Posted by shar on October 23, 2003, at 19:31:24
In reply to Re: Psychologists vs. Social Workers vs. Counselors, posted by kitkat33 on October 23, 2003, at 16:34:38
I have a ph.d., have seen many a ph.d., and a few psychiatrists, and a couple of msw's as a patient (I'm old and have been in therapy forever).
My bias comes from being in school with ph.d. students and seeing up-close their attitudes. My area was social-developmental-quantitative, so I wasn't in their therapy oriented classes, but I shared many other classes with them, and the general cameraderie that students have.
I always tell people if they want to help others, become an MSW/LCSW/MFC etc. The doctoral students had many courses in research, and many planned to go on to college teaching and not therapy, and there was a huge focus on publishing before graduation and trying to hook up with some of the more well-known faculty to further their upcoming careers. That was true for me, too, but that was what people in my area planned on doing to start with--not become therapists.
The attitude I've observed from fellow ph.d.'s who do counseling is (1) 'they' don't need/want therapy, and (2) they are self-absorbed to a greater degree (so to speak) than MSWs.
The attitudes I describe could be an aberration, only prevalent in my university. I don't know.
I say if you want to help people, become an MSW.
'Dr.' Shar (heh)
poster:shar
thread:272368
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031011/msgs/272442.html