in modern society.

Psychological assistance to the elderly involves the use of modern techniques that allow pensioners to restore their social functions to improve their quality of life. The effectiveness of psychological assistance is determined by the activity of the elderly.

Psychological assistance to the elderly involves the use of the following methods:

Art therapy;

Bibliotherapy (influence with the help of a literary word);

Music therapy;

clay therapy;

Gardenotherapy (growing and caring for plants).

Pensioner can not solve your problems on your own. To do this, he needs the support of loved ones and, of course, psychological help.

In our boarding houses we are ready to offer only the best:

Round-the-clock care for the elderly by professional nurses (all staff are citizens of the Russian Federation).

5 meals a day full and diet.

1-2-3-seater placement (for recumbent specialized comfortable beds).

Daily leisure (games, books, crossword puzzles, walks).

Individual work of psychologists: art therapy, music lessons, molding.




Psychological assistance is an activity for the application psychological methods for emotional support, education, development and improvement of the socio-psychological competence of a person. Psychological assistance is work to resolve various kinds of psychological problems, the search and choice of ways out of a crisis situation.

Types of psychological assistance

It is difficult to separate individual types of psychological assistance cannot be strictly diluted. As a rule, they are distinguished by the one who provides this assistance. Not a professional can provide psychological support and assistance - friends and relatives of a person, colleagues, mentors, etc. There are people who have the ability and need to help other people. They often intuitively find the right words and use techniques that are used in psychotherapy. Psychological assistance from specialists educated in this field is more structured and more effective. This work touches on the deep causes of psychological conflicts and problems.

Professional psychological assistance is divided into:

Psychoprophylaxis (prevention of psychological problems).

Psychological education (consulting individually or in the format of lectures, seminars and trainings).

Psychodiagnostics (psychological testing or experiment to identify certain psychological indicators (emotions, memory, thinking, attention, etc.)).

Psychological counseling (psychological assistance to improve their adaptation, development and expansion of personal potential).

Often, psychological assistance is provided by several consultants together, a doctor - for example. At the same time, each specialist advises a person on issues in which he is more competent.

The provision of psychological assistance can occur both individually and in groups (group psychotherapy, for example).

Features of psychological assistance

The most important condition for the provision of psychological assistance is its voluntariness. Exceptions are people with severe mental disorders(psychosis, addictions), when the so-called “criticism of one’s condition” is violated and a person refuses psychological help. The task of the consultant in this case is to win over the person and convincingly explain the need for such assistance.

The requirements for a counselor who provides psychological assistance are sincerity, the ability to empathize with others, personal flexibility and invaluable acceptance of those whom he helps.

Psychological help has ethical principles:

Friendly and "warm" attitude towards the client, the ability to listen to him without interrupting, and to understand without criticizing.

First of all, attention to the norms and values ​​of the client, and not to the norms and rules accepted in society. Acceptance of a person's values ​​determines not only the ability to support him, but also allows you to change these values ​​in the future, for the sake of the client's psychological well-being.

The consultant is not allowed to give specific advice regarding a person's life-changing decisions. The consultant acts as a professional expert, helps to understand the difficulties, teaches specific psychological tricks, but only leads the client to a decision that he must make on his own

The anonymity of psychological assistance means that any information provided by the client cannot be provided without his consent to any organizations and other persons, including close people.

Clear delineation of personal and professional relationship between consultant and client. Friendship, partnership or sexual relations can harm the process of providing psychological assistance.

Psychological assistance in Moscow can be obtained from various organizations. It is provided free of charge by consultants of Helplines, social and psychological assistance centers, charitable and non-profit organizations. In commercial structures, psychological assistance is provided on a paid basis. The advantage of such assistance is that the specialist has an additional motive to be more attentive to his client, he has more time and money to help the person. When providing psychological assistance on commercial terms, an agreement should be drawn up, which specifies the scope and terms of assistance, the rights and obligations of each party.

Alas, but in the field of psychological assistance in Moscow, for example, you can meet many incompetent "specialists" or even scammers. If you are careful, you will be able to make inputs about the consultant's real motivation.

It is important not only to choose the right specialist based on his specialization and experience, but also on the compatibility of the personality of the consultant and the person being consulted. There are no perfect consultants, you need to find the one who is right for you.

, psychotherapist, candidate of psychological sciences, "Time of Joy"

It is normal to be afraid of psychologists, especially when you don’t know what will happen in the office. It is terrible that they will manipulate and breed for money, that the psychologist will turn out to be a charlatan and harm, that friends and acquaintances will find out about the psychologist's visits and consider it abnormal. I have been going to a psychologist for 2 years now, and I still feel anxious before every consultation. But, perhaps, starting your own psychotherapy is one of the best decisions in life.

This article is not about the difference in terms: psychologist, psychotherapist and psychiatrist - I admit that everyone already knows this. Not about clinical cases when a person simply needs help. And not about psychologists who interfere with their approach to working with astrology, esotericism and other worlds - I did not go, did not try and do not know anything about it. Here about psychologists for life.

How to understand if it's time to go to a psychologist

The main sign is that something does not suit you in your professional or personal life, but you do not have enough strength to cope with the problem on your own. You have been working in the company for 5 years, and the bosses do not promote you and do not pay attention - what to do? You are 30 years old and you are still afraid to communicate with people - what to do? You argue with your spouse every other day, this affects the children, and a divorce will affect even more - and what to do? Psychologists call this a request.

I felt that I needed a psychologist a couple of years before I started going to counseling. Even despite the fact that in our family, going to a psychologist meant signing your own inferiority. I had no friends, and I was worried about my loneliness. In communicating with people, I felt that I had to constantly deserve this communication. I didn't have relationships with girls for more than 3 months - and this did not add confidence in myself. I realized that I can't do it myself.

Most often, people apply in a state of need - a person is dissatisfied with himself or the situation and wants to find a solution. In this sense, only you can understand whether you need a psychologist.

What to come with

There is no need to prepare specially. It is enough to have a formed request and a willingness to be frank. A request is a problem or wish:

In this case, you do not need to bother with the wording. You can come with the most abstract “I want to become happier” or “I don’t know what I want - nothing makes me happy.”

Sometimes they just come to support. I came with a desire to increase initiative and leadership, and two years later I am learning to work with anger. At the first consultation, the psychologist listens to what you came to him with, clarifies the request - and together you will agree on how the work will go. Only then will you begin to delve deeper and work on the causes of the problem.

The next important point is the willingness to work. Whether you will delve into the past, talk about childhood, dad and mom, or work with the emotional state - depends on the approach of the psychologist and your wishes. But the therapist will not solve the problem for you. It only guides you, helps you ask yourself the right questions, draws attention to important points. If there is no such readiness for work, it is pointless to go to a psychologist.

Question to the experts: what requests do you get most often?

People come with a specific situation. For example, a person has stress due to a promotion at work - pressure from above, subordinates sabotage. He does not know how to solve it and whether he needs it.

latest trend. If earlier they came to save the family, now they come to be supported during the divorce.

About the professional sphere - it can be your own project, doubts and self-doubt. The topic of money is relevant: who is dissatisfied with their earnings.

The common theme is emotion. A person is experiencing a crisis, no matter in what area, there is anger, resentment or self-doubt. And with that he comes.

Many come about relationships: how to build relationships at work, how to build relationships in a couple.

How to choose a psychologist

Eat different ways how to divide psychologists into categories.

By method and approach to work. Psychologists write special terms on their websites: gestalt therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, emotional-figurative therapy, psychoanalysis, transactional analysis, hypnotherapy, body-oriented therapy. It's hard to know which one to choose from. Psychologists and people in the subject will understand this. Is there something faster?

By type of client. Child, adolescent, family, career psychologist. But this is already on the surface. And how to choose further?

On request. There are highly specialized psychotherapists who work with only one specific request, while others do not. For example, panic attacks, cancer patients, conditions after emergencies.

And there are psychologists with a more general approach who have mastered several methods of work and select them depending on the problem and the type of personality of the client. For example, when a client blames the boss, wife or matchmaker for the problems, provocative or even tough questions will do to help the person see the causes of the troubles for themselves. If the client comes depressed or with tears in his eyes, the psychologist chooses a gentle approach, uses open questions and seeks to improve his condition.

You can also split it like this. There is work with the body, with emotions and with the intellect.

In simple words, a smart person who understands a lot of things - he needs to stop understanding everything and look at his emotions and body.

A person who, through yoga and practice, has achieved emancipation and openness - he may have problems with the framework, obligation, fulfillment of obligations and punctuality. Such a person, on the contrary, would go to a rational psychologist or psychoanalyst who would help direct this creative energy in a constructive way.

What criteria to choose

1. Higher education. Psychological problems sometimes border on physical or mental illness. A good psychologist understands these subtleties so as not to harm and redirect the client to the right specialist in time.

Universities do not guarantee the level of professionalism. Some of them give too theoretical knowledge, which are divorced from reality, and diplomas are bought. But anyway higher education suitable for the first selection filter.

2. Additional education and advanced training. A good psychologist updates his knowledge and masters new methods of work. Find out when the psychologist received his last education, what diplomas and certificates the psychologist has, what methods of work he knows and what they can give in your case. Read about these methods, evaluate whether you are comfortable working this way or not.

3. Personal therapy of a psychologist. A psychologist is the same person, with his own human problems. So that he does not interfere with his personal assessments and reactions in working with a client, he constantly undergoes personal therapy with another, more experienced psychologist. The second advantage is that if he himself has worked, for example, family relationships, it will be easier for him to help his clients in this matter. Feel free to ask the psychologist how many years he has been in personal therapy and whether he is going through it now.

4. Supervision - professional mentoring. There is no patient and no personal therapy in this work. A more experienced psychologist helps a less experienced psychologist to become more experienced. Supervision has become a basic rule for the education of a psychotherapist. And in some areas of psychotherapy, without this it is impossible to obtain official status. Ask the psychologist if he is supervised and if it is permanent.

I see that I was given 6 years of Gestalt therapy training in Paris, where we were supervised, practically were clients every week and worked with our requests. And when I compare this with a RANEPA diploma, I understand that the value of practice is incomparable with any diploma.

5. Reviews and recommendations. Do not blindly trust the reviews on the websites of psychologists - they can be written to order or taken out of context. Ask on social networks to recommend a good psychologist if you are ready to take such a step. Find reviews real people in public social networks or thematic forums. If there is only a website of the psychologist himself, see if there are links to social networks in the reviews - write to people in a personal and make sure everything is okay.

I would be careful not to pay attention to the websites of the psychologists themselves. A well-promoted psychologist does not mean a good psychologist. This means that either he has a good PR person, or he himself has made progress in this.

6. Your personal impression. Main criterion choice - your personal attitude to the psychologist as a person. Effective work with a psychologist is based on mutual trust. The counselor creates a safe foundation in counseling on which you can share experiences and practice changing your behavior. This security is based on trust. Trust your intuition.

What are the types of consultations

Psychologists work in two formats: group lessons and individual. And individual ones are conditionally divided into a personal meeting and Skype. There are also mass formats, such as webinars or master classes, but they are only suitable for informational purposes, so we will not dwell on them.

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of each format.

On group therapy psychologists inevitably blur attention to several people and cannot always respond in time to the emotions that you experience. Plus, it is not always comfortable to open up in public, to share shameful moments from life.

But in group sessions, the psychologist sees how you interact with other people and what defense mechanisms work in you. And if the psychologist managed to create a friendly atmosphere in the group, then the participants begin to support each other. Psychologists call this group dynamics, which is especially valuable if you come to a therapist with the topic of relationships.

In individual therapy There is one drawback - as a rule, it is more expensive. The rest - some pluses. You have a personal contact with the psychologist, in which the psychologist can control all your reactions, direct the work in the right direction and empathize. Psychologists appreciate this contact - so they can be as effective as possible.

In the office of Vladislav Chubarov in Moscow: on the left - a sofa for a client, on the right - a chair for a psychologist

I recommend going to individual therapy first, especially if the person has never touched the subject before. And then discuss with the therapist the possibility of group therapy: how it will help or not help.

What about skype. Psychologists prefer to work in person. So they better understand and control what is happening with the client. But if you constantly go on business trips, and the psychologist went on vacation, then Skype is a worthy replacement. The frequency of consultations is more important.

Case from practice. The client at work banned Skype, and he also did not have the opportunity to come to my office. According to Viber, from the car, he stopped somewhere before work - he could not do otherwise. We worked with them for almost six months, and he is pleased with the results.

I had 5-6 Skype consultations. I can’t say that they were less effective, but I personally feel more comfortable consulting. The same thing works here as in other respects: it is always better to chat with a friend in person, drinking coffee on the veranda of a hipster cafe.

How much does a consultation cost

An hourly consultation costs from 1000 to 6000 rubles - depending on the education, experience, fame and place of residence of the psychologist. Skype and group classes are sometimes cheaper, but this is not the rule. There are psychologists who offer the first consultation for free - this is a great opportunity try and get to know a specialist. In addition, Moscow has a Service for Psychological Assistance to the Population, where Muscovites, students, spouses, and the military receive free support.

What happens at the first consultation

The first consultation is conditionally divided into two parts: acquaintance and clarification of the request.

Acquaintance. The client tells why he came and what he wants to achieve. And the psychologist - about his approach to work and how it will go. It is good if the client outlines important things for himself, so that the therapist understands what can and cannot be done. If a person has never been to a consultation, the psychologist will tell you about the rules:

• About privacy. No one will know that you have been to a psychologist until you yourself tell someone about it. And a psychologist, speaking at lectures or conferences, can only mention your case anonymously.
• About security. You can choose not to answer the psychologist's questions if you don't want to, and you can stop the consultation at any time.
• About borders. The relationship between the psychologist and the client is only professional. You don't make friends, you don't build personal relationships, and you don't have sex.
• How will you work. How often do you meet, how long does the consultation last, how many there will be, according to what rules the consultations are transferred and other everyday things.

Request refinement. Often the real request of the client lies deeper than what the client says. For example, a girl plans to make another plastic surgery, and now he doubts and is afraid - the psychologist sees that the problem is low self-esteem. Or, a man admits that he is cheating on his wife, and remains with his wife only for the sake of children - the psychologist finds out that he has a feeling of guilt that originated in childhood in a relationship with his mother. It is good if the psychologist manages to clarify the request at the first meeting.

At the end of the first session, the person must acquire either a new understanding or a new state. Ideally, both. He came, he was sad or full of discord - and he came out inspired and joyful, a lot depends on him, he can change something. The responsibility for the session is still 100% on the psychologist, no matter how many colleagues dislike it.

At the first consultation, tell us why you came to the psychologist and discuss everything organizational issues so that you can continue to work comfortably with each other.

Try. All people are afraid. This fear is normal and natural. Trying is the only way. Come to at least one consultation.

At the same time, prepare well. Ask a psychologist maximum amount questions: does he work with such requests, what kind of education does he have, what approaches to work, does he undergo supervision and personal therapy.

At the first meeting, look at the psychologist, how comfortable it is to work with him, how pleasant he is in communication. If a psychologist is a super-specialist, but there is something in him that is unpleasant for you, it will be difficult. Look for a psychologist with whom it is comfortable to communicate.

Your tooth hurts - you can suffer and wait until it goes away by itself, you can turn to healers. And we can say that there are professionals who work with mental difficulties and emotional problems. And at least try.

And then it is useful to ask the question, has it gotten better? If you feel changes, if there is an emotional upsurge, if there are new ideas, conflicts are resolved, you should stop analyzing the psychologist and continue walking. Because there are clear benefits.

If something confuses you during consultations, talk about it - it is also important for a psychologist to know about it. If you experience resistance, do not rush to end therapy - you may just have reached a sore point. If you feel like you are being manipulated, leave.

What you need to know before going to a psychologist

1. Being afraid is okay.
2. Go if you feel like you can't do it yourself.
3. Before you go, ask the psychologist what education he has, what experience in supervision and personal therapy.
4. Find and read real reviews about it.
5. Try to go to the first consultation.
6. Look for a psychologist with whom you are comfortable - trust your intuition.

The psychological state of a person often depends on his physical data and capabilities, as well as on the state of health. Therefore, for balance and harmony with ourselves, we have prepared a selection for you best advice for health, thanks to which you will become stronger in body and soul. Enter your email and click the download button ↓ and get a portion of useful tips.

Psychological assistance for certain circumstances may be required and perfectly healthy, normal person who finds himself in an unusual situation for himself, whether it is stress at work, problems in relationships with loved ones, parting or loss.

Every day we are faced with different life situations and not always we can find a way out of them. We are tormented by fears, doubts, uncertainty, anxieties, and all this is an obstacle to moving through life easily, freely, joyfully.

Someone continues to doomedly pull the strap of fatigue and hopelessness of existence, and someone begins to look for a way out - consults with friends, reads books, watches films. It makes it easier for a while emotional condition, and then all these experiences roll over again.

And at some point, a person realizes that he needs professional help from a psychologist, psychotherapist, i.e. such a specialist who owns professional knowledge, methods, methods of providing psychological assistance.

Psychological support - what is it all about?

Psychological help is not just a set of techniques and psychological procedures aimed at improving the client's condition, it is, first of all, relationship that heal, lead to changes in real life with other people. These client therapeutic relationships must be truthful and sincere.

Seeking professional psychological help in difficult times is, first of all, taking care of yourself, of loved ones who are close to you and also worry about you.

This is an opportunity to change the quality of your inner and outer life and pass on something other than the usual ways of behaving and thinking to their children and grandchildren as a legacy.

However, it should be noted that psychological assistance is not indicated for acute psychoses and other psychiatric diseases. In this case, you should consult a psychiatrist, and in severe conditions, undergo treatment in a hospital under the supervision of the attending physician.

Who has the right to provide psychological assistance?

It is important to find not just a psychologist, a psychotherapist with many certificates, diplomas, professional regalia, but a person who will inspire your trust, your desire to build a relationship with him, open your heart, share the most intimate and sometimes very painful personal experiences.

Psychological assistance has the right to provide psychologist or a clinical psychologist with a higher psychological education, and received special training in the field of psychological counseling or psychotherapy. It could be graduate additional education, in any chosen direction - gestalt therapy, existential therapy, art therapy, psychoanalysis or something else.

Also, psychological assistance has the right to provide a psychotherapist who has a medical diploma and additional special education in psychological counseling and/or psychotherapy.

Therefore, you can ask about the level of training of the specialist you have chosen. What is the duration of his training? Is this a first or second education? Presence or absence of personal therapy? Work under supervision or not? Does the psychologist you have chosen continue to improve their professional competence?

Membership in professional societies and associations is additional information that you should ask a psychologist or psychotherapist about. A psychologist's confident and fairly open answers to these questions can help you assess his level of professional competence and make a decision.

And most importantly, when seeking psychological help, trust your heart and intuition more. If you want to work with the chosen specialist - feel free to stay, if not, leave and look for the one who will become yours.