My question is: what is being a psychologist like (especially, when a person is sensitive)? Are there ways to combat this feeling and still pursue this carrier? JazakAllahu Khayran.
Answer
In this counseling answer:
• Being a Clinical Psychologist is a very rewarding career, but as you are aware, you do have to deal with some very difficult scenarios that others are facing.
• From an Islamic perspective, it will also help you to appreciate the good things you have in your own life as you work with those who are in more difficult situations that you have faced.
Wa ‘Alaikum Salaam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh sister,
Ma sha’ Allah, becoming a Clinical Psychologist is an excellent career choice. You are right to be aware of the fact that sometimes cases will get to you. As a Clinical Psychologist, you will meet many people along the way who have been through some very tough times, and naturally, especially if you are sensitive, it will affect you in some way. There are, however, many ways in which you can limit and manage the impact that it has on you.
It is important that you engage in supervision, and sometimes even counseling yourself to deal with any difficult emotions that you experience. As a Clinical Psychologist and when training for the role, this is something that you will be offered on a weekly basis, so you can be sure that you will always be taken care of emotionally and be assisted in managing these emotions. There is a lot of support available during and post training to help manage these sensitivities.
You say you are taking relevant courses as you work towards this goal, but you might also like to take up some work in the field if you have time. This will increase your exposure to the potential scenarios that you will face and help you learn how to manage such emotions more effectively. It will help you to build your resilience around facing the difficult emotions of others as well as be good training for you for your future career.
From an Islamic perspective, it will also help you to appreciate the good things you have in your own life as you work with those who are in more difficult situations that you have faced. Therefore it will really give the opportunity to feel grateful for the blessings that Allah has bestowed on you. It will also help you to determine if this is definitely the career you are able and wish to pursue.
There a number of other ways to manage these difficult emotions too, such as separating work from home, actively engaging in self-care, maintaining good social ties, having a hobby and most importantly maintaining a strong connection with Allah.
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On the whole, being a Clinical Psychologist is a very rewarding career, but as you are aware, you do have to deal with some very difficult scenarios that others are facing. However, this is a well-known fact, and there is plenty of regular support available to help manage these emotions.
May Allah make it easy for you to progress with this very rewarding career choice.
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