Isn't It Standard Practice for People in the Psychiatric Field to Be in Therapy Themselves?

[rucky]

A good friend of mine is a counselor, and it's required of his employer that everybody there attend therapy for themselves. I can imagine there's a good reason for this, and I've heard it recommended as good practice from other professionals in the field. I could imagine that working with war trauma long enough could wear someone down.

[G_j]

1. I heard that this doesn't exist in the military

{..from some talking head today}

[virgogal]

2. Dr Melfi in The Sopranos visited her shrink regularly.

[Bluerthanblue]

3. my experience is that Psychologists are often

involved in therapy- Psychiatrists are sometimes more involved with dispensing/regulating meds-

But my experience is only with civilian life- not sure about the military.. :shrug:

Helpers need help too- second hand trauma is still traumatic.

[rucky]

4. He was a "Psychiatric counselor"

which I'm assuming implies direct contact with vets, talking about feeling, etc. Even then - being around the personal cases like that must weigh down on a person - or at least call for more careful & ongoing screening of caregivers.