A therapist plays a very vital role in the lives of their clients. To be a good therapist, one must possess some characteristics and skills. Some individuals are born with these characteristics, while others can practice and develop them over the time to become a guiding light in the lives of others.
A good therapist provides their clients with a safe, healthy, confidential, and a non-judgmental space to vent out and discuss their worries and concerns. They genuinely take interest in their client’s concerns and are wholeheartedly willing to help them.
A good therapist is empathetic and compassionate. He or she is able to understand what the other person is going through, and they have this genuine care and interest to help them resolve their issues in one way or another.
They actively listen to what their client is telling them and actively respond back to tell the client that their voice is being heard and their feelings are being validated. They let their clients know that they are there for them and together they can work on finding solutions to their problems.
They possess good observational skills to notice their clients’ verbal and non-verbal cues to better understand them and the problems they are going through.
A good therapist is motivating and believes that their client is worthy and possesses the potential to improve his or her life.
They abide by the ethical and cultural rules, and keep professional boundaries with their clients.
They know that every client is different and unique, and they would combine different approaches for different individuals to make the therapy process more effective. They know and realize that they can not take on every case that comes their way, and they know when to refer the client to another therapist who excels in that particular domain and can help the client in a better and effective way.
A good therapist regularly practices self care and self regulation to process his or her own emotions, and maintains a sound well-being. They do not allow their own problems to effect their therapeutic relationship with their clients.