How do you like the word “think”? Doesn’t it hide behind itself the desire for change, but also the fear of it? After all, people often think about changing their job, changing their bored partner, finding a new hobby, and even turning to a psychologist. But few of those who are “thinking” turn to soul experts. And this is understandable - it is difficult to admit your vulnerability in knowledge, weakness and open up to a stranger. Of course, the result of the work directly depends on the motivation of the applicant. I remember how I showed one mother a drawing of her five-year-old daughter. There were alarm bells ringing, but the lady categorically stated: “Thank you, I have a higher education in economics!” I didn’t quite understand what she was talking about, but I guessed - the information didn’t go anywhere. And yet many people are wondering: how to find the right specialist? And here it would be good to know that people come to psychology in two ways. In the first case, for the sake of a diploma. All you need is a piece of paper confirming your higher education. You never know, it will be useful for career growth in some company. Let it be. In the second case it is more difficult. The man is toiling, he can’t live in peace, and he decides: “I’ll go and study to become a psychologist. I want to understand myself." And he goes and understands it for several years: first within the classroom, then in the profession. A psychologist is not a baker. His services are not in demand every day like bread. Especially for beginners. But I want to eat and I’m too lazy to gain experience for a long time. Then an option arises: do not languish for many years in kindergartens, schools and other low-income places, but start an advertising campaign and open your own center. And here is the first ambush - the psychologist himself did not have enough time to work through the personal “cockroaches” in his head, but he is already trying with all his might share your “sacred” knowledge with others. Yes, there are situations when two one-legged people find support from each other. Not bad already. What if both the psychologist and the recipient begin to resonate in their suffering? Gloom! So, what kind of psychologist do you need? Able to characterize your field in one sentence: I practice in the field of emotional disorders: phobias, anxiety, depression. Or: I am an educational psychologist, specializing in working with adolescents. It is doubtful if there are many directions - a family therapist, a coach, a hypnologist, a child psychologist... There cannot be many specializations. Someone who knows how to clearly explain the process. It is clear that one can overwhelm the uninitiated with “projections”, “transfers” and “sublimations”. Do you need a psychologist to improve your vocabulary or alleviate suffering? A psychologist should not know the answers to all questions. His task is to create conditions for qualitative changes in the client’s destiny. And since people are different, then the work is structured individually. A psychologist is not a guru, not a walking encyclopedia, but a specialist who knows the principles of how the psyche works and knows how to adjust the mental space delicately and effectively. Respects your experience and personal boundaries. A feeling of security, a desire to communicate and reciprocal empathy create a favorable working environment. If you are tormented by the situation and internally you are ready to say goodbye to it, then noticeable results come even after the first meeting. This is not the final resolution of the issue, but only confidence in the correctness of actions and emotional release. Therefore, you have a desire to communicate and work further in order to learn something new, useful and still unknown about yourself. And for this it would be good to start taking action. Or think about it if you are undecided.