Field Experience: A School Psychologist Interview
I interviewed a licensed school psychologist, which told me a few interesting things useful for me and my future professional practice. A psychologist plays a special role in special education working with the client because he represents a person with strong experience and views. In this sense, people need help in order to set goals in business and work, and in relationships. Unfortunately, they begin to take care of themselves only when the situation becomes critical. Thus, a psychologist has to consider consciously what happens in relationships and family, and resolve problems of people with special needs.
A psychologisthas to meet the needs of individuals with exceptionalities, attend special courses in order to understand their problems, help them to create the positive mood and feel like ordinary people. In other words, the professionalism of the psychologist as an expert includes education, a diploma and continuous self-development, self-improvement, the desire to improve the professional level and personal component: life experience, personal qualities.
I worked with students having physical disabilities. It is a very big misconception that some psychologists do not want to draw attention to the person’s unpleasant emotions, family, they try to avoid those of his severe experiences. As a result, a person remains alone with his painful thoughts, thereby aggravating the depression. If a person wants to talk about his feelings, it is necessary to listen to him, try to understand how and what he feels. Speaking about his experiences, a person feels that he is not alone, that someone understands how hard it is now. For example, an anecdote being repeated several times, stops to be funny, similarly, painful feelings are not so painful and terrible, they lose their sharpness when they are discussed.
There are some developmental milestones associated with the disabilities teachers should pay attention to. They should take into account that a person with disabilities should pass some stages, and the adoption of the condition is the last one. Emotional balance comes, a new period begins, and a person learns to live in their new state of his condition. It is essential to learn that people should understand and accept their problems. The task of psychologist is to reveal that life is not limited to the injury. A person does not cease to be that same person with his positive goals in life, which can be implemented, if wanted. Often only after severe tests a person understands what he used to waste his precious time and energy. He is aware of what is really valuable and important, and refuses to do excessive and unnecessary things.
A psychologist plays an important role in the IEP process because he allows to implement educational goals and activities, and help those who are in trouble or cannot cope with educational tasks. Thus, teachers should consult with a psychologist regarding the needs of their students if they feel that they have problems with studying, mood, education, when their mood seems to be strange, or they have concerns about their mental health. Staff in school will benefit professional courses on how to help people with disabilities, understand them, learn what they feel, and how to help them.
