Managing Common Perceptions of Psychology

[LAPsyGuy]

As I go through training, I notice more and more how psychology and psychologists are perceived in our society. Whether it's incorrect memes about CBT or dynamic theories and treatments, or worries that we are going to analyze casual acquaintances, there are plenty of misperceptions.

What are misperceptions you've encountered, and how do you manage these both in your practices and in your personal lives?

Thanks.

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[smalltownpsych]

As I go through training, I notice more and more how psychology and psychologists are perceived in our society. Whether it's incorrect memes about CBT or dynamic theories and treatments, or worries that we are going to analyze casual acquaintances, there are plenty of misperceptions.

What are misperceptions you've encountered, and how do you manage these both in your practices and in your personal lives?

Thanks.

Here are a few of mine.

1. Confusing us with psychiatrists or other mental health professionals.
2. Thinking that psychotherapy is getting advice or a paid friend.
3. Misperceptions lingering from the days of classical psychoanalysis
   • "Do I lie on the couch?"
   • dream interpretation
   • symbolism - e.g., phallic symbols
   • "it's all about the mother"
4. Last but definitely not least - "soft science" or "not a real science" see above for some of the reasons for this one.

 

[LAPsyGuy]

Here are a few of mine.

1. Confusing us with psychiatrists or other mental health professionals.
2. Thinking that psychotherapy is getting advice or a paid friend.
3. Misperceptions lingering from the days of classical psychoanalysis
   • "Do I lie on the couch?"
   • dream interpretation
   • symbolism - e.g., phallic symbols
   • "it's all about the mother"
4. Last but definitely not least - "soft science" or "not a real science" see above for some of the reasons for this one.

Thanks for a great list. I've definitely got some of those. I also find at parties, when people find out what I do, they tend to be a little too interested or get a little paranoid.

 

[HomeworkHelper]

At social gatherings: "Are you analyzing me right now?" No, but thanks for making things awkward.

I also get the misconception of therapy as "just chatting" or "venting." As I do CBT only, it's reaaaallly not correct.

 

[psyman]

Upon telling a family member I rarely see that I was going to be a psychologist, she said, "oh, is that where you just...talk?" I guess that's what some people think.

 

[463951]

When I explain that I enjoy doing risk assessments at my internship, some people say, "psychologists can do other things besides just talk to people?"

When I talk about my interest in forensics, people say, "like CSI?"

 

[Nahsil]

At social gatherings: "Are you analyzing me right now?" No, but thanks for making things awkward.

Just say yes

 

[LAPsyGuy]

Just say yes

"I am now, and it's not good."

 

[LAPsyGuy]

Upon telling a family member I rarely see that I was going to be a psychologist, she said, "oh, is that where you just...talk?" I guess that's what some people think.

It's always the extremes. It's either just talking or it's fear of profound judgment. So interesting.

 

[MCParent]

At social gatherings: "Are you analyzing me right now?" No, but thanks for making things awkward.

You don't? It's half the fun of getting this training.

I give the analogy that if I were a dermatologist or a dentist then I would probably notice another person's skin condition or dental hygiene pretty early in an interaction. Florid PDs and the like don't hide a lot better.

I don't think they buy the straight "no" and that explanation has worked pretty well for me.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

You don't? It's half the fun of getting this training.

I give the analogy that if I were a dermatologist or a dentist then I would probably notice another person's skin condition or dental hygiene pretty early in an interaction. Florid PDs and the like don't hide a lot better.

I don't think they buy the straight "no" and that explanation has worked pretty well for me.

I do the same. This topic actually came up just this past weekend when I was talking to someone I'd newly met, and your explanation is exactly the same as the one I used--would I have noticed traits of personality disorders (for example) prior to all the psych training? Sure, plenty of people would; it's just that now I have fancy names and symptom clusters to attach to the observations.

 

[PsyDr]

here are my replies to some of those misconceptions:

1) Psychiatry vs. psychology. It gets a little confusing with psychologists and psychiatrists. Some psychologists can write prescriptions, but most do not. Psychologists get a phd or psyd, and tend to spend more time with individual patients.

2) "just talking" A lot of fields look pretty simple when people are not familiar with them. Attorneys just give advice, physicians just listen and write on a little pad of paper. But there's a huge knowledge base behind what people see, which is why our version of "just talking to people" is as effective as antidepressants. When you compare that to just talking to friends, our "just talking to people" is approximately double the effectiveness of friends.

3) psychoanalysis stuff: That's a very old way of doing things that was used during the same time as the Wright brothers' first flight. Just like airplanes, things have progressed since then.

4) Analyzing me now: If you want, I can. But that'll be $150. Usually when someone really pushes that, it means there's something about which they feel uncomfortable.

5) Forensics: Television makes things look a lot sexier than it ever is. It's mostly just a ton of paperwork, and reading things that no one really wants to hear about.

6) Soft science: Well, it's good enough for the courts, pharmaceutical trials, brain surgery,

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Good list!

The topic usually comes up when people ask what I do. I say neuropsychologist, and 90% of ppl just look at me, so I usually follow-up that I provide consultation and evaluation for different types of brain injuries. If someone recognizes neuropsychology, they almost always have had a friend/family member go through testing for a stroke, TBI, Alzheimer's, etc. Rarely do I get questions about therapy and that kind of stuff, though I guess it still happens from time to time. If it does, I usually tell the person that unless they have a brain injury, I'm not their guy.

 

[smalltownpsych]

here are my replies to some of those misconceptions:

1) Psychiatry vs. psychology. It gets a little confusing with psychologists and psychiatrists. Some psychologists can write prescriptions, but most do not. Psychologists get a phd or psyd, and tend to spend more time with individual patients.

2) "just talking" A lot of fields look pretty simple when people are not familiar with them. Attorneys just give advice, physicians just listen and write on a little pad of paper. But there's a huge knowledge base behind what people see, which is why our version of "just talking to people" is as effective as antidepressants. When you compare that to just talking to friends, our "just talking to people" is approximately double the effectiveness of friends.

3) psychoanalysis stuff: That's a very old way of doing things that was used during the same time as the Wright brothers' first flight. Just like airplanes, things have progressed since then.

4) Analyzing me now: If you want, I can. But that'll be $150. Usually when someone really pushes that, it means there's something about which they feel uncomfortable.

5) Forensics: Television makes things look a lot sexier than it ever is. It's mostly just a ton of paperwork, and reading things that no one really wants to hear about.

6) Soft science: Well, it's good enough for the courts, pharmaceutical trials, brain surgery,

These are some pretty good answers. You should send the list to my family, especially, my mother, she is the worst at understanding what we do!

 

[modestmousktr]

Misperceptions I see:

1) A psychologist just talks, is as effective as family
I am mimicking/seconding nearly every post in this thread. The "just talking" stuff is coming up a lot in my thesis. I ask why individuals of certain cultures would or would not go to therapy (sample size of 90) and an OVERWHELMING response is: "why would I pay to talk to a stranger when I can talk to my friend or parents", or, "my family would make fun of me for paying someone to talk to me". I just don't think psychology advocates for itself or educates others well about what we really do.

I don't think people even know what evidence-based treatments are, or that there are therapeutic interventions that exist that have been tested scientifically and rigorously like pharmacological interventions. For example, people seem to understand that Cymbalta, Zoloft, whatever psychotropic drug they have heard of can diminish symptoms of depression more than talking to family, but they don't seem to have this same perception about seeing psychologists, who could offer CBT, DBT, ACT, etc, because they don't know that there's a difference between just chatting it up with a stranger, and receiving a gold-standard, evidence-based therapy for their specific disorder.


2) Being a therapist is my career goal, and I can diagnose your family member
Well, this is true, I am a therapist (at least a therapist extern, providing CBT), but this isn't my goal. After all is said and done and I have a Ph.D., I definitely would not consider myself a therapist, even if I was serving as one a small portion of the time. I'd like to teach and research at a minority-serving institution and also do some clinical work at a CMHC or other low-income clinic. So I guess I see myself as a researcher first, clinician second. People assume I am going to be a "doctor" and go into private practice. Also, many of my relatives have asked me to diagnose their wife/my grandpa/whoever with neurocognitive disorders! :O

3) Psychology = $$$ Always. No exceptions!
I think this is a holdover from confusing psychologists with psychiatrists with MDs, or the fact that some psychologists do make a considerable amount of money (but I would not believe this is the norm, looking at the recent salary thread), and I certainly know I will be brooooooooooke after Ph.D., and even post-doc, and for a while into an academic career. $20,000 per year while you do your doctorate, which bumps up to... 30,000 for a post-doc? and 56,000 for a tenure-track professor position, after about seven years of post-BA schooling. My research interests are also in minority mental health disparities and I'd like to work at a small comprehensive or teaching university while doing some work at a CMHC or other low-income clinic, so I doubt I'll ever make over 80k in my life, compared to 100k-300k that MDs in the area make.


Okay, I wrote a lot because I am procrastinating on outlining book chapters for an oral presentation...

 

[smalltownpsych]

Misperceptions I see:

1) A psychologist just talks, is as effective as family
I am mimicking/seconding nearly every post in this thread. The "just talking" stuff is coming up a lot in my thesis. I ask why individuals of certain cultures would or would not go to therapy (sample size of 90) and an OVERWHELMING response is: "why would I pay to talk to a stranger when I can talk to my friend or parents", or, "my family would make fun of me for paying someone to talk to me". I just don't think psychology advocates for itself or educates others well about what we really do.

I don't think people even know what evidence-based treatments are, or that there are therapeutic interventions that exist that have been tested scientifically and rigorously like pharmacological interventions. For example, people seem to understand that Cymbalta, Zoloft, whatever psychotropic drug they have heard of can diminish symptoms of depression more than talking to family, but they don't seem to have this same perception about seeing psychologists, who could offer CBT, DBT, ACT, etc, because they don't know that there's a difference between just chatting it up with a stranger, and receiving a gold-standard, evidence-based therapy for their specific disorder.


2) Being a therapist is my career goal, and I can diagnose your family member
Well, this is true, I am a therapist (at least a therapist extern, providing CBT), but this isn't my goal. After all is said and done and I have a Ph.D., I definitely would not consider myself a therapist, even if I was serving as one a small portion of the time. I'd like to teach and research at a minority-serving institution and also do some clinical work at a CMHC or other low-income clinic. So I guess I see myself as a researcher first, clinician second. People assume I am going to be a "doctor" and go into private practice. Also, many of my relatives have asked me to diagnose their wife/my grandpa/whoever with neurocognitive disorders! :O

3) Psychology = $$$ Always. No exceptions!
I think this is a holdover from confusing psychologists with psychiatrists with MDs, or the fact that some psychologists do make a considerable amount of money (but I would not believe this is the norm, looking at the recent salary thread), and I certainly know I will be brooooooooooke after Ph.D., and even post-doc, and for a while into an academic career. $20,000 per year while you do your doctorate, which bumps up to... 30,000 for a post-doc? and 56,000 for a tenure-track professor position, after about seven years of post-BA schooling. My research interests are also in minority mental health disparities and I'd like to work at a small comprehensive or teaching university while doing some work at a CMHC or other low-income clinic, so I doubt I'll ever make over 80k in my life, compared to 100k-300k that MDs in the area make.


Okay, I wrote a lot because I am procrastinating on outlining book chapters for an oral presentation...

I think you are underestimating the earning potential a bit, but it is true that psychiatrists can make quite a bit more. I am pretty sure that you will make more than 80k! I hit that mark one year after licensure.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I think you are underestimating the earning potential a bit, but it is true that psychiatrists can make quite a bit more. I am pretty sure that you will make more than 80k! I hit that mark one year after licensure.

It is very dependent on practice area/speciality, geographic location, and how well a person can negotiate. In certain settings (college counseling, community mental health, etc) starting at $65k+/yr may not be probable, but in other settings starting at $85k/yr is standard. Once you start looking at $100k+/yr, it becomes more about pure billing $'s / RVUs.

 

[smalltownpsych]

It is very dependent on practice area/speciality, geographic location, and how well a person can negotiate. In certain settings (college counseling, community mental health, etc) starting at $65k+/yr may not be probable, but in other settings starting at $85k/yr is standard. Once you start looking at $100k+/yr, it becomes more about pure billing $'s / RVUs.

Some of those lower paying settings might have more flexible hours which would be conducive to some side gigs to bump that revenue up. Also, I was willing to move to where the money is too. Geographic flexibility is a key to success in this business. I learned that when applying for internships and post-docs!

 

[PsyDr]

"You should send the list to my family, especially, my mother, she is the worst at understanding what we do!"

So it IS about the mother!




Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm sure she is a lovely woman.

 

[smalltownpsych]

"You should send the list to my family, especially, my mother, she is the worst at understanding what we do!"

So it IS about the mother!




Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm sure she is a lovely woman.

lol actually she is really big on pop psychology like the stuff you see on Oprah or Ellen. Might have played a role in my own quest for empiricism. See Freud was right it is about the mother