When I decided to enroll in psychology, I threw my parents and my high school professors into deepest consternation: what would I have done in life? What kind of faculty was that? Graduated with full marks from the scientific high school, passionate about mathematics and philosophy, no one would ever have expected this choice: it was 1990 and those who wanted to take this path that was still little traveled had only two choices: Padua or Rome. I chose Padua and 5 years later I graduated with joy and with many question marks (especially from others). What would I have done now? My ideas were pretty clear: I was going to be a strategic psychotherapist!
In my fourth year of psychology, I literally fell in love with Paul Watzlawick's books and George Nardone (my thesis was about this) and I dreamed of admission to the School of Brief Strategic Psychotherapy of Arezzo. Of course, the choice required further effort and additional costs for the next four years. Would it have been worth it? With so many fears and without a certain answer to this question, I threw myself into the project with all the strength, passion and perhaps a little recklessness that guides the choices at that age.
And here I am: 20 years after the most important career choice of my life, I finally have the answer to the question I asked myself then and that I often hear today from many young psychology graduates: is it worth enrolling in a psychotherapy school? My answer is: yes! Without a doubt. And the reasons are many.
Consideration n ° 1 (ethics)
Helping others is the best job in the world, but you have to know how to do it.
Most people who choose to become psychologists are motivated by a great desire to contribute to the well-being of others, to help people in need, to exercise empathy and solidarity. But all this, alas, is not enough to help. The great motivation behind the choice to be a "psy" is of little use if it is not supported by specific skills and technical learning on "how to do it".
All these aspects that, unfortunately, are not provided during the 5 years of university studies. It therefore becomes essential for the young graduate to provide for a real post-graduate training that will provide him with the indispensable tools to carry out his profession in the best possible way. And there is no more comprehensive training than that provided by a good graduate school.
Consideration n ° 2 (economic)
Helping others is the best job in the world, but as a job you have to be able to live in it.
The number of psychology graduates is constantly on the rise and, unfortunately, so too is that of young psychologists who end up in unskilled jobs or that have nothing to do with their studies. Unfortunately, one cannot live on "diagnosis" and "psychological rehabilitation" alone: too much competition, inadequate health and social policies, and many other reasons that go beyond this discussion.
If a psychology graduate wants to make a living from his job, he needs a recognized qualification and a clear position in the world of work. The figure of the psychotherapist is now widely recognized and more and more people are looking for help of this type as an alternative to that of a pharmacological type. In short, psychotherapy can be lived and also well, doing the work for which you have studied and that you love with effectiveness and satisfaction.
Consideration n ° 3 (strategic)
Helping others is the best job in the world, but you need concrete and effective tools to do it.
Many young psychologists favor paths post graduate short, such as masters, often for the need or the illusion of saving time and money. In reality, the master chosen as an alternative to the psychotherapy school only apparently represents a saving, because it does not provide either a preparation similar to that of a school (and in this world you have to be very prepared if you want to work) or the title necessary to stand out. from others. It is therefore better to “leave later to arrive earlier”, choosing a specialization school that provides concrete and effective tools to carry out the profession well.
Hence the choice of the type of specialization school is also fundamental. After a university course lived entirely on books, it is essential that the psychotherapy school provides training "in the field". A school that allows students to see real therapies (possibly live or at least on video), to be able to enter co-therapy with an expert therapist, to have real interaction with patients, allows them to acquire those tools and skills that no reading of books can guarantee.
Words are powerful (and dangerous) therapeutic tools like a scalpel, reading a book on how to use them is not enough to know how to do it.
Combining the 5 years of university with another 4 years of theory alone will make you obtain the title of psychotherapist, but it will not enable you to compete successfully in the world of work. Therefore, when choosing the specialization school, if you want to know how the 4-year training course is organized, take part in the open day that most schools organize today, talk to pupils and alumni, in order to be sure that you are choosing a truly qualifying path.
Consideration n ° 4 (purely personal)
Helping others is the best job in the world.
Going to a psychotherapy school is an intense, beautiful, enriching experience. Anyone who leaves a psychotherapy school without having been profoundly transformed by it or has gone to the wrong school, or has not learned anything.
From my 4 years of specialization school in psychotherapy I have not only taken away the passion and skills with which I have been carrying out my work for almost 20 years, but also the most important friendships of my life, the desire to continue studying and training, the desire to constantly improve myself.
Thanks to those 4 years I learned to do the best job in the world, the one I wish each of you to be able to do because, as Confucius said, "Choose the job you love and you will never work, not even for a day in the whole your life".
Dr. Roberta Milanese (Official Psychotherapist of the Strategic Therapy Center)