Why Free Consultation Is Bad - Society

In professional circles, it is not customary to advertise that psychologists are different, including non-professional. A “bad psychologist” is an unproven specialist (that is, who has not undergone personal psychotherapy), who prioritizes material gain or tries to assert himself at the expense of clients. There are such people in our profession, and this must be understood

Brisk trade

Of course, in the age of marketing strategies, you want to make big money quickly and easily. Psychologists are offered promotion services - offers with the most tempting advertising ideas come to the mail and messengers. They promise for only 40 thousand a month to publish you in several publications and show you on television, as well as mailing lists, calling potential customers and much more.

There is nothing wrong with advertising itself, if psychologists do not forget why they came to the profession. And they remember the professional principles, without which high-quality work is impossible.

Not all advertising moves are suitable for psychological services. When applied, both customers and professionals suffer

Thanks to free chats, webinars, consultations, the work of psychologists only depreciates, traumatizing clients. Because it is impossible to rely on a specialist who does not value himself or fraudulently draws him into his practice.

Free consultation - bait for clients

By making a free consultation, the psychologist does not bear any responsibility for it. Here you can make mistakes, be incompetent and “push” your neuroses into the client. Free consultation is no different from advice from friends. And the client will not be able to make a claim.

A specialist offering a free consultation or the first 20 minutes (this also happens) is interested in luring you into paid meetings. He will use manipulative techniques to push you in the direction he needs.

Catches clients with anxiety and fear. He says that something needs to be done urgently. Offers miraculous methods to solve a problem that only he knows

There are also specialists not of our profession - psychics, astrologers, hereditary sorcerers - that is, all sorts of charlatans who very often call themselves psychologists and offer their services for free. By agreeing to this type of help, you put yourself and your loved ones in danger. If you get off with the loss of several thousand rubles, consider yourself lucky.

Paid for everything

By contacting government organizations that provide free psychological services (educational institutions, community assistance centers, helplines), you can be sure that certified specialists work there.

But you need to understand that their services are not free. Funds are allocated from the city budget or a charitable organization pays for the work of a psychologist. Beginners gain experience during an internship, and this experience is the equivalent of a material investment.

No service is truly free, even though it is called that

Many trainers provide the first consultation free of charge, but this is done with the expectation that a person will sign up and pay for their training. Sometimes they provide a free consultation after the training. In fact, this service is already included in the price of the product - it is not free.

If a person believes that a psychological service is free, then it will not bring any benefit. Help will depreciate, and the authority of the specialist himself, and perhaps the world of psychology as a whole, will be undermined

Experienced professionals who have invested a lot of time and money in their knowledge do not work without payment. They can make an exception for a project, but this is rare. Psychologists need to eat something, somewhere to sleep, rest, dress, support families, improve their professional level, which means that they simply cannot work for free. Accordingly, if free services are offered, then it is worth thinking about why they are offered and what kind of specialist he is.

When to seek free psychological help:

• there is a psychologist in your preschool or school institution, and your child has difficulties in development, learning, communication;
• there is a catastrophe at the moment and you cannot deal with your feelings;
• you or your loved one is on the verge of suicide.

When to apply for paid psychological help:

in all other cases

Even if you are in a position to pay for expensive consultations, you are not immune from the layman

There are many psychologists, but few good specialists. There are even fewer of those who are right for you. But this is the case with doctors, cooks, auto mechanics, hairdressers. We are all looking for someone who is right for us. Don't skimp on your soul. She deserves the time and money spent on her.

Read also:

• What psychologist should you run from? How to choose your specialist
• Psychologist online. Pros and cons
• On the boundaries in the relationship "psychotherapist - client"