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[ENTP] ENTP Therapist?

SillySapienne

`~~Philosoflying~~`
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Jan 14, 2008
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I've been to six therapists when I was having bad anxiety for a few years. Only one who worked for me was a T, I think. He had logical solutions to my problems that I still use every day. And my anxiety is under control, now. I couldn't stand just sitting in those offices with fuzzy-wuzzy F's talking about my problems. I talk about my problems all day to my friends. I need soulutions damnit not more reflection!!!

So yea, I think it could work.
Logical solutions?

Hmmm, I am an upper division psych. major and we never overtly study, or learn to become "logical practitioners" in the field.

Though I must say, I have benefited GREATLY from cognitive-behavioral therapy, but this has been through my reading and rereading of some pretty awesome books, who may or may not have been written by some Ts.
 

Amargith

Hotel California
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Nah, I just tune out, imagine myself strangling them, and wait for them to wind down so there can be a rational discussion.

In the interest of equality, with out of control Te I do much the same thing, but I imagine slapping them instead of strangling. :devil:
I just had this discussion with Javo, spooky

LOL, well whatever works for you I guess. Runaway T just gives me a head ache, but if I recognize it fast enough and they do not require me to answer them, I enjoy watching them take of on a rant :wubbie:
Actually, sometimes I make my Ne go all nuts on purpose as some people find it very funny to watch :D
 

nightning

ish red no longer *sad*
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i agree. "different strokes for different folks" means there is no reason why a T can't succeed in this field.

:yes:

In the end, what makes a good therapist is interest. They care about the lives of their patients and they try their best to help. The rest is simply a matter of experience. And interest provides the drive to obtain the experience... to look beyond the surface.

The question shouldn't be about whether Ts will make a good therapist. The question should have been on how interested you are in becoming one. Why do you want to be one and how much effort are you willing to put in to succeed.
 

King sns

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Logical solutions?

Hmmm, I am an upper division psych. major and we never overtly study, or learn to become "logical practitioners" in the field.

Though I must say, I have benefited GREATLY from cognitive-behavioral therapy, but this has been through my reading and rereading of some pretty awesome books, who may or may not have been written by some Ts.

yes!! I was having massive panic attacks by the time I got to him. He tought me some simple solutions to abort an attack, about the physiology of the attack. corrected my thinking patterns a bit, and told me to exercise. And my anxiety has been under control ever since. (he wasn't totally cold, though, he may have well been a very logical feeler, or a feeler who realized my need for solid solutions, who knows?)
All the other ones wanted me to try free-writing, wanted me to call my friends when I was feeling down, asked me a whole bunch of questions about my problem, kept asking questions, kept asking questions, kept asking questions, kept letting me talk. It just wasn't working.
 

entropie

Permabanned
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When I google for "ENTP +theraphist" I find 4 results and the first 2 are posts by me. Guess theraphist is written without the extra h :D
 

ThatsWhatHeSaid

Well-known member
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When I do my periodic life course correction I think about different careers. Lately, I have been looking at being a therapist (or an attorney). The thing I like about being a therapist is helping people overcome and optimize as people, to get what they want and need out of life. I am aloof enough not to get too involved personally, analytical enough with enough emotional intelligence to wade into chthonic emotional waters, and I am very interested in people.

Do you think ENTP's could make successful therapists? Do you know of any?

I'm an attorney right now and am applying to psych grad school for next year. Probably a phd in clinical psych. Also, I'm probably ENTPish.

I think it would make a great career for someone who is ENTP, for the reasons digest stated: solving problems, mapping circumstances, mapping psychic "forces" or patterns, helping others, being objective, and being creative in problem solving (probably my favorite part). The major differences, imo, between law and psychology are:

* law have fewer opportunities to experience beauty
* litigation in inherently adversarial, which is fun, but imo doesn't promote well being; so, while you are helping YOUR CLIENT, you are doing it at someone else's expense
* transactional work (drawing up agreements) can be boring
* law can be very tedious; procedure plays a major major rule, more than justice
* law will pay better, but your quality of life will suffer
* with psychology, you have more opportunity to study yourself and the nature of people; with law, you are studying situations and frameworks
* there is less opportunity for connection in law
 

SillySapienne

`~~Philosoflying~~`
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For what it is worth, I do think that Synarch and Edahn could easily make great therapists.

And I don't say that to kiss ass, I say that because I mean it.
 

digesthisickness

✿ڿڰۣஇღ♥ wut ♥ღஇڿڰۣ✿
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:yes:

In the end, what makes a good therapist is interest. They care about the lives of their patients and they try their best to help. The rest is simply a matter of experience. And interest provides the drive to obtain the experience... to look beyond the surface.

The question shouldn't be about whether Ts will make a good therapist. The question should have been on how interested you are in becoming one. Why do you want to be one and how much effort are you willing to put in to succeed.

exactly! all Ts wouldn't make great therapists anymore than all Fs would.
 

substitute

New member
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yeah, I'm an awesome therapist :D It's one of my irons in the fire so to speak, for possible career advancement, to upgrade my counsellor qualification and experience in religious chaplaincy and secular community work, into a full psychiatry degree and go down that road.

It has been a tricky learning curve though, because you have to big up your Fe but not so much to the extent that it paralyses you from saying anything unpleasant that has to be said, so you're using it to find a way to say what Ne/Ti know needs communicating, in a way that saves face yet gently challenges the client.

It has left me somewhat vulnerable in my personal life though, with heightened Fe, to being more easily upset by people around me... I have to remember to engage Ti again to take that step back.

edit - artificial augmentation of my Te to coequal with Ti has had interesting effects too, which I've also been learning to harness in my work...
 

SillySapienne

`~~Philosoflying~~`
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I do think that the field of therapy is dominated by Fs and for good reason.

Although, in the same breath I would say that there are plenty of Ts who would also make both lovely and effective therapists.
 

mlittrell

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i have a friend who is an ENTP and he would be a phenomenal therapist if he was interested in it
 

INA

now! in shell form
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I have been to *many* therapists, as well as psychiatrists.

And the *only* therapists who I have ever had *any* success with whatsoever, have been Fs..

But, I have WORKED my T therapists/psychotherapists/psychiatrists, deeming them unable to understand me and my problems, and hence incompetent, then fucking with them for a bit to then move on.
Not surprising. I could see this happening.

Umm...


EDIT. I wouldn't want an ENTP therapist, I don't know if they could put their ego aside sufficiently or if they would be empathic enough. Also, what happens when they get bored with you and/or the job?
and the selective/dismissive "listening" :sick:
 

Synarch

Once Was
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psyche, along with sociology, is one of the majors that i lack one semester in getting. it's the easiest topic i've ever studied and get As without even trying, which i attribute to my studying it for fun (both by books and real life experience) since i was a child before even taking the classes. i enjoy it for many reasons. the puzzles, the helping, the actual encouragement to be objective, everything.

just because i don't go around giving advice on these forums does NOT mean that i don't enjoy that type of thing. it's that i can't stand giving unsolicited advice. that's the big difference. however, even here and at INTPc, i've given plenty of it when asked, even many times talking people through their problems over AIM and yahoo. i just don't advertise that i'm like that.

God forbid we see anything but biting sarcasm from you. :hug:
 

Synarch

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Nah, I just tune out, imagine myself strangling them, and wait for them to wind down so there can be a rational discussion.

In the interest of equality, with out of control Te I do much the same thing, but I imagine slapping them instead of strangling. :devil:

Always with the slapping and strangulation from you. I detect a pattern.
 

ajblaise

Minister of Propagandhi
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I think the best therapists tend to be fairly balanced when it comes to T/F, with the profession moderately favoring F characteristics.
 

Synarch

Once Was
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
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I've been to six therapists when I was having bad anxiety for a few years. Only one who worked for me was a T, I think. He had logical solutions to my problems that I still use every day. And my anxiety is under control, now. I couldn't stand just sitting in those offices with fuzzy-wuzzy F's talking about my problems. I talk about my problems all day to my friends. I need soulutions damnit not more reflection!!!

So yea, I think it could work.

Maybe F dominants benefit from T dominants and vice versa?

I have had three therapists who have actually helped me a lot, all Fs, and incredibly empathetic, I could not hide my problems with them, nor did I want to, they felt me and where I was coming from, they listened, truly listened, and helped.

Maybe you benefit more from empathy than solutions.

In the end, what makes a good therapist is interest. They care about the lives of their patients and they try their best to help. The rest is simply a matter of experience. And interest provides the drive to obtain the experience... to look beyond the surface.

The question shouldn't be about whether Ts will make a good therapist. The question should have been on how interested you are in becoming one. Why do you want to be one and how much effort are you willing to put in to succeed.

Your point is well-taken. All success requires sufficient interest, which I would call passion.

I do worry that I would lose interest, as I do with most things, however I do feel this need to be impactful and this manifests wherever I work, whether that be in helping clients make money or in helping people triumph in their own lives.

I'm an attorney right now and am applying to psych grad school for next year. Probably a phd in clinical psych. Also, I'm probably ENTPish.

I think it would make a great career for someone who is ENTP, for the reasons digest stated: solving problems, mapping circumstances, mapping psychic "forces" or patterns, helping others, being objective, and being creative in problem solving (probably my favorite part). The major differences, imo, between law and psychology are:

* law have fewer opportunities to experience beauty
* litigation in inherently adversarial, which is fun, but imo doesn't promote well being; so, while you are helping YOUR CLIENT, you are doing it at someone else's expense
* transactional work (drawing up agreements) can be boring
* law can be very tedious; procedure plays a major major rule, more than justice
* law will pay better, but your quality of life will suffer
* with psychology, you have more opportunity to study yourself and the nature of people; with law, you are studying situations and frameworks
* there is less opportunity for connection in law

Very nice. I would like to hear what you do.

For what it is worth, I do think that Synarch and Edahn could easily make great therapists.

And I don't say that to kiss ass, I say that because I mean it.

You never kiss ass, so I know you mean it.

I do think that the field of therapy is dominated by Fs and for good reason.

Although, in the same breath I would say that there are plenty of Ts who would also make both lovely and effective therapists.

Maybe it is dominated by F's because it is less of a challenge for F's to deploy feeling. How do you measure the success of a therapeutic intervention?
 

digesthisickness

✿ڿڰۣஇღ♥ wut ♥ღஇڿڰۣ✿
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Apr 24, 2007
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I think the best therapists tend to be fairly balanced when it comes to T/F, with the profession moderately favoring F characteristics.

hmm. if it's true that most likely a T would prefer a T, and an F would prefer an F, then maybe (IF what you say is true) it favors Fs because more Fs would go to therapy.


(note that i didn't say "need" it, i said, "would go".)
 

ajblaise

Minister of Propagandhi
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hmm. if it's true that most likely a T would prefer a T, and an F would prefer an F, then maybe (IF what you say is true) it favors Fs because more Fs would go to therapy.


(note that i didn't say "need" it, i said, "would go".)

Hey that's probably true. I'd like to see stats saying how much Ts compared to Fs seek therapy.
 
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