Can I be friends with the hospital's counselor (psychiatrist)?

It's not usually recommended, and it's not really possible to become friends with a counselor in real life. The counselor needs to be completely neutral. Their relationship with you is limited to a working relationship of consultation and visits. They're the counselor, and you're the visitor.

The simpler and purer your relationship is, the more useful it will be for achieving one of your counseling goals. If you become friends in private, he may have strong opinions or be biased in some way, which will make it difficult for him to remain neutral and objective.

Later on, your emotions will become more complex and changeable, and your relationship will become more complicated. So, one of the clear rules in the counseling setting is that the counselor and the client cannot have excessive contact outside of counseling, unless it is related to counseling.

In life, you need to make an appointment for communication, not suddenly acting like friends or something else, suddenly having a fight. The communication between you should be structured, not random. You may feel that the counselor can listen to you, but this is actually based on your professional relationship. If you become friends, this professional feeling will slowly disappear.

You might even start to think that psychological counseling is a waste of time. The truth is, a counselor has to do their job well and stick to a specific psychological approach. They can give you guidance in a really neutral way, so that you can become more self-reliant and see the light in your heart.

You can have other friends because the friends in our lives are the real ones.

Our relationship with a counselor is just a consultation, not a friendship. If you end it after a while, you can become friends again after about three years (or so, ask your counselor for the exact number) or even longer. This interval must be long, and if you really become friends again, he can no longer be your counselor.

It's also clear that you're interested in psychological counseling.

We can talk more about this in the future and see what a counselor thinks about your current point of view. I suggest you read "Human-Centered Therapy," "Rogers Psychotherapy," "Brief Body-Mind-Spirit Therapy," "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone," and "I'm Amazed, Psychology Is So Good." Best of luck!

ZQ?

Many counselors have talked to you about dual relationships. In 2018, the Chinese Psychological Society passed a code of ethics for clinical and counseling psychology.

Article 7 says psychologists must understand how relationships with clients can affect their work and the clients' well-being. They should avoid these relationships when possible.

If you're in a relationship with a client, you should take professional steps to avoid any issues. This could include signing a consent form, being open about the risks, getting supervision, and keeping records. This is to make sure that your relationship won't affect your work or harm those who seek your services.

Is it possible to find a psychologist as a friend? It is possible, but you have to end the counseling relationship.

You seem to be talking about befriending the profession of counseling, not your current counselor. If you're talking about the former, a regular counselor will refuse. However, if it's the latter, it's feasible.

A counselor can give you advice and help you learn about psychology.

You said you feel like a psychologist is one of the few people who can listen to you. But to listen, they have to have a counseling relationship with you. In an ordinary relationship, you may not feel this. I once heard a teacher say that most psychologists are not happy in their marriages. So you have to be careful when making friends with a psychologist.

Counselors must adhere to the following ethical principles:

I will now discuss the following topics: confidentiality, exceptions to confidentiality, dual relationships, sex and physical contact, and acting on what is said.

Exploitation, fees, supervision, and consultation records are all issues that must be addressed.

A dual relationship is one in which the counselor and the client have a relationship or connection other than the counseling relationship.

A dual relationship is one in which the counselor and the client have a relationship or connection other than the counseling relationship. This includes relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbors, or boss and employee, teacher and student, and waiter and customer (barber shop, snack bar, supermarket, farmers market). Indirect relationships such as friends of friends and colleagues' children are not considered dual relationships.

The first reason is that psychological counseling regulations prohibit dual relationships and counseling people with whom you have a relationship. However, in small cities, it is difficult to avoid dual relationships, so it is essential to understand why this is a problem.

Your clients are likely to be the same people you have encountered before: the owner of a noodle shop, a supermarket employee, a taxi driver, a neighborhood security guard. First, you need to figure out why you want to avoid dual relationships and what is so bad about them.

A dual relationship will affect the setting, making it unclear to the client and the counselor when the session is in progress and when it is not. The client may talk about other things during the session or mention the session when they meet up. In that case, the setting must be "strengthened" by frequent reminders to avoid confusion.

The third reason is that general interpersonal relationships require etiquette, while psychological counseling involves privacy. Dual relationships will affect the depth of counseling, and psychological counseling will affect friendship (hurt and embarrassment). If this is a concern, then shallow counseling can be done, but deep counseling should not be done.

The fourth reason is that the counselor may use the dual relationship to "exploit" the client. This is unacceptable.

Practical reasons also drove psychoanalysis to reject the double relationship, in addition to conceptual ones. Early psychoanalysts all sought personal experience from Freud and his disciples (acquaintance consultation, double relationship), which resulted in love-hate relationships and led to the continuous division of the psychoanalysis camp.

Later, as there were more analysts, it was possible to avoid using acquaintances for personal experience. The dual relationship was finally taken seriously.

If you want to learn about psychology, read books about it or make friends with people in the field.

It is a pleasure to see your face as I read your words.

It is evident that you are inquiring about the possibility of establishing a friendship with a counselor based on the tenets of psychological counseling.

In comparison to the queries you posed, I was more astonished by your assertions regarding the tenets of psychological counseling and empathy. I was genuinely taken aback.

It appears that you have read a substantial number of books that are relevant to the topic at hand. I am compelled to identify a precise term to articulate this, yet I am unable to do so. Do you possess that quality within yourself that I perceive?

Based on your description, you appear to be approximately 14 or 15 years of age. My interest in psychology began at an early age.

I am eager to hear your story. It appears that the individual seated across from me is a mature adult, and I am unable to discern a clear line between you and this particular age.

It was observed that the subject indicated that the counselor is one of a limited number of individuals who are capable of listening with the same level of concentration and understanding.

We all have a wealth of thoughts and feelings that we wish to share with individuals who are attuned to our wavelength. They will comprehend our statements, and if they do not, they will earnestly inquire about our meaning. This form of discourse is highly agreeable because we are perceived, comprehended, and given attention in a sincere manner, without judgment, accusations, or forced counsel. Is this the type of communication you desire?

I postulate that this is also one of the reasons you desire to establish a friendship with your counselor.

If this is your need, I would like to inquire of you, an individual of discerning intellect, a question. I have observed that at your age, you have read a great many books on the subject, have acquired a profound understanding of the material, and have the capacity to seek counsel from a professional. If you have had a positive communication experience with someone who is not a counselor, I would be interested to know who that person was and what actions they took to make you feel at ease.

In what setting might this communication occur?

I am interested in receiving your thoughts on this matter.

I would now like to discuss your problem. Is it possible to be friends with a counselor in accordance with the principles of psychological counseling?

1⃣⏩One may treat the other person as a friend or in any other role one desires. As the client experiences empathy in the counselor, this is a normal phenomenon. Without empathy, the counseling process would be severely hindered.

2⃣⏩With regard to counselors, ethical codes of conduct are in place. In order to provide optimal assistance to visitors, it is imperative to refrain from engaging in dual relationships.

One may engage in this kind of comfortable and carefree communication to one's heart's content. Is it not the original intention to have someone understand and listen to us?

Good day. I extend my support and understanding in the form of a 360-degree hug.

Indeed, many of us desire a supportive colleague who can listen to us, provide comfort, and offer assistance. We seek an individual who will not blame or deny us.

It is challenging to find an individual who meets these criteria, particularly given the demands of academic life and the pressure to excel.

It is possible that your peers are unable to provide the necessary support, and that adults are primarily focused on your academic performance.

It is not uncommon for clients to hope that their relationship with their counselor will last forever. However, in psychological counseling, the relationship between the client and the counselor is a "therapeutic alliance" based on mutual trust.

This indicates that the counseling relationship is contingent upon specific conditions. For instance, the confidentiality principle, the double relationship, and other aspects of the counseling relationship serve to ensure the security and stability of an unfree counseling relationship.

In essence, the relationship between counselor and client is an idealized one. The counselor's objective is not to become friends with the client, but rather to establish a stable relationship that will help the client eventually cope with their lives and various relationships in their lives.

From the perspective of counseling ethics, the information ethics prohibits a dual relationship between the client and the counselor. This is because a dual relationship can affect the counselor's objectivity and potentially harm the client. The aim of this ethics is to protect both the client and the counselor.

It is not permitted to be friends with a counselor. However, there is a written counseling ethics that stipulates that three years after the end of counseling, the counselor and the client can have other relationships. These three years are actually a process of counseling desensitization, which is for the protection of the client.

During counseling, clients will often reveal personal information about themselves. If this information falls into the wrong hands, it could be used to harm the client. This is why it is important to allow sufficient time for both parties to become desensitized to the information being shared.

It is therefore not advisable to attempt to establish a personal relationship with your counselor at this time. Should you raise the issue, the counselor will likely decline, but will be expected to provide a rationale for doing so. This is also an example of empathy in psychological counseling, which you can discuss with your counselor.

However, additional support and a listening ear are still required. What should be done?

Given the demanding schedule of the third year of junior high school, it is likely that individuals will have limited time to cultivate friendships. It is therefore advisable to seek support when experiencing negative emotions or feelings of depression. Writing can be an effective outlet for emotions and a means of healing. It is not necessary to be a skilled writer, and the quality of the writing is not as important as the act of writing itself.

I would like to suggest a few books for your consideration: The Healing Power of Writing and Writing to Heal: Using Writing to Drive Away Anxiety, Procrastination, and Bad Moods.

I am frequently both Buddhist and depressed, an intermittently optimistic and driven counselor, and I extend my utmost respect to the world and to you.

Hello, I'm Flower.

Teachers say they can't be friends because of the consultation setting. They've also analyzed the reasons for this. This is different from the question "Can I be friends with the hospital's psychological counselors (psychiatrists)?"

I'm more concerned about the person asking the question.

Do we really want to be friends with the counselor? Maybe we just need to talk and be supported.

"I feel a lot of pressure to study. I'm about to enter my third year of high school, and I have depression and anxiety because I feel like the counselor is one of the few people who can really listen to me."

Why we want to be friends with the counselor.

There was nowhere to go to vent.

When we feel depressed or anxious, we may want to know why. For example, it is almost the third year of high school, there are more subjects, more difficult revision, and the entrance exam is coming. These feelings are real.

We may also have problems with friends, family, or teachers. When facing these pressures, we may feel aggrieved, confused, and really don't know what to do. We don't know who to tell. So we can only suppress these thoughts and feelings. Over time, they pile up like a mountain.

Now I can learn.

When we talk in the counseling room, we feel safe. We know our stories will be kept secret. We also feel cared for because there is only the counselor and us. The counselor will listen to us.

We also feel understood, supported, and encouraged. We discover we are not alone. We explore ourselves, understand more, gain more methods, and learn a little psychological knowledge. We like this experience.

I hope to have this kind of company in the future.

Counseling usually happens once a week for about 50 minutes. It can be a good experience if it feels like it's always there when you need it.

She's a good listener.

The counselor and client have a special relationship and job.

A counselor must be empathetic, a good listener, understand, and not judge. This makes the counselor a good friend.

Think about it again: what is a friend? Friends support each other.

The counselor's job is to help the client grow and tap into their inner strength. The client's main task is self-growth.

In the room, the counselor is like a friend. Outside the room, they are a counselor.

If we can't be friends, what else can we do?

Apply what you learned from the counselor.

Counselors teach us valuable skills like self-exploration, emotion management, and perspective-taking. When we face new problems, we can use these skills to face them on our own. Counseling and self-growth help us become independent.

Get real and equal friends from your surroundings.

Not talking to others in the past can be a chance to make new friends, support each other, and work out problems in new relationships.

There are many ways to learn psychology.

You can also read related books, such as "The Power of Organizing Emotions," "Nonviolent Communication," "Laugh! The Great God of Psychology is Here," and "Mr. Toad Goes to the Psychologist."

You can also find related videos on Bilibili. There are free psychology videos on the platform, such as "3-Minute Psychology," and some psychology articles. When learning, view things from a dialectical perspective. The knowledge is the author's opinion. Don't take things personally.

I hope this helps the questioner. I wish you well.

Dear Poster, I hope this message finds you well. I want to address your question directly and with the utmost respect.

My name is Xing Ying, and I am a psychological counselor and a national level 3 psychological counselor. When I answer calls on the platform or work on routine tasks, I am sometimes asked a similar question to the one you have posed. I would like to address your question directly first.

I wonder if it might be possible to be friends with a hospital counselor (psychiatrist)?

I believe the answer is yes. If not, it would be difficult to imagine a counselor being truly happy. It's not realistic to expect that becoming a counselor would automatically make you a friendless person.

It is important to remember that there are two distinct possibilities when it comes to your relationship with your counselor: either you become friends with them, or you establish a counseling relationship with them. If you choose to become friends, it is essential to understand that this will no longer allow them to serve as your counselor and provide you with counseling services. It is also important to recognize that the establishment of a friendship is a decision that must be made by both parties.

The pressure of studying is considerable. I'm about to enter my third year of high school, and I have moderate depression and anxiety because I feel that the counselor is one of the few people who can listen to me.

The pressure of studies combined with the confusion of adolescence can sometimes make us feel lonely. It's possible that classmates in the same situation may not be able to offer you support and strength due to a lack of experience. Parents and teachers with life experience may sometimes find it challenging to understand you and may like to educate you and reason with you.

The counselor's listening to you is based on professionalism, which means that they can respect and understand you, and also give you a lot of inspiration and strength. This may lead you to consider the possibility of forming a friendship with someone who is able to listen to you so well.

It is often the case that when one becomes friends with a counselor, one discovers that the person is not what they previously saw. The person one previously knew was only a professional side of them.

It is worth noting that the code of ethics for psychological counseling clearly states that two-tiered or even multiple contacts with the client are not allowed. It would be reasonable to assume that a qualified psychological counselor would abide by the code of ethics for psychological counseling.

It would be unethical for a friend to provide counseling services if they are not qualified to do so.

It is for this reason that this ethical rule has been put in place. Over time, it has become clear that when a dual relationship is broken, it can cause harm to both parties.

How might one distinguish between the roles of a friend and a counselor?

It is worth noting that the interests emphasized in the two relationships may differ.

Friendship is a relationship that is based on mutual respect and understanding, whereas in a counseling relationship, the interests of the client come first.

Our relationships with friends are not always straightforward. There may be times when we find ourselves in disagreement, perhaps due to differing opinions, emotional states, or simply different circumstances. In such instances, it's not uncommon for friends to support each other's interests within their relationships. However, it's important to recognise that unilateral giving may not be a sustainable long-term approach.

In a counseling relationship, it is important for the counselor to prioritize the client's interests and to avoid bringing their own emotions or biases into the counseling relationship. This is why there is a saying in the counseling world: "The client is always right."

[The positions of the two relationships are different]

Friendship is a relationship that is built on mutual understanding and respect. It is also acceptable to allow others to make decisions on your behalf, provided they are willing to do so. If a friend is willing, they will consider things from your perspective and assist you in any way they can. If they are not willing, they can make their own decisions and take action accordingly.

This is the freedom to treat each other with respect and equality.

The counselor is in an objective position, which requires them to see you, empathize with you, and not judge you, while also maintaining their impartiality.

It is important to recognize that the two relationships have different purposes.

A friendship is an emotional connection that can be casual and uninhibited. Friends can engage in constructive debate and share their thoughts.

It could be said that both are connected in a natural way without a clear goal.

In a counseling relationship, it is important for the counselor and the client to establish a therapeutic alliance and work together to keep the focus on the counseling goals. Professional training can help counselors maintain a consistent and stable state in their working relationships and environments.

[The two relationships are different]

In a friendship, if you encounter something difficult, your friend may be able to offer specific advice, help you come up with ideas, or even "step in for you if you see injustice." If they don't agree with the way you do things, they may handle it according to their own personality.

The counselor offers guidance in self-exploration, assists in identifying problems, and helps gain insight from one's own perspective. This ultimately leads to behavioral or cognitive change and the development of one's own abilities.

Dual relationships can potentially lead to role confusion.

It is important to be mindful of the potential for confusion of roles when both friendship and counseling are involved. Such confusion can impede authenticity, impact the quality of the friendship, and undermine the foundation of the counseling itself, which in turn affects the therapeutic effect.

It might be helpful to consider separating friends from counselors and establishing a purely platonic relationship. If they are willing, you could explore the possibility of being just friends, or

It might be helpful to find a partner with similar interests and establish a friendship. You could then learn together and grow together.

You mentioned that you are currently experiencing moderate depression and anxiety. Have you had the opportunity to be evaluated by a mental health professional at a tertiary hospital? It might be helpful for you to connect with a counselor who can provide guidance and support. This experience could also be beneficial for your personal growth and understanding of psychology.

I truly believe you will reap rich rewards from this experience!

I just wanted to say that I love you and the world!

Dear questioner,

From the questioner's own account, it can be seen that the questioner has developed a certain sense of dependence on the counselor. The techniques of psychological counseling include active listening, concentration, sincerity, and other counseling techniques.

The questioner is inquiring as to whether he can maintain a friendship with his psychological counselor. According to the ethical principles governing counseling, if the questioner is currently undergoing treatment with a specific counselor or is engaged in counseling, he is prohibited from establishing a dual relationship with the counselor. The counseling relationship between the client and the counselor is to be confined exclusively to the counseling room, and no other relationship is permitted.

As the question was posed on this platform, I will provide a brief overview of the ethical considerations pertinent to the counseling relationship.

Furthermore, the principle of value neutrality must be observed in counseling.

The principle of value neutrality requires that counselors maintain a value-neutral attitude, refrain from judgment or instruction, accept clients, refrain from imposing their own values on clients, and refrain from criticizing or accusing clients.

Furthermore, maintaining a value-neutral stance can be challenging in the context of friendship. Friends often exert influence on one another through the dissemination of their own accurate perspectives, and they frequently anticipate that their friends will align with their views. This phenomenon is succinctly captured in the adage "Birds of a feather flock together," which underscores the tendency of individuals to gravitate towards those who share similar characteristics.

Should the client and counselor develop a friendship, the counseling process may become unduly influenced, which could prove detrimental to the client's psychological well-being.

It is imperative that the principle of avoiding dual relationships be observed in counseling.

A dual relationship is defined as a relationship between the client and the counselor, as well as one or more other individuals. The objective of avoiding dual relationships is to safeguard the physical and mental well-being of the counselor, as well as the interests of the client. This is achieved by preventing the counselor from exploiting the relationship for personal gain or engaging in any other breach of the counseling relationship.

Nevertheless, in the event that the client and counselor have terminated their counseling relationship, the client may wish to consider the possibility of establishing a friendship with the counselor. As previously stated, the establishment of a dual relationship would preclude the client from seeking further counseling from this counselor.

The questioner is at liberty to consider the advantages and disadvantages at their own discretion.

It is possible to cultivate friendships within the field of psychology.

Should the questioner wish to find individuals with whom he can engage in meaningful dialogue, he is not compelled to seek out his current counselor. Instead, he may identify individuals employed in related psychological fields and cultivate a friendship with them. These individuals will, in turn, apply the listening skills utilized in counseling to their own lives, thereby ensuring that the questioner will feel heard and supported in maintaining a counseling relationship with his current counselor.

It is my hope that this response will prove beneficial to the questioner.