Who would study psychology if they didn't have some kind of problem?

Chapter 18 Career Planning (Please continue reading)

Strictly speaking, this is Nan Zhuren's first official visitor.

Nan Zhuren wanted to try to use the most formal consultation method to turn the other party into a case study.

A formal psychological counseling process is very rigorous. A complete case goes through several stages, including [material collection], [psychological diagnosis], [psychotherapy], [summary], and so on.

Each stage requires several sessions of psychological counseling.

Only after the current phase of the task is completed will the next phase begin.

The psychological counseling session ends when the client's problem is finally resolved.

Of course, this form is more like "psychotherapy" than "psychological counseling," but the distinction between the two is quite blurred in China.

The special circumstances of Chen Ting, whom Nan Zhuren received yesterday, led to some of his actions not being in accordance with regulations.

There's really no problem with that. After all, a client's problems can't be presented to the counselor in a "standard" way. Counselors sometimes have to adapt to the specific circumstances in practice.

However, as a professionally trained consultant, Nan Zhuren still feels more comfortable and at ease working with standardized cases.

However, whether a client can become a qualified case depends not only on the counselor's quality, but also on the client's cooperation.

……

Nan Zhuren thought to himself.

"This is our teacher, Mr. Nan."

Lu Jia led the young visitors to sit down, briefly introduced Nan Zhuren to them, and then gently closed the door behind her.

"Hello." Nan Zhuren gave a standard professional smile.

"Hello," the visitor said politely.

He first looked Nan Zhuren up and down with curiosity, and then began to examine the furnishings in the consultation room.

Nan Zhuren observed the visitor's posture and expression.

The other person placed their hands, fingers interlaced, on their lower abdomen, leaned their upper body against the sofa, their shoulders wide open, and tilted their head slightly back.

There was some tension, but it was very mild. There were no negative emotions such as panic, sadness, or depression; overall, it was comfortable.

A feeling of being slightly tense, but overall very relaxed...

With just a glance, Nan Zhuren had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

"Nervousness" is a common reaction among young men of this age in unfamiliar environments;
As for "relaxed," it seems to be because the other person... doesn't feel that they have any problems.

"Is this your first time doing psychological counseling?" Nan Zhuren asked, pulling the other person back from looking around.

"Ah, yes."

"What do you call it?"

"My name is Ye Yi." He said his name slowly and deliberately, "Ye as in leaf, and Yi as in one, two, three, four."

"A very easy name to remember." Nan Zhuren gave a positive review, and then began to introduce himself in a similar way, "My name is Nan Zhuren, Nan as in the south, Zhu as in congratulations, and Ren as in benevolence and righteousness."

"Hello, Teacher Nan."

Nan Zhuren smiled: "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Nan Zhuren paused slightly at this point.

I waited for three or four seconds.

He then continued the conversation: "Since we're already sitting here, there must be something you feel we need to discuss together. Would you mind telling me?"

"Oh." Ye Yi chuckled softly, as if reminded.

"It's like this, I'm eighteen years old this year, and I just graduated from high school," Ye Yi said. "It's like suddenly, I don't know what to do with my life anymore. I'm very confused about which school to go to, what major to choose, and even what career to pursue..."

Nan Zhuren understood and began to mentally prepare for the next consultation. However, two questions still needed to be clarified first.

He then asked the first question: "So you actively wanted to have psychological counseling, hoping to clarify your plans?"

“Yes.” Ye Yi laughed heartily. “I’ve always been curious about psychological counseling, so this is a good opportunity to experience it together.”

Nan Zhuren seemed to be infected by the smile and laughed along: "Okay, you mentioned 'choices' about schools, majors, and careers before. What choices are you facing now?"

Ye Yiru listed them off as if they were his own treasures:

"As for schools, I've applied to several in the US, such as..."

"I haven't decided on a major or career yet, because I don't feel like I have anything I particularly like. I have, however, done a lot of volunteer work, which I quite enjoy, including..."

The visitor's conversation was immediately launched.

For the next ten minutes or so, Nan Zhuren became a complete listener.

Although Nan Zhuren's folder for taking notes was still open, he had already put down his pen.

He concluded that the visitor in front of him had no psychological problems and was unlikely to become a case study for him.

That's how psychological counseling works. Often, they don't deal with mental illnesses like depression or anxiety that are commonly perceived, but rather with more everyday issues such as marital disputes or workplace stress.

The problem of the visitor in front of us is among the most "everyday life problems" in terms of its relevance to daily life.
A well-off young man encountered a minor problem that is inevitable during his growth. He took this opportunity to experience "psychological counseling," which has always been shrouded in mystery, to satisfy his curiosity.

Perhaps this young man with some ideas is actually here to "investigate".

Let's see if I want to pursue a career in mental health counseling.

"Ms. Nan, could you tell me how you usually conduct counseling sessions?"

Ye Yi looked expectant: "I've always been quite curious."

You see.

Nan Zhuren smiled.

“In my usual words…” Nan Zhuren pondered, naturally he would not fully reveal his secrets to the visitor.

After all, this is a consultation, and he is the consultant.

However, appropriate self-disclosure is also a counseling technique.

"The reason I embarked on the path of psychological counseling is because..."

Ye Yi showed a concerned expression.

The atmosphere in the consultation room was quite good afterwards; this was one of the few psychological consultations that allowed the counselor to feel comfortable.

Psychological counseling is a mentally demanding job, and in addition, it requires enduring prolonged exposure to negative emotions, and even assimilation of those negative emotions.

Of course, it's not hard work, since that's what consultants earn their money from.

However, Nan Zhuren would be happy to have a relaxed and pleasant consultation.

The clock on the wall keeps ticking away.

after a while.

Nan Zhuren concluded: "That's roughly the situation. If you don't have any other questions, our consultation for today will end here."

Ye Yi looked up suddenly and realized that forty minutes had passed without her noticing.

"Wow, that's fast!" Ye Yi exclaimed in surprise.

He felt the conversation was incredibly enjoyable; the person opposite him, whom he was meeting for the first time, understood him better than anyone he had ever known before.

(End of this chapter)