A clinical psychologist talks about why some people have a harder time with therapy than others.
In TikTok videos, content creators and A trained psychologist named Dr. Joey We revealed why some people have trouble finding a therapist they connect with.
She shared the biggest challenges gifted people have in therapy.
“Did you know that gifted people have unique needs in therapy?” Dr. Joey asked. “I have worked with many gifted people, especially gifted adults with autism and neurodivergent conditions.”
She admitted at the beginning of the video that this might be a difficult conversation that upsets many people, but that everything she's saying comes from years of experience.
“One of the big challenges is finding therapists who can actually work with clients on a level where they can actually understand them,” she says. “If a client has a higher level of complexity necessary to understand their own psychological problems, or has an internal matrix, or understands their own mind, then less complex That's a problem if you're working with a therapist who doesn't think about it. It was a very unpleasant experience.”
Dr. Joey explained that gifted people need to find a therapist who is at the same level, one level below, or one level above their giftedness.
If the therapist is a step below, there must be a willingness to try to catch up with the client.
Just because some therapists are a step below, doesn't mean they can't help their clients. Dr. Joey explained that it means therapists need to work harder to understand how their clients view the issues and problems they need to talk about.
“You can't rely on some kind of rudimentary thought structure,” she says. “We need to take into account the fact that if the therapist does not do this, a very complex way of conceptualizing the problem is required. [take] When you take them into account, it can be easy to ignore very important aspects of how the client expresses the problem. ”
She pointed out that talented people working in therapy often end up feeling as if they were educating therapists.
She emphasized, “You should get something out of therapy. You should not educate therapists on how to do their job. I fully understand that this comes across as arrogant, but at the end of the day, I believe that each individual should have access to appropriate mental health care.”
Considering how expensive therapy is in this country and difficult to access for some people, there's nothing wrong with refusing to settle for a therapist who doesn't suit your needs. Many people have to go through multiple therapists to find the right one, and this is a recommended practice.
Dr. Joey's insights inform therapists about the different types of clients who come to their door, as everyone should be allowed to seek help for their mental health no matter what. It also asks us to expand our understanding.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news and lifestyle writer whose work explores contemporary issues and experiences.
