If you like to work with kids, becoming a child psychologist may be the career path for you. However, you are going to need to have specific qualities if you want to become a successful child psychologist New York. What are a few of those qualities that you will need?
You Can Relate to the Child
The most important part about working with kids is being able to relate to what they are going through. While you may think that being scared of the dark or believing in monsters under the bed are fears that kids will grow out of, the child doesn’t know that. Furthermore, these fears may be related to other issues that they are having. A child may be scared of the dark because he or she was abused in a dark room, and your ability to relate and reassure the child will help him or her open up to you.
You Need to Be Trustworthy
Both the child and the parent will need to trust in your ability to help. If a parent thinks that you aren’t doing a good job, he or she won’t fully buy into your treatment process. If the child doesn’t trust you, he or she will stay quiet or only say things that he or she thinks that you want to hear. You also have to understand that you are privy to sensitive information about the child and the family as a whole. If you can’t be trusted, you won’t get access to the information that you need to help the child.
You Have to Communicate Well
To be an effective as a child psychologist New York, you need to be able to communicate with the child and the parent. Good communication helps parents stay informed about the child’s progress and how to help with any issues that a child may have while outside of therapy. When communicating with a child, you have to use vocabulary that they will underside without talking down to them. Otherwise, the child may not understand what you are saying and get frustrated. That could cause the child to shut down or feel like he or she isn’t good enough to help.
To be a good child psychologist New York, you need to keep the best interests of your patients in mind. This means meeting the needs of the child and the parents at the same time. By building a relationship with the entire family, you give yourself the best chance of helping the child.