Tuesday, February 19, 2008

When The Journey Began

When I decided to become a psychologist (in elementary school), I was surely in la-la-land. I thought it would be fun to solve people's problems and envisioned myself to be the agony aunt of the whole world. I basked in imagined glory and felt proud of things that I thought I would do but had not yet done.

And then, a few years later, my bubble broke. When I started doing my bachelors in psychology, people would ask me,

"Are you reading my mind?"
"Are you analyzing me?"
"Can you tell me what I am thinking?"

And the worst, "I need to talk to you" in a hushed tone suggesting someone in dire need of help and forming beads of perspiration on my forehead. All this from someone who had not even graduated with a degree!!

It never got better. You would think that with the advent of Star TV and what not, people would become more aware of what psychology is all about and what psychologists actually do. Much to my chagrin, people continued to bask in the disillusions that I had when I was a child.

And like a brave soul, I thought I would fight it all. I still am. And in this blog, you will read about all my fights! Some funny, some eye-opening, some disgusting, and some just plain stories.

Come back for more!

28 comments:

Neetal said...

will certainly visit again !

IncorrigibleV said...

this promises to be interestin to read...mez definitely comin back!

Rho Tau GWIS said...

Looking forward to some interesting stories ;)

Pavi!!!! said...

I've always been curious about what the job of a Pshycologist is? What is the difference between a Psychiatrist and psychologist?

Looking forward to answers to these Qs and to asking several more questions and hearing first-hand experiences!

Good Luck!:-)

Cosmic Joy said...

This should be interesting :)

Hopefully you will keep the posts generic enough to protect your patient's privacy .. and no I dont mean to be a spoilsport.

Solitaire said...

@ Ariel, sure thing! welcome!

@ Vandita, hope I meet your expectations.

@ Carolinagal, haha!

@ Pavi, oh yes! I intend for this to be entertaining as well as informative.

@ Cosmic Joy, you bet! I dont want to be getting into any law suits!!

gP said...

all the best in this new and interesting journey. Lets see how peoples mind evolve in the age of the blogs.

Unknown said...

waiting for some interesting posts...........

Ravi Kapoor said...

Nice start :)

Just one thing...please change the font color of the text below the header of your blog..

Take care!

ceedy said...

you better give us some starbucks gift cards....

need a cappuchino and sometime to read your blog....

will be glad to read this and maybe as an inspiration start my archirants....

Solitaire said...

@ Ghost, oh I think it will be interesting. And some debates here too..

@ Gaurav, thank you dedicated reader.

@ Ravi, don't you see that it is that color for a particular reason?

@ Ceedy, if you bring me clients, I will gladly give you some commission in the form of Starbucks!

Keshi said...

Great new blog girl!

Im a lil scared of u now...cos u just mite read my mind! ;-)

Keshi.

badshah khan said...

"Are you reading my mind?"
"Are you analyzing me?"
"Can you tell me what I am thinking?"

well this is exaclty my picture abt psychologist. I feel these guys generally have a great understading of Human brain.

Solitaire said...

@ Keshi, I already have! :p I know exactly what you were thinking when you typed that sentence.

@ Badshah, peeeeeeeep! Wrong! Understanding of human behavior, not the brain necessarily. And by no means we can read minds. We are psychologists. Not psychics.

Anonymous said...

when did u start this oneee???????

u shud let out a news/ping about this one!

darn !!!!

ok the yellow text color is killing my eyes... they can barely see anything else know! :)

pale it up a little will yu plsssssss

:)

I m in to whatever..u giv me for breakfast!

:)

b/w r u reading mind kinds? :P

Solitaire said...

@ Veens, just today! I changed the color. Is it ok now? And hey, I read your mind a few minutes ago.

... said...

Wow! Supercool!

I love psychology.It's one of my favourite subjects. :)

Lena said...

:) Now you beat the record of having most number of blogs :D
i was supposed to become a psychologist too, at least it was on my plan, but then plans changed :) :)

Looking forward to read about your fights :)

Neetal said...

["Are you reading my mind?"
"Are you analyzing me?"
"Can you tell me what I am thinking?"]

I am sure you get these alot... from patients... but more than that... I'm pretty much sure you must be being pushed to answer questions like (just so coz u are a psychologist in the clan or in your group of friends !),

"What does s(he) thinks about me?"
"Will s(he)will get it why I did that?"
"Does s(he) think about me?"

I'm sure friends, cousins with either mending or broken heart come to you with their blues (should I say over and over again!)

How do you deal with that? (if you don't mind me asking!)

Solitaire said...

@ Clouds, let it remain a favorite subject! Don't make it a profession. It will then no longer be your favorite subject.

@ Lena, I hope they changed for the better!

@ Neeku, surprisingly, i do not get these questions from patients. People who come in are really well-informed. It is those people who are close-minded who have disillusions about the profession and hence proceed to remain close-minded. I do get these questions from friends and acquaintances all the time. How do I deal with people who come to me for "free therapy"? Next few blogs!

Keshi said...

oooooooo ***keshi dons a mask n disappears***

;-)

Keshi.

Anonymous said...

I want to attend a psychologist after Maple leafs games.

Sam said...

so, wot were teh delusions??

That was it... said...

Let's hear it all from you soon! ;-)

The Keeper of the Keys said...

when my cousin was doing her bachelors in psycho we troubled her no end calling her 'psycho' and begging her to read our minds...then we'd run away as if scared she'd analyze us...you're lucky you don't have cousins like us

badshah khan said...

hmmm mOst of the Human behaviour aint a eaction of Human Brain??? or may be some people might feel HUman Heart?

Steve said...

I wonder why you have this fairly strong antipathy to people seeking you out for solace and talking-help.

Almost as if it were an affront that the folks around you might consider that the fact that you studying to be a psychologist would predispose you towards actually being interested in their 'problems'.

Steve said...

This blog might interest you: http://thesecretlifeofatherapist.blogspot.com/

No, it isn't mine.