Becoming a Psychotherapist

Abstract

This article presents a first-person narrative about the author's experiences in learning to become a psychotherapist. Among the issues which are touched upon are beginning therapists' initial anxieties in working with patiennts, countertransference, training, supervision and how others outside the mental health field often regard psychotherpists with overvaluation or trepidation. The author concludes that continued training, experience and greater self-knowledge help dissipate the paralyzing effects of early performance anxiety.