Working as a mental health counsellor can be very challenging. Individuals that are suffering from mental health problems present with difficulties that they experience as extremely exhausting. The intensity of a client’s difficulties can make it very challenging for therapists to not be affected by this. In addition, the variance of a client’s difficulties can also present an intellectual challenge.
Volkmar Dutzen
Volkmar Dutzen a remote based counsellor working from Berlin, states that ‘it is very important to not only see clients with severe difficulties, especially if these difficulties relate to being confrontational and / or challenging to those around them.’ Dutzen further explained that many therapists can fall into the trap of not recognising when they are suffering from burnout and continue to push through without taking adequate breaks. A recent survey found that the best therapists in London take adequate breaks by going on regular holiday trips or by limiting the amount of clients they will treat. Getting good at recognising when it is time to take a break, will prevent those that offer private counselling in London from suffering with stress or other mental health related problems.
Peter Klein
Peter Klein, a psychotherapist in London, mentions that the intellectual challenge facing many psychotherapists should also not be underestimated. When clients voice many things, it can be a challenge to understand what exactly one should zone in on and understand as relevant in regards to the manifestation of their difficulties. Klein further warns that only connecting with the client through intellectual analysis can make therapy far less effective because of the importance of emotional relating and connecting with clients. Combining both can present a challenge in itself and thereby further justifies the importance of taking regular breaks.
Those offering private psychotherapy in London or Berlin will have in similar that they will receive less support compared to those working in institutions such as hospitals. Hospitals afford a more collaborative work experience with many being able to connect with colleagues and other forms of support. Hospitals further are able to tailor which client fits with which therapist. It is heavily underestimated how important it is that both the therapist and the client fit well together on a human to human level. However, many institutions such as numerous NHS trusts apply a very rigid and manualised approaches to therapy and don’t offer the same freedom an individual private psychotherapist has in their own practice. A therapist in London will also have less work to do when it comes to writing reports up for clients compared to a counsellor that is based in Berlin. This is because the German insurance system requires a long report in order to justify a client’s required treatment. The British system places more trust into their therapists by allowing for shorter and more efficient reports to be written up.
Above notes show that offering counselling in London or somewhere like Berlin have many aspects in common. Cultural differences such as varying customs do play a role but the most important aspects are that one chooses a suitably qualified therapist who also presents a good fit on an interpersonal level.
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