The Healthy Human Psychologist

- Written by May Chi, Psychologist, Supervisor at PsychLab.​

I’m taking a moment to remind everyone, myself included, that it’s been an interesting two years, and models of private practice need to take into account that our clinics are staffed by humans.  Squishy, fallible, aging humans. Before I add my two cents, I would like to highlight some great points from The Highly Efficient Psychologist, an article from the InPsych magazine, of which I am an avid reader. 

“The highly productive private-practice psychologist has clear goals and a long-term focus, and understands their practice evolves over time.”

This is personally true for me.  I’ve been at my most engaged in practice when I can see how the things I am doing today align with my continued professional development.  My professional goals have evolved over time, from job search, to creating opportunities for others.

“Wavering non-attendance fees, agreeing to bulk-bill and reduce fees, writing unpaid or highly discounted reports might be the easy option – and may even make us feel good – but resentment can build.”

I have been fortunate enough to have private practice mentors, successful group practice psychologists and business owners, to who I owe all the business acumen I possess.  The gap between what the government is willing to fund in terms of health services, and what these services cost when delivered by awesome humans, widens every year.  I have seen too many good psychologists burn out or sliding down that slippery slope trying to bridge this impossible gap.

“The productive psychologist embraces technology and works towards technological excellence.”

Can I admit that it was my mother who talked me into a smart phone (by putting one in my hand while telling me I had to keep up with the times), and introduced me to YouTube and Facebook?  Knowing my technology inertia, I make an extra effort to surround myself with techies, learning by osmosis, because it is true – efficient use of technology saves time and trees, and increases reach.

To add to these excellent points, I would just like to remind readers that you don’t get a highly efficient psychologist without being a healthy human psychologist first.  So my two cents:

“Do one thing at a time.”

The sheer amount of tips and ‘have tos’ about business and practice makes for the biggest FOMO.  While you can read six ideas in an article, your body can only slowly, effortfully implement one of these ideas at a time.  So it’s not even a tip really, or a choice, it’s a wonderful feature of the human condition.

“Naps.”

This is my trademark secret to not only healthy, but high-performance psychologist.  Anyone who has brought a pillow and blanket to their full-on job and spent part of their lunch break curled up on a comfy couch in the staff area, knows what I’m talking about.  Having a nap in the workday happens across all cultures.  It even works for babies, and they always seem like healthier humans afterwards (not saying a psychologist is like a baby, but… maybe we’re not that different).

“Go home.”

My experience is that psychologists have no problem being highly efficiently eager to meet unrelenting standards, it’s the transition back into the mere human form that is problematic. Going home means leaving your psychologist hat at the door, and spending time doing things any healthy normal human would do. 

Until we invent and widely disseminate robots that can be better, more efficient, and errorless versions of psychologists, rendering us all obsolete, please continue to prioritise your own health and vitality.